Common Mistakes Playing Razz

It’s hard for most players to adjust to the radically different playing objectives promoted by Razz. In HORSE tournaments especially Razz can really trip up players that are used to approaching a poker table with a high-hand mindset. Mistakes are made in all poker games, but significantly more are made in Razz. While nothing will safeguard you completely—hey, even pros make mistakes—this article can help you to recognize the most common Razz mistakes before you make them yourself.

Chasing Low Cards

In Razz, it’s very tempting when you get a good or even mediocre starting hand to wait it out and see if it gets better. Many players will call their way through the rounds even after a couple bad cards. Remember that once you’ve gotten a couple bad cards, the remaining two have to be good if you’re going to salvage your starting hand. That’s not a friendly reminder—it’s a wake up call. If you’ve been playing poker (or really any casino game) long enough, then you know you don’t want to bet your chips on luck, and that’s what you’re doing when you chase low cards. If a quick look around the table shows that your opponents have gotten luckier than you have, and they’re betting to back that luck up, then it’s time for you to stop chasing the ghost and fold.

Underplaying Good Hands

In many cases, you can avoid chasing low cards altogether by protecting the ones you get in your starting hand. If your starting hand yields three cards under five, and the card you’ve got showing is significantly lower than most of your opponents’, then you can consider yourself well-placed. Protect your position NOW. Your low up card should guarantee a later betting position, which gives you a great chance to observe the other players and gauge which ones you might be able to eliminate with a strong bet.

Getting into Raising Wars

Once you’ve made your point about the strength of your hand, you can back off. Other low-carded players hoping to steal the ante might challenge you. Call their raises, re-raise even if your hand is that good, but don’t get into a raising war. Remember that the next card could always be a brick; your opponents’ could be too, so save some of your chips for the next round of betting.

Ignoring the Obvious

It’s good to come to the table with a consistent Razz strategy, but don’t let your analysis of your own hand blind you to what’s right in front of you. Razz gives every player the opportunity to see more than half of their opponents’ hands. The way you use this information can make or break you.