Razz Poker

Poker gets all interesting and exciting with all its variations. While most poker variations focus on getting the largest value card hand, a game version, called Razz Poker, focuses on securing the low hand. This means, while traditional poker games emphasize on being high card games, Razz Poker revolves about getting the lowest hand possible. Sounds interesting? Yes, it sure is. For all the poker lovers, this poker version is highly identical to Stud Poker. But yes, its variations make it all the more interesting. So, the main thing to make note of is that Aces are counted as low! In case you get the hand that is the lowest in denomination, you can always lead the betting.

Razz Poker had its origin in the bustling casinos of Las Vegas which organize the Poker World Series every year. This online card game has equal popularity between amateur poker players and pros at the game.

Rules to Play Razz Poker

Razz Poker doesn’t promise anything complicated. You start off with seven cards and your major target is to make the best possible poker hand of five from those cards. This game can be played with two to eight players. Like other poker variations as Texas Holdem Poker, community cards are of no use here. The rules for playing Razz Poker are easy and you can practice and learn them without any hassle.

How to Play Razz Poker

A much asked question is how to play poker with the Razz Poker game. It has a similarity to the 7-card Stud Poker game. Here is how you can begin playing this game:

• The game begins with each player given three cards. Two cards are face down while one card is placed face up. This is commonly called First Deal or Third Street in the game.
• The face-down cards are known as Holes and the face-up card is known as Door Card.
• Based on these cards, a player can decide to continue the hand or quit it.
• Next in line is Fourth Street. This is the second betting round. Here, a player with the highest value of show cards will first act. In the event of the highest-ranking show cards’ tie, the game will use suit ranks.
• Betting rounds that follow subsequently are known by the name of Fifth Street, Sixth Street and Seventh Street.
• The final or the last betting round starts at Seventh Street. This is time for a showdown.
• The showdown is your time to display your best possible hand of the five cards.

Quick Glance at Razz Poker Rules:

• A Razz Poker game flags off with a Game Setup where each player places their poker chips on the game table. These chips can stake bets that can be a combo of a big bet and small bet or even an Ante.
• Any betting is over and above the Ante. A big bet is almost double a small size bet. An Ante can be around 10 percent of the big size bet.
• Any player can then start the game by shuffling and dealing the cards.
• There is absolutely no value for a Straight hand or a Flush here.
• Betting happens in each street or round of the Razz Poker game. For the first round bet and the second one, increments are added on the small bet.
• The last three rounds of the game have betting done by adding on the big bet in increments.
• The game follows a structure of Limited Betting with a pot limit or a specified limit. There can be a maximum bet with up to 3-4 raises.

Learn How to Play Razz Poker for Free

Are you looking to learn how to play Razz for free? Your best place will be the poker rooms available online. Several Razz player sites provide a live platform to play Razz Poker online free. These sites also organize various Razz poker tournaments Any interested poker player can register at these sites and learn the tricks of the trade. Players and poker lovers can also stay updated on poker news worldwide and get an idea about the most happening poker deals.

Razz Poker Strategy

Razz Poker strategy is simple but based on quick analysis of your cards. Notably, the cards of other poker players also play an important role here. This cash game of poker does not involve any complex permutations and combinations. As a player, you have to consider carefully your starting hand that you begin with. The Wheel or the 5-4-3-2-1 selection is a robust card combo held by any player. But simultaneously, the other players’ cards also count.

When a Flop happens, you can catch a glimpse of one card each player holds. This time at the table can be utilized to analyze which cards you may need to go ahead in the winning direction in the game. Another strategic Razz move is to utilize the Door Card. You can always start a raise in the Razz Poker game if you possess the lowest exposed Door Card and it’s your fold turn.

Razz Poker Hand Rankings

Razz Poker uses the Californian system for Razz poker hand rankings.

• Aces are counted as low.
• Flushes and Straights do not count.
• The best wins are made by hands with no pair cards and those whose cards have the lowest denominations.
• The winning hand can be the Wheel or the typical 5-4-3-2-A.
• Unpaired hands are generally ranked from the highest card down. This means for a 6-5-4-3-2 hand, it is referred to as a • Six Low as the lowest value card is 6.
Suits have no significance in Razz Poker except for in tie-breaker situations.

Play Razz Poker Online Free

You can play Razz Poker online free. This will sharpen your game skills over time and also give you a taste of the game and its strategy. Anyone familiar with playing Stud Poker will be in a strong position to learn the nuances of the Razz Poker game fairly quickly. All those players who are beginners and not aware of the various Stud poker strategy, need not worry. You can try this Razz Poker game at various free poker tables available online on various poker platforms. These rooms offer big poker tournaments with a massive player base and some great poker bonuses.

How do you win at razz poker?

As a thumb rule, whoever has the least denomination hand in the game, will be the winner. So, the worst hand you have, the greater are your winning odds. This means out of seven cards, five cards can be 5-4-3-2-1 to secure the best win. Flushes, suits and Straights do not count in this online game of poker essentially. There are chances of a tie for the lowest top card. In such situations, players can use the next highest one.

How do you play high low poker?

Another regular 7-card Stud game variant is the high low poker where the staked pot is to be shared by not only the lowest hand holder but also by the highest hand holder in the game. This happens in the case of the lowest hand topping the highest hand by a maximum of an 8. In those cases, where this condition is not met, the highest hand holder will become entitled to the entire pot.

Many online live poker game rooms offer free demo sessions for this poker variation.