Rules for Playing Razz
One of the more frustrating games played at the World Series of Poker is Razz. Razz is a Seven Card Stud variant where the worst hand is the winner. In Razz, aces are always low. As a result, a pair of aces is lower than a pair of deuces in this game. Also, straights and flushes do not count against you in Razz. A 6 high straight is only six high. A royal flush is only king high. (Aces are always low.)
Like Stud, before each hand each player will place an ante into the pot. Each player is then dealt three cards, two down and one up. Unlike Stud, the highest card is the forced bring-in bet in Razz. Like Stud, the bring-in is typically double the ante. If more than one player has the same high card, the highest suit determines the bring-in. Suits in order from lowest to highest are clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades. The king of spades is the automatic bring in for Razz.
Like Stud, the bring-in has the option to complete the bet to the small bet amount. In a $3-$6 game, the small bet amount is $3. If the bring-in does not complete the bet, any other player may complete the bet. Once the bet is completed, remaining raises occur at the small bet amount. After Third Street betting is completed, another up card is dealt. From Fourth Street until the end of the hand, the player with the lowest hand showing is the first to act. In the event two players have the same rank hand, the player closest to the dealer is first to act. Also, the double bet on an open pair rule does not apply to Razz since it is a lowball game.
After betting is completed on fourth, another up cards is dealt. Fifth through Seventh Street betting occurs at the big bet amount. This would be $6 in our example. Once Fifth Street betting concludes, a fourth and final up card is dealt. Another round of betting occurs and then a final card is dealt face down. One last round of betting will commence and afterwards, the remaining players will show their hands. The player with the worst 5 card hand is the winner.
Razz is one of the simplest games to learn in regards to rules, but is also one of the more frustrating games played at the World Series of Poker.
