Razz Rules

Razz Poker is a variant of Seven Card Stud where the object is to develop the absolute lowest poker hand possible. In Razz, the “best” possible hand is the steel wheel, or an Ace-Five straight flush.

Unlike a related variant Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, Razz does not require a “Qualifying” low hand to lay claim to a pot. In Razz the weakest hand wins, regardless of its strength (as is the case with the nut straight A-5 best also equals worse).

Rules Of Razz Poker

-Ace is the lowest card but not the highest.
-Best possible Razz Hand: A-2-3-4-5

Razz uses a standard 52-card deck, offering seats to 2-8 players per table just like any game variant of Stud.

How To Play Razz Poker

The object of Razz is to use the 7 cards dealt to you throughout the course of a hand to develop the weakest possible 5-card poker hand. The lowest ranking 5-card poker hand wins the entire pot with the pot being split between identical hands.

The hand starts with each player posting an Ante into the Pot to claim a deal. All players who have posted an ante s are now dealt three cards each from the deck. The first two cards that are dealt are referred to as Hole Cards, which are dealt face-down so that only the player holding the cards can see them. The third card is dealt face up like in Stud, and commonly called the Door Card.

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To start the action he player who shows the lowest Door Card must post the Bring-In, kicking off the first round of betting. Betting in Razz goes clockwise, starting with the first active player to the left of the Bring-In. The Bring-In Bettor may Call or Raise by adding the required number of chips when the action returns to his Bring-In Bet, or he can fold and forfeit his claim to the pot without being dealt the next street.

Once all players have Called (or Folded), the game resumes.

  • 4th Street: Players are dealt a 4th Open Card, followed by another betting round. Again, the lowest Open Hand always acts first.
  • 5th Street: A 5th Open Card is dealt to each player, then another betting round.
  • 6th Street: Each player receives a 6th Open Card. For this and the final betting round, all bets and raises increase to match the high-end stakes of $4.
  • 7th Street: A final card is dealt to each player, this time as a face-down Hole Card. Because no player’s Open Hand has changed, the player who started the previous betting round will start the final round as well.

Razz Rules – Show Down

Razz only goes to showdown if players stay in on all streets and call or check the final bets on 7th street to reveal a winner. The active players combine 5 of their 7 cards to develop the weakest possible poker hand. The lowest ranking poker hand wins the entire pot but if a tie occurs, the pot will be split.

If you’ve already considered the math involved, you may have realized that 8 player being dealt 7 cards each requires 56 cards. Obviously, there are only 52 cards in the deck. It is tremendously rare for this to occur since at least a few players will likely bow out before the 7th Street, but if not, a final 7th card is dealt face up to the center of the table. This card becomes community property, with all players assuming this to be their final card.