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What draws poker players to the game of Razz poker is its utter diversity when compared to other poker variations. The game is played exactly like 7 Card Stud, except that the player with the absolute lowest ranking poker hand wins the pot. Basically, you’re trying to create the worst possible poker hand. If you’ve ever considered yourself to be a terrible poker player, this just might be the perfect game for you!
There is no need for the hand to “Qualify” as a low hand, as in Razz’s cousin, 7 Card Stud Hi-Low, which requires a low hand to have nothing higher than an 8 and no pairs. The only Low-Hand rules brought over from 7 Card Stud Hi-Low are these…
- Aces are always low.
- Straights and Flushes are considered combinations
Therefore, the best Razz poker hand is A-2-3-4-5. Razz poker can be played by 2-8 players, using a single, standard deck of 52 cards.
Object In Razz Poker
The idea is very simple - each player is trying to develop the worst possible poker hand. (Aces are low; Straights and flushes do not count). The player with the worst - or should I say, Lowest - hand, wins the pot.
Betting Structure In Razz Poker
Razz, like all Stud games is usually played in as Fixed Limit. No Limit and Pot Limit games are available, but much more rare. Fixed Limit rules state that all bets and raises must be equal to the low or high stakes of the game, depending on the betting round. In the first two betting rounds, bets and raises must match the low-end stakes. In the last three betting rounds, they must match the high-end stakes. For example, stakes of $2/$4 would require $2 bets/raises, followed by $4 bets/raises in the final two rounds.
There are no Blind Bets in Razz, replaced by a small Ante Bet from each player before the hand is dealt, and a Bring-In bet from the first bettor. These bets, and all others, are detailed below.
- Ante: The Ante bet is a small wager made by all players before any cards are dealt. The amount of the Ante bet may vary, but is usually 10% to 25% of the low-end stakes.
- Bring-In: After all players have been dealt the first round of cards, the player with the lowest face-up card, called the Door Card, will place the Bring-In bet. This bet is generally 50% of the low-end stakes. Should two or more players tie for the lowest card, the lowest suit determines the Bring-In bettor. Suits are ranked alphabetically lowest to highest - Club, Diamond, Heart and Spade.
- Check: To Check is to decline to bet without Fold. A Check can only be placed if no player has yet Bet in the current round. Should a following player Bet, the player(s) who Checked will need to at least Call the Bet, or Fold.
- Bet: When a player puts the first chips into the pot in a single round of betting, this is called the Bet.
- Call: Once a Bet has been placed, players may Call that Bet by placing an equal amount of chips in the pot.
- Raise: To not only match, but increase a Bet already placed in the current betting round.
- Fold: To forfeit, throwing in your cards and surrendering all chips in the pot.
- All-In: To push all of your chips into a side-pot. The side-pot is necessary because you may only win an amount from each player as high as the All-In bet. Because of the limitations in a Fixed Limit betting structure, All-In bets can only be placed if the player does not have enough chips (or has just enough chips) to Bet, Call or Raise.
General Game Play of Razz
This section will display the basic game play of a Razz hand, start to finish. For this ‘how to play Razz poker’ guide, we’ll be using 25% Ante bets and $2/$4 stakes in a Fixed Limit betting structure.
The game begins with all players putting a $.50 Ante (25% of $2) into the pot. Players are dealt 3 cards each, the first two face-down (Hole Cards) and the last face-up, called the Door Card. The lowest Door Card represents the Bring-In bettor. Remember, in case of a tie, the lowest suit (lowest is Club, then Diamond, Heart and Spade) places the Bring-In bet of $1 (50% of $2). The Bring-In bet starts the first betting round.
Each player, in clockwise order, will Call, Bet, Raise or Fold. The first bettor after the Bring-In cannot Call, because he must bet equal to the low-end stakes of $2 (or Fold). When the Bring-In bettor’s turn comes up, he can Call the current bet amount by adding enough chips to his Bring-In to match the Bet. He may of course Raise or Fold, as well.
4th Street: Each player is dealt a 4th card, face-up. The second betting round starts, same as the last except for one difference. In this and all remaining betting rounds, the highest Open hand (face-up cards only) will place the first Bet (or Check). Note that the highest possible hand thus far would be a Pair of Aces.
5th Street: Each player is dealt a 5th card, also face-up. The third betting round starts. In this round and all remaining rounds, the bets and raises must increase to the high-end stakes of $4.
6th Street: Each player is dealt a 6th card, again face-up. Another round of betting, same as the last…
7th Street: Each player is dealt their final, 7th card, this time face-down. Whoever started the last betting round will start this one as well, as the Open hands have not changed.
The Showdown: More often than not, a Showdown is not necessary as most players will Fold out before getting this far, leaving a winner already determined. Should two or more players remain, however, the Showdown begins. Each player, using their 7 cards, will develop the lowest ranking 5-card poker hand possible. The lowest ranking hand wins the whole pot. (Remember, Aces are low; Straights and Flushes don’t count!)
Should two or more players tie, the winners will split the pot.
Exceptions to the Rules
It is extremely rare that all 8 players in a full game will stay in the hand to the 7th Street, but should this occur, you’ll find that there are not enough cards to deal out. In such a case, the dealer will place a single card face-up in the center of the table. All players will assume this to be their 7th and final card.
There is no need for the hand to “Qualify” as a low hand, as in Razz’s cousin, 7 Card Stud Hi-Low, which requires a low hand to have nothing higher than an 8 and no pairs. The only Low-Hand rules brought over from 7 Card Stud Hi-Low are these…
- Aces are always low.
- Straights and Flushes are considered combinations
Therefore, the best Razz poker hand is A-2-3-4-5. Razz poker can be played by 2-8 players, using a single, standard deck of 52 cards.
Object In Razz Poker
The idea is very simple - each player is trying to develop the worst possible poker hand. (Aces are low; Straights and flushes do not count). The player with the worst - or should I say, Lowest - hand, wins the pot.
Betting Structure In Razz Poker
Razz, like all Stud games is usually played in as Fixed Limit. No Limit and Pot Limit games are available, but much more rare. Fixed Limit rules state that all bets and raises must be equal to the low or high stakes of the game, depending on the betting round. In the first two betting rounds, bets and raises must match the low-end stakes. In the last three betting rounds, they must match the high-end stakes. For example, stakes of $2/$4 would require $2 bets/raises, followed by $4 bets/raises in the final two rounds.
There are no Blind Bets in Razz, replaced by a small Ante Bet from each player before the hand is dealt, and a Bring-In bet from the first bettor. These bets, and all others, are detailed below.
- Ante: The Ante bet is a small wager made by all players before any cards are dealt. The amount of the Ante bet may vary, but is usually 10% to 25% of the low-end stakes.
- Bring-In: After all players have been dealt the first round of cards, the player with the lowest face-up card, called the Door Card, will place the Bring-In bet. This bet is generally 50% of the low-end stakes. Should two or more players tie for the lowest card, the lowest suit determines the Bring-In bettor. Suits are ranked alphabetically lowest to highest - Club, Diamond, Heart and Spade.
- Check: To Check is to decline to bet without Fold. A Check can only be placed if no player has yet Bet in the current round. Should a following player Bet, the player(s) who Checked will need to at least Call the Bet, or Fold.
- Bet: When a player puts the first chips into the pot in a single round of betting, this is called the Bet.
- Call: Once a Bet has been placed, players may Call that Bet by placing an equal amount of chips in the pot.
- Raise: To not only match, but increase a Bet already placed in the current betting round.
- Fold: To forfeit, throwing in your cards and surrendering all chips in the pot.
- All-In: To push all of your chips into a side-pot. The side-pot is necessary because you may only win an amount from each player as high as the All-In bet. Because of the limitations in a Fixed Limit betting structure, All-In bets can only be placed if the player does not have enough chips (or has just enough chips) to Bet, Call or Raise.
General Game Play of Razz
This section will display the basic game play of a Razz hand, start to finish. For this ‘how to play Razz poker’ guide, we’ll be using 25% Ante bets and $2/$4 stakes in a Fixed Limit betting structure.
The game begins with all players putting a $.50 Ante (25% of $2) into the pot. Players are dealt 3 cards each, the first two face-down (Hole Cards) and the last face-up, called the Door Card. The lowest Door Card represents the Bring-In bettor. Remember, in case of a tie, the lowest suit (lowest is Club, then Diamond, Heart and Spade) places the Bring-In bet of $1 (50% of $2). The Bring-In bet starts the first betting round.
Each player, in clockwise order, will Call, Bet, Raise or Fold. The first bettor after the Bring-In cannot Call, because he must bet equal to the low-end stakes of $2 (or Fold). When the Bring-In bettor’s turn comes up, he can Call the current bet amount by adding enough chips to his Bring-In to match the Bet. He may of course Raise or Fold, as well.
4th Street: Each player is dealt a 4th card, face-up. The second betting round starts, same as the last except for one difference. In this and all remaining betting rounds, the highest Open hand (face-up cards only) will place the first Bet (or Check). Note that the highest possible hand thus far would be a Pair of Aces.
5th Street: Each player is dealt a 5th card, also face-up. The third betting round starts. In this round and all remaining rounds, the bets and raises must increase to the high-end stakes of $4.
6th Street: Each player is dealt a 6th card, again face-up. Another round of betting, same as the last…
7th Street: Each player is dealt their final, 7th card, this time face-down. Whoever started the last betting round will start this one as well, as the Open hands have not changed.
The Showdown: More often than not, a Showdown is not necessary as most players will Fold out before getting this far, leaving a winner already determined. Should two or more players remain, however, the Showdown begins. Each player, using their 7 cards, will develop the lowest ranking 5-card poker hand possible. The lowest ranking hand wins the whole pot. (Remember, Aces are low; Straights and Flushes don’t count!)
Should two or more players tie, the winners will split the pot.
Exceptions to the Rules
It is extremely rare that all 8 players in a full game will stay in the hand to the 7th Street, but should this occur, you’ll find that there are not enough cards to deal out. In such a case, the dealer will place a single card face-up in the center of the table. All players will assume this to be their 7th and final card.