The Game

Razz (Seven Card Stud, low only) is a poker game where the best Ace to Five low poker hand wins the pot. Players are dealt seven cards throughout the course of the hand, but only the best five card hand is used to determine the winner.

 

If you are familiar with Stud Poker the game of Razz should be easy to pick up. Thereto if new to Stud Poker start out playing Seven Card Stud in order to get a feel for the game and how it is played. 

 

 

How to Play Razz

Players are dealt seven cards and the players are to build the strongest five card poker hand, where Ace to Five is the best low hand possible. Flushes do not count against any hand, and aces are low, hence the best possible hand is 5, 4, 3, 2 and Ace.

  

The game starts with all players posting the ante and the players are then dealt two hole cards (face down) and one exposed card (face up). The player with the highest exposed card holds the force (bring-in bet), and is as described forced to make a bet. The action continues clockwise around the table until the betting is complete for the round.

 

Note... Determining who holds the force bet (bring-in) in Razz a tie in card rank are decided by suit, and suit ranks in order (highest to lowest) spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. Hence if a tie occurs the highest suit holds the force.

 

 

Fourth Street

Player's now receive their fourth card, face up, and the player to act is the player with the strongest (lowest) exposed hand. By rule, this player may either check or bet. The bet will be the small bet (3 in a 3/6 game).

 

 

Fifth Street

Player's now receive their fifth card, face up. Again, the first person to act is the player with the strongest (lowest) exposed cards.

 

Note... Starting on Fifth Street and for the rest of the round, all bets are in big bet increments (6 in a 3/6 game).

 

 

Sixth Street

Player's now receive their fifth card, face up. Again, the first person to act is the player with the strongest (lowest) exposed cards.

 

 

The River

Player's now receive their seventh and final card, face down, and as with earlier streets the first person to act is the player with the strongest (lowest) exposed cards. If more than one player remaining in the game when the final betting round is completed, the last bettor or raiser shows his or her cards. If there was no bet on the final round, the player in the earliest seat shows his or her cards first, seat 1, seat 2 etc.

 

 

Hand Rank

The following Razz hands rankings are from strongest to the least powerful hand. (Ace to Five/California ranking system)

 

5, 4, 3, 2, A

6, 4, 3, 2, A

6, 5, 4, 3, 2

9, 7, 6, 5, A

9, 7, 6, 5, 3

9, 8, 7, 6, 5

K, Q, J, T, 7

K, Q, J, T, 9

A, A, T, 9, 8

2, 2, 7, 6, 5

K, K, 4, 3, 2

3, 3, 3, 5, 5

 

Note... A low hand is always ranked from its highest card downwards. Hence the hand 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 is known as a ‘six low’ because it’s highest card is a six, hand9, 7, 6, 5 and Ace is known as a nine low etc.

 

Note... Unlike Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo or Omaha Hi/Lo, there is no "eight or better" requirement to win the pot in Razz.

 

 

The Showdown

The player with the best five card Ace to Five low hand wins the pot. If two or more hands have the same value, the pot is equally split among them. There is no suit ranking for the purposes of winning the pot.

 

Note... Unlike Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo and Omaha Hi/Lo, there is no qualifier, hence the best low hand wins the entire pot.