A Beginner’s Guide to Razz

Razz is a well-known variation of poker due to its inclusion in the HORSE format of the card game. It is available to play in both real and online casinos but first-time players shouldn’t be intimidated by the number of cards they see on each player’s hands and on the table because it is quite easy to learn. If you are looking to expand your knowledge of poker variants, here are the basics on razz:

Objective

The objective of razz is to have the lowest hand ranking using five out of the seven cards each player is dealt. Just like in other variations of poker
, betting options are available in razz, so be sure to remain in the game as long as you can to win the pot.

Hand rankings and card valuations

When it comes to hand rankings in razz, straights and flushes do not count so the lowest hand a player can hope to get consists of 5, 4, 3, 2, and A, regardless of suits. The second lowest, however, will replace the 5 in the aforementioned hand with 6 while the third lowest will replace the 4 with 5 in addition to the 6 as the strongest card. Similar to online slots, razz players will have to hope for the best in landing combinations. With razz specifically, it would have to be the lowest possible combinations.

Aces are always played as a low-valued card, meaning the strongest cards in razz are the kings.

Ante, bring-in, and the betting phase

To start a game of razz, players must first place an ‘ante’, a preliminary bet which is usually a small percentage of the smallest betting limit, so that they will be dealt cards as a participant. Up to eight people may play razz.

Just like in other poker variants, the dealer in razz hands out two face-down cards for each player first (known as the ‘hole’), then each player receives from the dealer a third card face-up known as the ‘door’.

The first betting phase, also called ‘third street’, begins with the player with the highest-valued door (if two or more players have a similarly valued door, the suits will determine the card’s strength). He/she brings in another bet in addition to their ante which could be up to the lowest betting limit allowed in the game.

The other players, in clockwise order, will have betting options they can choose to do, depending on the strategy they employ: bet, if they want to wager on their existing hole; raise, if they want to surpass the previous player’s bet; or fold, if they wish to surrender their hole and forfeit the game.

Fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh streets

For the next streets of razz, the players will be given another door but for these stages of the game, the player with the lowest-valued card will start the betting phase. The order of players in the betting phase remains the same as well as the betting options available. A new street begins after each door and betting phase.

Once the seventh street has begun, any remaining players must either place the highest bet allowed or check their hole to create a five-card hand.

The final round

All active players after the seventh street will reveal all of their cards to see which one has the lowest hand ranking and determine the winner. In case of a tie, the suits will not be considered and the pot will be split evenly among the winners.

There are numerous strategies in razz despite the twists in rules and betting options from other popular poker variations. Some elements in this game may be similar to others but what makes razz distinct is its gentle learning curve which could prove just as enticing to play as online slots or other card games. All in all, razz players are encouraged to strategise as much as they can and hope for the best when the final showdown commences.