The game of razz is also known by the name seven cars stud low.
Before the cards are dealt, the players are required to put in the ante – it is being determined according to the level of the blinds. If it’s your turn to bet and everyone before you checked, you can try to steal the pot. You may also try that when you have the lowest shown card on the table, by playing aggressive you may win the pot right at the start of the hand. After the ante is in the pot each player gets three cards, two facing down and one up for all the players to see (a.k.a. “door card”).
The player with the highest shown card is obligated to make a bet which is half the small blind, although he can bet the big blind if he wishes.
On the next betting rounds, the player with the lowest starting cards begins to bet. IF there are several players who have the same cards, then the player who is sitting to the left of the dealer will start the betting round. On the second betting round all bets and raises are equal to the small blind and on the third, fourth and fifth rounds – all bets are equal to the big blind.
When you get to the show down, the lowest hand is the one to win the pot.
Surprisingly strange, in this game aces are considered the lowest cards. The best lowest combination possible is A-2-3-4-5, color and suits are irrelevant.
At the show down, when deciding who has the best hand, you start checking the highest three cards (you only play with five out of the seven cards available, the two highest cards aren’t being used) and continue the countdown. For example, between 9-7-6-5-3 and 10-6-5-4-2 the first hand wins because the 9 in the first hand is lower than the 10 in the second hand. If two or more players have the same highest card, the decision is been made according to the second highest card etc., as shown here: A hand of J-10-8-7-5-3 beats a hand of J-10-9-3-2 because of the third card that is lower in the first hand than the second.
Of course if two or more hands are similar there’s a split-pot.
Let’s see if you understood the game… what are the best starting three cards you can get? Think before looking ahead… if your answer was other than A-2-3 you should go back and read again carefully. Holding three cards between A-5 give you an incentive to be aggressive, but on the other hand, if your range of hands grows between A to 8, you should be more careful and less confident in your hand. When holding a pair it’s wise to discard immediately 9 out of 10 times.
Pay special notice to your rivals shown cards – if you realize you have the lowest shown card on the first round it means you have the best opening hand and you should make a bet or a raise if someone has already made a bet before you. It doesn’t matter whether your shown card is higher than the other two you hold in your hand, as long as it’s the lowest card shown on the table you’ll always be holding the best hand.
