RAZZ for Beginners

Razz is another name for Seven-Card Stud Low. There is no High Hand. The lowest hand Scoops the Pot. The play format and setup is similar to that of seven-card stud high, except the high card is needed to make the forced bet in the first round. Remember that the Ace is considered low. Then all low hands play first on all preceding rounds. Straights and flushes are irrelevant, and have no ranking. This leave the best possible hans as 5-4-3-2-A. This nut hand is known as the wheel. Note an open pair has no effect on the betting structure.

During a horse game, Razz like the other poker variations is generally play at limit, and is the third variation to be played in order.

 

RULES OF RAZZ Recap

1. All of the seven-card stud rules still apply in razz poker except as otherwise stated.

2. The smallest hand is deemed to have won the pot. Aces are always used as a low card, flushes and straights have no effect whatsoever on the low value of a hand. Each card value can only be used once so paired cards also have no value. The best possible hand you can have is 5-4-3-2-A.

3. The highest card by suit starts the play with a mandatory and forced bet. The low hand always acts first on each of the preceding rounds. If the low hand is tied, the first player clockwise of the dealer will commence to play.

4. Fixed-limit games as in Horse games use the lower limit on third and fourth streets and the upper limit on the following streets. An open pair is ignored and will not affect the limit.

5. The dealer will always announce pairs the first time they occur, except face card pairs, which will never get announced.

 

Razz Player Tips

The best possible starting hand is A23, Worst is KKK

Hand Ranking is from high card down. This means that 6,5,4,3,2 will always outrank 7,5,4,3,A, because 6 is lower.

Unless you have a good early bluffing opportunity, you are probably best to discard your hand if you do not have three low starting cards. In shorthanded games you may have the opportunity to bluff your opponents, but be careful.

Pairs are useless. A pair is like having a dead card. if you two pair, its usually best to fold.

If you get a low 3rd and fourth street, regardless of what your hole cards, there is a good opportunity to bluff. Look around to see the other players up cards. if your are beating them, throw in a raise.

 

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Razz is becoming more and more popular at FullTilt Poker, due to the simplicity of the game and the exciting bluffing opportunity it produces.