The Online Poker Player Resource

Razz is a variant form of Stud Poker. The dealing and betting is the same. Unlike Stud, a winner is determined by the lowest five card hand, not the highest. Suits no longer matter in this game because flushes and straights do not count against a player having low cards. There is also no qualifier to what a low hand is like in Stud Hi/Lo or Omaha Hi/Lo.

Razz starts with each player being dealt two cards face down and one card face up. The player with the highest face up card must put in a “bring-in” bet. This is an “opening” bet, so the next player is not allowed to check. After the “bring in” bet comes in, the player next to act is to the left. This process is then repeated in a clockwise direction. Players who end up having the same card are tied up. In this case suits will be used as a tie breaker. Rules on bring-in bets and suits should be checked with the poker room you are playing at. Although they most likely do not stray from the norm, there is nothing that stops a casino from varying the rules in anyway they see fit.

After the first round of betting is completed, another card (fourth card) is dealt faced up to all players. This is then followed by the second round of betting starting with the player with faced up cards that have the lowest value (for example, 2/7 is better than a 5/9). Remember, Razz ignores flushes and straights.

Next another face up card (fifth card) is dealt to all players followed by another round of betting. When that is finished a sixth card is dealt face up and then betting commences. Finally the seventh card is dealt, but face down, and fifth betting round begins. The person who acts first is the one who has the lowest exposed cards. If two or more players remain, a showdown occurs. At the showdown, the player with the best five card low hand out of the 7 cards they were dealt wins.

Most Razz games have a maximum number of 8 players at any given time. Note however that if you were to deal 7 cards to 8 players, there would not be enough cards, especially since there will be burn cards (cards that are not dealt to players to help randomness). In most Razz games in casinos, this is not a problem because a player or two usually folds his or her hand. However, in low cash games or home games, it is recommended to keep the number at 7 players then or players can begin using the burn cards when the deck is exhausted.