Razz Poker - Basic Introduction

Razz poker is very similar to 7 card stud where the game is decided by who ever has the best low hand. Razz poker is typically played with 2 to 8 players. As with normal 7 card stud, each contestant is dealt a total of 7 cards, 3 of them face down, and the other 4 face up. The mian aim is to make your best 5 card low hand, using any options of the 7 cards you are given. In Razz poker, Aces are always considered low, and straights and flushes do not effect the low value of a hand that is dealt to you. The lowest possible hand to receive is A2345.

In fixed limit Razz, all bets and raises must be the same as either the low limit, or high limit stake amount. This does however depend on what round you are playing. When the first two rounds occur, all bets and raises must be the same as the low limit bet sizes. In the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds, all bets must be the same as the high limit bet size. For example, if you're playing 3/6 razz, all bets in the first 2 games will be in increments of $3, and all stakes in the final 3 rounds will be in increments of $6. There is always a max limit of 3 raises allowed per each individual betting round. When 3rd street occurs, 2 cards are dealt face down to every participant, followed by another card that is dealt face up. The player with the highest card must out money into the pot, by betting half of the low limit bet. the player may choose to raise by betting the full low limit bet. Play moves in a clockwise manner around the table, with each player having the option to fold, call, or raise. All bets and raises must be the same as the low limit bet size. When the 4th card is dealt face up to every player, this is known as 4th Street. The player with the lowest hand that is face up, is the first to decide what to do. The player may decide to fold, check, or bet. If 2 or more players are tied for the lowest hand, the one closest to the dealer's left will be the 1st to act.

Generally speaking, the game progresses in a clockwise manner around the table as it did in previous rounds. Unlike normal 7 card stud, an open pair does not affect the betting limit. All bets and raises must be the same as the low limit bet size. A fifth card is opened and this is called 5th Street. Play moves forward as in the previous rounds, with the lowest hand betting 1st, except now all bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size. A 6th card is dealt face up to every player, this is known as 6th street. Play proceeds as in the previous betting rounds. All bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size. A 7th and final card is dealt face down to every playe, again, this card is called 7th street. All bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size.

On the odd occassion that all 8 players are still left in the hand by the time 7th street is dealt, there would not be enough cards for each player to receive another one. If that happens, rather then each player receiving a card face down, a single card is placed in the center of the table face up which each player is able to make use of.

The last and final round is called the Showdown. Players that have not folded after the last betting round will have the choice of showing their hand in the hopes of winning or stealing the pot. The player who bet last is the 1st to show their hand, and then it proceeds clockwise from there, with each remaining player either choosing to show their hand, or muck it. Often times a player will muck their hand if they aren't going to win the pot, and don't want their opponents to see what they played.