In the realm of poker’s diverse variations, one game stands out for its unique twist and strategic intricacies – Razz Poker. While Texas Hold’em and Omaha dominate the spotlight, Razz Poker quietly offers an exciting departure from the norm. In this guide, we embark on a journey into the fascinating world of Razz, where the traditional hierarchy of hands is flipped on its head. From understanding the basics to mastering the art of lowball (lowball is a type of poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot) strategy, we’ll delve into the nuances that make Razz a compelling challenge for both seasoned poker players and newcomers looking for a fresh, mind-bending experience. Get ready to explore the rules, strategies, and secrets of a game that rewards players who aim for the lowest hand – where the ace-to-five straight becomes the ultimate royal flush. Origins and History of Razz Razz has roots in the early 20th century but gained popularity in the 1970s as a staple of mixed games and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) events. It is a lowball variant where the goal is to make the lowest possible five-card hand. Razz Poker offers a refreshing change of pace from traditional high hand variants and has earned its place as a beloved game in the poker community. The basics Razz follows the same structure as Seven-Card Stud, but with a twist. The objective is to make the lowest five-card hand using any combination of the seven cards dealt to each player. In Razz Poker, straights and flushes do not count against the player’s hand. The best hand in Razz is Ace-2-3-4-5, also known as the “wheel”. Razz can be played with two to eight players and, unlike Texas hold’em, IT does not involve community cards. Players are individually dealt seven cards throughout the course of the hand, of which three are dealt face down and four are dealt face-up. Razz is usually played with a Limit betting structure, in which the bets are in fixed increments. For example, in a $10/$20 limit game the bets are in increments of $10 on the first two betting rounds, and increments of $20 on the last three betting rounds. Rules and Gameplay AnteBefore a game of Razz begins, all players must post the ante. While the blinds are the forced bets in Texas Hold’em, antes are the forced bets placed by every player in Razz. Think of the ante as the cost of being dealt into the hand. >> Click here to know more about blinds and antes. The amount of the ante depends on the game. In this guide, we will use a $10/$20 razz game with an ante of $1 and a bring-in of $5 as an example. Third StreetEach player is initially dealt three cards, two hidden hole cards and one face-up (door card). The player with the highest door card would have to post the $5 bring-in, but this person does have the option to “complete” the bet by posting $10 (the small limit of the game) Observation: If two or more players are showing the same card, the tie is broken by the suit, with the player having the highest ranking suit being the one forced to post the bring-in. Suits follow this rank, from high to low: Spades (highest), Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs (lowest). Action continues clockwise around the table, with each player having the option to call, raise or fold. In the case that the first player who brought in only posts the bring-in, other players may have the option of completing the bet to $10 as the first raise. Once the betting is complete, every player left in the hand is dealt a fourth card, referred to as fourth street. Fourth StreetEach player receives another face-up card. The first player to act is the one showing the lowest hand. This player may either check or bet the lower structured betting amount; in ou example that would be $10. Another round of betting takes place. Fifth StreetPlayers now receive another face-up card, the ‘Fifth Street’. Again, the first player to act is the one with the exposed cards that have the lowest poker value. Another round of betting takes place. From fifth street forward, all bets are in big bet increments ($20 in our example). Sixth StreetPlayers now receive another face-up card, the ‘Sixth Street’. Again, the first player to act is the one with the exposed cards that have the lowest poker value. Another round of betting takes place. Seventh Street (River)Each player now receives the final card. This card is dealt face-down and known only to the respective player. Yet again, the first player to act is the one whose exposed cards have the lowest poker value. Another round of betting takes place and if two or more players remains, we go to the Showdown. ShowdownIf more than one player remains after the seventh street, the player who placed the last bet or raise reveals their cards first. If there was no bet on seventh street, the player in the earliest seat shows his cards first. The rest of the other player’s hands are shown in clockwise order. The player with the lowest five-card hand wins the pot. In situations where hands are identical (ties), the pot is evenly split among the players with the matching hands. Once the pot is awarded, the next hand begins. To better illustrate the gameplay, see in the image below an example of the seven cards dealt in Razz and their respective streets. Low Hand Explained Razz uses the ‘Ace to Five’ system for ranking low hands. What does that mean?For the low hand, the ace is considered a low card (the lowest), and straights and flushes do not count against a hand, so the best possible hand is a “wheel”: 5, 4, 3, 2, A. The next lowest possible hand is 6-4-3-2-A. Very important: The low hand is always ranked from its highest card downwards.Let’s … Continue reading How to Play Razz