How To Play Razz

Razz Rules

Razz is a variation of seven card stud that is played using Ace to Five low hand rules. In poker games that use low hand rules pairs will count against you. For example a hand that does not contain a pair will beat a hand with a pair. A hand with a pair will beat a three of a kind.

Hands that do not have any pairs are compared to one another by the highest ranking card. The high hand in Razz will lose. Straights and flushes are ignored as in all low hand poker games and aces are played as the lowest card.

The actual game of Razz begins with every player at the table posting a small ante. Once the antes have been posted each player is dealt three cards. Two of them face down and the third face up.

The player with the highest face up card begins the betting with a forced bet. This is called 'The Bring In'. The purpose of the bring in is to help force the action.

Play moves around the table clockwise. The players at the table can call, raise to the lower limit (completing the bet) or fold. The betting is capped at three bets maximum in any round.

After the round of betting has been completed each player is dealt one card face up. This is followed by another round of betting. The betting begins with the player whose up cards make the best hand.

After the round of betting has been completed another card is dealt face up. This is followed by another round of betting. The betting begins with the player whose up cards make the best hand. Each player still in the game has five cards.

After the round of betting has been completed each player receives a card dealt face up. Once again this is followed by another round of betting. The betting begins with the player whose up cards make the best hand. Each player still in the game has six cards, two face down and four face up.

After the betting has been completed the final card is dealt face down. This is followed by the final round of betting.

Next comes the showdown. Any players remaining in the hand reveal their cards and the winner of the hand gets all the chips in the pot.

In summary, the dealing of the cards in Razz follows the same 2 down, four up, 1 down pattern of seven card stud.