Razz (7 Card Stud Low)
Razz (7 card stud low) is a poker game in which the low poker hand wins the pot at showdown. In razz poker, players are dealt seven cards throughout the course of the hand, but only the best five-card hand possible for each player is used to determine the winner. Note that unlike seven card stud hi-lo or Omaha hi-lo, there is no "eight or better" requirement to win the pot in razz.
In razz, straights and flushes do not count against the "lowness" of a hand, and aces are low, so the best possible hand is a "wheel": 5, 4, 3, 2, A. The following razz hands are ranked from least powerful (#1, will rarely win the pot) to most powerful (#12, the nuts):
3, 3, 3, 5, 5- K, K, 4, 3, 2
- 2, 2, 7, 6, 5
- A, A, T, 9, 8
- K, Q, J, T, 9
- K, Q, J, T, 7
- 9, 8, 7, 6, 5
- 9, 7, 6, 5, 3
- 9, 7, 6, 5, A
- 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
- 6, 4, 3, 2, A
- 5, 4, 3, 2, A
Rules for Playing Razz
Before a game of razz begins play, all players ante a nominal amount (see poker limits for the exact ante amounts). Each player is dealt two hidden hole cards and one exposed card. The player with the highest exposed card is the "bring-in", and is forced to make a wager of either a half a small bet or a full small bet (for example, either $1 or $2 in a $2/$4 razz game). Action continues clockwise around the poker table until betting is complete for the round.
Rule Note: For the purposes of determining the bring-in in razz, ties in card rank are broken by suit, with the order being spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs (in descending order). So if the queen of hearts and queen of diamonds are visible at the beginning of the hand, and a queen is the highest card, then the queen of hearts would have the bring-in.
Each player now receives an exposed card, called "Fourth Street". The first player to act is the individual whose exposed stud cards have the lowest poker value (ignoring straights and flushes). By rule, this player may either check or bet. The bet will be a small bet ($2 in a $2/$4 game).
Each player now receives another exposed card, called "Fifth Street". Again by rule, the first player to act is the individual whose exposed poker hand have the lowest poker value (ignoring straights and flushes).
Rule Note: Starting on Fifth Street and for the rest of the hand, all bets are in big bet increments ($4 in a $2/$4 game).
Each player now receives another exposed card, called "Sixth Street". Again, the first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have the lowest poker value.
Each player now receives a seventh and final card (hence the name 7 card stud), which is dealt face-down and known only to the player to whom the card is dealt. The first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have the lowest poker value.
If there is more than one remaining player when the final betting round is complete in razz, the last bettor or raiser shows his or her cards. If there was no bet on the final round, the player whose exposed cards have the lowest poker value shows his or her cards first.
Showdown - Determining the Winner
The player with the best five-card razz hand wins the pot. Remember that (unlike 7 card stud hi-lo and Omaha hi-lo), there is no "qualifier"; the hand with the best value in razz order wins the entire pot. After the pot is awarded to the best hand, a new game of razz is ready to be played.
If two or more hands have the same value, the pot is equally split among them. There is no precedence of suit for the purposes of awarding the pot.
If you are familiar with stud poker, the most popular being seven card stud, then you should be able to pick up razz fairly quickly. If you are unfamiliar with stud poker or seven card stud, we recommend you try that poker game out first to get a feel for how the game is played. You are always welcome to play on our free poker tables at PokerStars, so that you can sharpen your skills before playing real money poker.
