Razz Poker: A Beginner’s Guide to This Fun Variation

While most Poker games involve you using big cards, there are some that let you win even with low cards. Razz poker is one such game. So, if you want to get success then you will just have to understand the basics of the game and learn some Razz poker strategy. This way you can guarantee to win at the end of it.

Understanding Razz Poker

Well, poker can be extremely rewarding if you know how to play it. However, before we work on your question of “how to deal with Razz poker?”, you are required to understand what the game truly is. So, we will first work on making you aware of the basics of it, before moving on to the other parts.

What is Razz Poker?

Razz Poker is one of the most popular online poker games. This unique 52-card deck game first came into existence around the 20th century. Although this was primarily a physical card game, now with the rise of the internet, you can easily play it online. This is considered one of the oldest variants of stud poker out there.

Unlike other poker variants like Badugi, Indian poker, and others, this one does not involve making hand combinations with the best selection of cards. Rather, you have to find your way around the worst card combination, the worse, and the better.

For instance, if you make a card combination with A, 5, 4, 3, and 2, then it is basically considered the best one that you can create. This particular hand combination is known as the 5 high, the bicycle, and the wheel. This particular specification of making hand combinations with the worst set of cards is given the name of lowball poker. 

Unlike many types of cards, the Ace actually holds the lowest value of 1. Moreover, it also comes before the poker cards which are ranked 2. This is why, one unique thing about this offline and online poker game is that the King (K) is the highest value door card in the entire game.

Rules of Razz Poker

Similar to other games of poker, Razz poker also comes with its set of rules. Any player who wants to get success in this game will have to get accustomed to the rules. Moreover, without knowing these you also won’t be able to come up with effective Razz poker strategies.

Basic Gameplay Rules

Wondering how to deal with Razz poker? The first step is getting a clear idea of Razz poker rules. 

• The goal of the Razz poker is to make a hand with the lowest 5 cards. In this game, straights and flushes are not counted against you as low. On the contrary, an Ace always has a low value in this game.
• The ties in the rank of cards are broken according to suit. According to this order, Spades sits at the highest rank, and it is then followed by hearts and diamonds, the last one being clubs.
• Each player is required to play a total of 7 cards in the entire game.
• The 4th, 5th, and 6th are dealt as face-up cards for all players. These are known as the door cards.
• The 7th and final card is considered a face-down card or hole card. These are only known to the players who are dealing with it.

Read for more info: Rules to Play Online Poker Games – A23 

How to Play Razz Poker

Playing Razz Poker is not tough if you know how to play poker correctly. 

The game starts when the dealer deals 3 cards to each player in the circle. The two cards out of these lots should be dealt as face down, or they are hole cards. On the other hand, the other one is a door card or face-up card.

All players are required to post a blind or an ante before they start the set. This step is mandatory for all. The hand rankings in this game are reversed and the one with the lowest hand wins the game.

• Ante: Every player antes a small amount at the very start of the game. This helps in creating the pot.
• Rounds: The player who has the highest face-up card makes a “bring-in” in the first round. After this the match proceeds in a clockwise style where everyone can call, raise, or fold. In all of the rounds, a minimum of three or more cards are dealt to every player. However, the 7th Street (seventh and final card) is dealt with face down at the very end.
• Showdown: In case there is more than one player at the end then the one who has the lowest hand gets to win the pot.

Razz Poker Strategies for Beginners

Playing the game of poker is always easy when you know the Razz poker strategies. This is why we suggest all beginners learn the basic strategies before they proceed to ace the game. Some of the strategies that you should definitely know are:

Calculate all your odds:

Calculating all your odds is definitely the best way in which you can become the best player. So, ensure you do this simply by seeing the visible cards of your opponents. This way you can create the best strategy to win a game of Razz poker. Moreover, you should also try to read the faces of your opponents to understand if they have good cards or not.

Knowing the correct time to bluff:

Bluffing is important in all kinds of poker, even in Indian poker. This is why you should learn how to determine the right time to bluff. This way, by bluffing the face-down cards, you can easily make the weaker players fold early. Thus, making it easy for you to get victory in the game.

Stay on the aggressive:

Well, having a good attitude is very important in a game of poker, especially if it is a lot about tricking the mind. This is why you should work on keeping an aggressive stance to force your opponents to raise or fold early. Always remember that the key to cracking the game is to passively put a lot of pressure on your opponent to fold or raise. You will notice that the weaker players will start to fold, thus increasing your chance of winning.

Reading Opponent’s Patterns:

You should work on reading the behaviours of your opponent when playing a game of Razz online poker. It is absolutely important for you to observe their behaviours and how much they are willing to raise. However, the most important thing for you to do is take the most advantage of your opponent’s mistakes.

Where to Play Razz Poker

Razz poker was initially an offline game. However, that has ended up changing a lot in recent times. Credit to the Internet, now it is also considered an online poker game.

Even though the initial stages may look a little challenging, you will surely get better with time. The secret to it is patience and concentration, and most important of all the trick to bluff at the right time.

Conclusion

Playing Razz Poker will be fun if you know the right tricks for it. This online game is pretty engaging for you to play with your buddies and even with online strangers. All that you will have to do from your end to create a straight path to winning is learn the rules of the game properly and create your own Razz poker strategies. This way you can ensure that you are the one with the highest winning scores in every circle.