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Ace-to-five low is the most common method for evaluating low hands in poker. As in all lowball poker games, pairs and trips are bad: that is, any poker hand with no pair defeats any hand with a pair; one pair hands defeat two pair or trips, etc.

No-pair hands are compared starting with the highest ranking card, just as in high poker, except that the high poker hand loses. In ace-to-five low, straights and flushes are ignored, and aces play as the lowest card.

For example, the hand 8-5-4-3-2 defeats 9-7-6-4-3, because eight-high is lower than nine-high. The hand 7-6-5-4-3 defeats both, because seven-high is lower still, even though it would be a straight if played for high. Aces are low, so 8-5-4-3-A defeats 8-5-4-3-2. Also, A-A-9-5-3 (a pair of aces) defeats 2-2-5-4-3 (a pair of deuces), but both of those would lose to any no-pair hand such as K-J-8-6-4. In the rare event that hands with pairs tie, kickers are used just as in high poker (but reversed): 3-3-6-4-2 defeats 3-3-6-5-A.

This is called ace-to-five low because the lowest and therefore best possible poker hand is 5-4-3-2-A, called a wheel or bicycle. The next best possible hand is 6-4-3-2-A, followed by 6-5-3-2-A, 6-5-4-2-A, 6-5-4-3-A, 6-5-4-3-2, 7-4-3-2-A, 7-5-3-2-1, etc.

When speaking, low poker hands are referred to by their highest ranking card or cards. Any nine-high hand can be called "a nine," and is defeated by any "eight." Two cards are frequently used: the hand 8-6-5-4-2 can be called "an eight-six" and will defeat "an eight-seven" such as 8-7-5-4-A.

High-low split poker games with ace-to-five low are usually played cards speak, that is, without a declaration. Frequently a qualifier is required for low (typically 8-high or 9-high).