Razz Rules
Razz is 7 card stud where the best low hand wins,
played with two to eight players. As in regular 7
card stud, every player is dealt a total of seven
cards, three of them face down, and the other four
face up.
Objective
To make your best five card low hand, using any combination
of the seven cards you are dealt. Aces are always
low, and straights and flushes have no effect on the
low value of a hand. The lowest possible hand is A2345.
Forced Bets
Ante
7 card stud is normally played with an ante that is
approximately 1/5 of the low limit bet size. Every
player must ante up before the hand begins. The ante
does not count towards any future bets.
Bring in
After the initial deal when every player has 1 card
showing, the person with the highest card must "bring
in", which means he must place the low limit
bet size in the pot. If two or more players share
the highest card, the one closest to the dealer's
left side must bring in. This bet counts as your first
round bet, so as long as nobody raises, you won't
have to place any more money in the pot to see the
next card.
Betting Rounds
There are five rounds of betting. In fixed limit
Razz, all bets and raises must be equal to either
the low limit, or high limit bet size, depending on
what round it is. In the first two rounds, all bets
and raises must be equal to the low limit bet size.
In the third, fourth, and fifth rounds, all bets must
be equal to the high limit bet size. If, for example,
you're playing 3-6 razz, all bets in the first two
rounds will be in increments of 3 dollars, and all
bets in the last three rounds will be in increments
of 6 dollars. A maximum of 3 raises are allowed per
betting round.
3rd street - Two cards are dealt face down to every
player, followed by another card face up. The player
with the highest card must bring in, by betting 1/2
of the low limit bet. He may choose to raise by betting
the full low limit bet. Play proceeds clockwise around
the table, with each player choosing to fold, call,
or raise. All bets and raises must be equal to the
low limit bet size.
4th street - A fourth card is dealt face up to every
player. The player with the lowest hand showing (at
this point, the lowest possible would be ace-two)
is the first to act. He may choose to fold, check,
or bet. If two or more players are tied for the lowest
hand, the one closest to the dealer's left will be
the first to act. Play proceeds clockwise around the
table as before. Unlike regular 7 card stud, an open
pair does not affect the betting limit. All bets and
raises must be equal to the low limit bet size.
5th street - A fifth card is dealt face up to every
player. Play proceeds as in the previous round, with
the lowest hand betting first, except now all bets
and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size.
6th street - A sixth card is dealt face up to every
player. Play proceeds as in the previous round. All
bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet
size.
7th street - A seventh and final card is dealt face
down to every player. Play proceeds as in the previous
round. All bets and raises must be equal to the high
limit bet size. In the rare event that all eight players
remain in the hand at this point, there would not
be enough cards for each player to receive another
one. If that occurs, instead of every player receiving
a card face down, a single card is placed in the middle
of the table face up which every player is free to
use.
Showdown
Anyone who has not folded after the last round of
betting will now have the option of showing their
hand in hopes of taking down the pot. The person who
bet last is the first 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.
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