Razz Poker

Razz is a popular poker variant similar to the Seven-Card stud game. Unlike traditional poker, the only difference is that the lowest-ranking hand wins in a Razz game. It developed around the start of the 20th century in the Midwest, USA.

During its evolution, Razz Poker adopted the Ace-to-Five Lowball ranking system of stud game, where the game is won by making the lowest hand possible. When the hands are ranked from low to high, you should always start from the highest card in your hand sequence and move downward.

Objective

The objective of razz poker is to make the best possible five-card hand from the seven cards. It requires a different strategy from traditional poker games, as players must focus on making the lowest possible hand instead of the highest.

Rules For Razz Poker

Here are the essential rules of razz poker:

• The number of players in Razz is usually 2 to 8 players.
• Each player is dealt seven cards. The face-up cards are called door cards, and the face-down cards are called hold cards.
• Only the best five cards out of seven are used to form a complete hand.
• Contrary to traditional poker, the lowest hand wins the game in Razz. Here, Ace is the lowest card, so King is the highest-value card in the deck.
• The game is played in a clockwise direction, similar to the other traditional poker variants.
• Similar to other variants, Razz has a small bet and a big bet, where the big bet is double the amount of the small bet.
• After each round, the bets are incremented by a certain amount called ante, which is usually 10% of the big bet value.
• In the first two rounds, the bet size is increased by adding 10% on the small bet, while in the last three rounds, the increment is done on the big bet.
• Razz Poker is a limited-betting structure game. Hence, due to the pot limit in this game, players can make only 3 to 4 raises on a bet.

How to Play Razz Poker?

With the basics covered, let’s dive into the gameplay of Razz Poker.

1. The dealer distributes three cards to each player: two face-down hole cards and one face-up door card.
2. Before the first betting round begins, all the players contribute a small amount called the ante. It is usually 10% of the big bet.
3. The first betting round, also known as Third Street, starts here, with the player having the highest door card expected to bring in. In this round, this player can decide to be in the game by making a bet, or they can fold.
4. In the Fourth Street, the fourth card is dealt face-up to all players. The betting starts with the player who has been dealt the lowest (strongest) hand.
5. In Fifth Street, the fifth card is dealt face-up to all the players. The first player to act is the one who has the strongest (lowest) hand. This player can either check, bet, or fold.  After one betting round, further bets and raises are made in big-bet increments.
6. The sixth card is dealt face-up to all the players in the next round. This time, again, players need to complete a round of betting moving to Seventh Street.
7. In this round, the final card is dealt face-down, known only to the player being dealt, and the betting starts from the player with the lowest card hand.
8. If two or more players are still in the game, a showdown occurs in which all players show their cards. The last player to bet or raise will be the first to show their hands, and the showdown continues clockwise. The player left with the lowest five-card hand is the ultimate winner in this round.

Razz Poker Hand Rankings

• In Razz, straights and flushes do not count against a hand.
• Aces are always considered the lowest cards.
• Pairs weaken the chances of winning as they are high-value cards.
• Razz follows the A-to-5 lowball hand rankings, meaning the best hand is 5-4-3-2-A, also known as the wheel or bicycle.
• Any hand starting with cards lower than 8 is considered to be a good hand.

Below are the Razz poker hand rankings, starting with the lowest possible hand strength in Razz:

• 5-4-3-2-A (also known as a wheel or bicycle)
• 6-4-3-2-A
• 6-5-3-2-A
• 7-5-4-3-2
• 7-6-4-3-2
• 8-5-4-3-2
• 8-6-4-3-2
• 8-6-5-3-2
• 8-7-5-3-2
• 8-7-6-4-2
• 8-7-6-5-2
• 8-7-6-5-3
• 9-7-6-5-3
• 9-8-7-5-3
• 9-8-7-6-3
• 9-8-7-6-4
• 9-8-7-6-5
• 10-8-7-6-4
• 10-8-7-6-5
• 10-9-8-7-5
• 10-9-8-7-6
• K-8-7-6-5
• Q-8-7-6-5
• J-8-7-6-5
• T-8-7-6-5

See more: Poker Hands

Types of Razz Poker

Standard Razz

Razz poker is a popular variant of poker played using a 52-card deck. In this game, the goal is to make the lowest hand combination, and to qualify; your hand must rank eight or lower.

Deuce-to-Seven Razz

In this variation of Razz poker, deuce (two) is considered the lowest-ranking card and the lowest possible hand is seven-low. The hand ranking of Deuce-to-Seven Razz poker influences which hands players' choose to keep and which ones to discard.

Limit Razz

Limit Razz has fixed limits on how much players can bet in each round. There is a cap on the maximum amount allowed for betting. Due to fixed limits, Limit Razz is slow-paced, allowing players to make informed decisions.

No Limit Razz

In the no-limit razz variant, players can bet without limits, even their entire chip stack, in a betting round, making the game challenging, tricky, and strategic.

Pot Limit Razz

Players can bet any amount up to the pot size in the pot-limit razz. The betting limit is determined by the size of the pot, which provides flexibility compared to no-limit razz.

Pineapple Razz

Pineapple Razz is a combination of Razz Poker and Five Card Draw. Before the betting round begins, each player is dealt five cards face down and must discard one card. It allows players to think about their strategy and pick the best hand.

Top 10 Razz Starting Hands

• A, 2, 3
• A, 2, 4
• A, 3, 4
• 2, 3, 4
• A, 2, 5
• A, 3, 5
• A, 4, 5
• 2, 3, 5
• 2, 4, 5
• A, 2, 6

Betting Rounds in Razz Poker

Deal:

Each player is dealt three cards: two face-down (hole cards) and one face-up (door card).

Ante:

The ante is a small bet that every player at the table must place in the pot before the cards are dealt. It creates a starting pot for the game, gets everyone invested in it from the beginning, and ensures there are always some chips to win in each hand.

Bring-in:

The player with the lowest/best face-up card is required to start the betting, also known as the bring-in. Like Stud, the player who has to bring in has two options:

• Bet an amount of the same value as Ante.
• Betting the full small bet amount.

Betting:

After the bring-in bet is made, the action proceeds clockwise around the table, with each player choosing to either call (match the size of the bring-in), raise (increase the bet), or fold (give up their hand).

Third Street:

Third Street is the initial stage of the game, where each player receives three hole cards. Two-hole cards are dealt face down, and one-hole card is dealt face up. This face-up card is known as the "door card." After receiving these cards, the first round of betting commences, starting with the player with the highest door card, as they are considered to have the weakest starting hand. Then, the betting action continues around the table clockwise. This phase sets the stage for the strategy for the rest of the game, giving players their first opportunity to evaluate their own and others' potential low-hand strength.

Fourth Street:

Fourth Street is the round where each player receives a fourth card, dealt face up. After players receive their cards, the player with the lowest hand on the table initiates the betting round, where they can either bet or check. It is interesting because players aim for low in Razz; unlike many other poker games where high hands lead, having the lowest cards is good. It is essential to know that the bets during Fourth Street are usually set at the lower limit of the game's structure, making it a critical point for players to begin shaping their strategies without significant financial risk.

Fifth Street:

Fifth Street is the stage where each player receives their fifth card, dealt face-up. The player with the lowest exposed hand is the first to act. It is a critical point in the game because, from here onward, all bets and raises must be made at the higher limit in a fixed-limit game. This means that the stakes are higher, and betting can intensify.

Sixth Street:

During this phase, players receive their sixth card, face-up. After this card is dealt, the betting round occurs, starting with the player with the lowest exposed hand. This round is crucial for strategic decisions, as players have most of their hands revealed and can more accurately evaluate their chances of winning.

Seventh Street (or the River):

Seventh Street or River is the final round of dealing cards, where each player receives one last card face-down. It is followed by a final round of betting, which begins with the player having the lowest exposed hand. This round is crucial as it is the last opportunity for players to influence the outcome with their bets before determining the winner.

Showdown:

If more than one player remains after the final round of betting, the players reveal their hands, and the best five-card hand wins the pot. In the event of a tie, the pot is split between the tied players.

That is the basic overview of playing seven-card stud. Like all forms of poker, the game has a variety of strategies and nuances that can take years to master.

How Do You Win at Razz Poker?

Unlike other poker variants, you must have the lowest denomination hand in Razz Poker to win the game. For example, 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest hand that enables you to win. Remember that Aces are considered low; Flush and Straight do not count in razz poker. If there is a tie between two players, the next card to the lowest denomination card is deemed to break the tie.

Razz Poker Strategy and Winning Tips

Here are some of the crucial tips that will help you play the game better:

Study opponents' betting patterns:

You should study your opponents' betting patterns to gain insight into their playing style and help you understand their gameplay. It enables you to adjust your gameplay according to your opponent’s actions. For example, your opponent’s aggressive betting style might mean they are holding a strong, low hand, whereas their conservative betting might indicate a weaker hand.

Select Your Starting Hands carefully:

Playing with high-value cards can reduce your chances of winning the game. Hence, it is essential to start playing with cards lower than 8 of all different suits. If you have pairs or other high-value cards, it is better to fold them.

Avoid Building High Hands:

If your first three cards are lower-value cards and you receive a high-value card in a later round, it is better to consider folding.

Be Selective with Your Draws:

This tip concerns your exposed cards. If your exposed cards already include some high-value cards that are weak in Razz, then it is better to be very careful while drawing more cards in the hope of getting lower-value cards, as it can prove costly.

Position Matters:

Playing from later positions like cutoff and button is always advantageous as you see your opponent’s actions, allowing you to make your decisions and actions accordingly.

Pay attention to Exposed Cards:

Paying attention to your opponent’s exposed cards will help you assess their hand strength and act accordingly.

Mix Up Your Play:

Occasionally, keep mixing your betting pattern and gameplay style to control what information your opponents are getting regarding your strengths and weaknesses.

Practice and Experience:

Razz is a game that requires determination to excel. If you apply all the lessons of this article and practice regularly with discipline, your game will improve as your experience grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Razz Poker?

Razz Poker is a form of stud poker where players aim to make the lowest possible hand without straights or flushes counting against them.

How to win at Razz Poker?

To win at Razz Poker, players aim to create the lowest possible five-card hand out of the seven cards they are dealt.

What is the best hand in Razz Poker?

The best hand in razz poker is 5-4-3-2-A.

Do pairs count in razz poker?

In Razz poker, pairs count against the player, as the goal is to have the lowest hand possible without pairs.

How do you play high-low poker?

In Hi/Lo Poker, the players with the best and the worst hands win the game. Hi/Lo Poker is a seven-card stud variant.

What is the difference between Razz and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo?

Unlike Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, where both high-ranking and lowest-ranking hands share the pot, in Razz poker, only the lowest-ranking hand wins the entire pot. Also, the hand hierarchy is different in Razz and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo.

Who goes first in Razz?

The player with the lowest showing hand goes first in razz poker.

Conclusion

Razz Poker is an exciting and unique version of traditional poker in which the objective is to create the lowest possible hand instead of the highest. It is played quite similar to Seven-Card Stud but with a twist: aces are low, pairs are bad, and the hand 5-4-3-2-A is the best you can get. Staying patient, reading opponents, and making informed decisions can help you master the game. You can win big with consistent practice and following the poker strategies you learned in this guide.