Razz (poker): Difference between revisions

'''Razz''' is a form of [[stud poker]] that is normally played for [[ace-to-five low]] (lowball poker). It is one of the oldest forms of [[poker]], and has been played since the very start of the 20th Centurycentury. It emerged around the time people started using the 52-card deck instead of 20 for poker. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://somuchpoker.com/razz-rules/|title=Razz Rules|last=|first=|date=|website=somuchpoker.com|archive-urldate=28 January 2019 |archiveaccess-date=|dead2019-04-04}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Razz Poker Rules {{!}} How to Play {{!}}Official World Series of Poker |url=https://www.wsop.com/poker-games/razz/rules/ |access-date=20192024-0407-0417 |website=www.wsop.com}}</ref>

The object of Razz is to make the lowest possible five-card hand from the seven cards you are dealt. In Razz, [[Hand rankings#Straight|straight]]s and [[Hand_rankingsHand rankings#Flush|flushes]] do not count against the player for low, and the ace always plays low. Thus, the best possible Razz hand is 5-4-3-2-A, or 5 high, also known as "the wheel" or "the bicycle".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Razz Poker Guide 2024: Rules, Strategies & Expert Tips |url=https://www.casinoencyclopedia.com/razz-poker/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=How to Play Razz {{!}} Poker Rules |url=https://upswingpoker.com/poker-rules/razz-rules/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Upswing Poker |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Lowball (poker)#Deuce-to-seven|Deuce-to-seven]] Razz is also sometimes played (the best possible hand is 2-3-4-5-7). Razz is featured in the mixed game rotation [[HORSE (poker)|H.O.R.S.E.]] as the "R" in the game's name.

[[File:Razz.gif|thumb|One variant of theThe best possible hand in one variant of Razz]]

Razz is usually played with a maximum of eight players,<ref name=pb /> with [[bettingBetting in (poker)#Limits|limit betting]], meaning that there is a fixed amount that can be bet per player per round. Each player antes and is dealt two cards face down (the [[Glossary of poker terms#hole cards|hole cards]]), and one card face up (the "door card").<ref name=":0" /> The highest door card showing has to [[Betting (in poker)#Bring-in|"bring it in"]] &ndash; put in the mandatory first bet, which is usually one third to one half of the regular bet. The player responsible for the bring-in can instead opt to "complete the bet", i.e. make a whole regular bet. If hethey optsopt to make a normal bring-in, the remaining players can either call histhe bet or "complete", by raising to a regular bet. From that point the betting continues in regular bet increments.<ref name=stars /><ref name=pb />

In a case where two people have a door card of the same rank, the bring in is determined by suit.<ref name="stars"/><ref name=pb /> Spades (♠) is the highest possible suit, followed by hearts (<span style="color:red">♥</span>), diamonds (<span style="color:red">♦</span>), and clubs (♣).<ref name=":1" /> The {{cards|Ks}} is the worst possible door card in Razz, and a guaranteed bring-in. Play continues clockwise from the bring in, as in normal Stud poker. After the first round of betting, each player still in the hand receives another card face up. Betting begins with the lowest hand showing. Play continues like this until the fifth card, at which point the betting increments double.<ref name="stars"/><ref name=pb /> The seventh card is dealt face down, and action would begin with the same player who opened betting on the 6th card.<ref name=stars /><ref name=pb /> In hand-dealt games, after each hand the deal rotates to the left, as with most forms of poker; although the dealer doesn't play a strategic role as in [[blind (poker)|blind]] games.<ref name=pb />

It is possible for the dealer to run out of cards before the end of the hand. Thisif canthere occur whenare eight players are still in the hand when the seventh cards are to be dealt.<ref Sevenname=":2" cards/> for eight players would require 56 cards in the deck. Since Razz uses a standard 52 card deck, the hand would be four cards short.

Razz has been an event at the [[World Series of Poker]] since [[1971 World Series of Poker|1971]], when [[Jimmy Casella]] won the first ever WSOP Razz event for a grand prize of $10,000.<ref name=1972wsoprazz>{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=17927|title=2nd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1971 &ndash; $ 1,000 Limit Razz |publisher=[[The Hendon Mob]]|accessdateaccess-date=2011-07-20}}</ref><ref>[http://razzpokerrules.org/wsop/ Razzpokerrules.org - WSOP Razz]</ref> Razz is the most popular form of lowball poker but in the overall popularity stakes sits firmly behind [[Texas hold 'em]] and [[Omaha hold 'em]]. In [[2004 World Series of Poker|2004]], the WSOP Razz event was televised by [[ESPN]]; the tournament was won by professional poker player and multiple bracelet winner [[T. J. Cloutier]].<ref name="pb">[{{Cite web |url=http://www.poker-babes.com/poker/razz/ |title=Poker-Babes.com: How to Play the Game of Razz] |access-date=2008-12-21 |archive-date=2008-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517083624/http://www.poker-babes.com/poker/razz/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> After the event Razz grew massively in popularity and most of the major [[online poker]] rooms added Razz to their spread of games. [[Full Tilt Poker]] was the first online site to offer Razz games but soon after the televised tournament, [[Poker.com]], [[Absolute Poker]] and finally in 2006 [[PokerStars]] added Razz to their selection of games.<ref>[http://playlowballpoker.com/razz/ Playlowballpoker.com: Razz Poker]</ref> Since 1971, Razz has been featured in every World Series of Poker apart from the [[1972 World Series of Poker|1972 series]].

Normally the best starting hand in Razz is '''A-2-3'''. A general strategy in a full-ring game is to only play unpaired cards none of them higher than '''8'''s.<ref>[http://www.poker-strategy.org/default.aspx?tabid=211 Poker-Strategy.org: Razz poker]</ref><ref>{{Cite Playersweb want|title=WSOP to{{!}} avoidHow makingto pairsPlay and{{!}} shouldRazz evaluatePoker otherStrategy door cards in relation to the strength of their hand|url=https://www. For instance, Jane holds '''3wsop.com/poker-4-5'''games/razz/strategy/ and sees four "dead" door cards of '''3|access-4date=2024-407-5'''17 behind her|website=www. This is a strong hand, as the likelihood of pairing her hole cards is now greatly diminishedwsop.com}}</ref>

ObservingPlayers thewant to avoid making pairs and should evaluate other door cards ofin otherrelation playersto isthe alsostrength veryof important.their hand. A player's hand is much stronger if there are cards of the same denomination already showing (less chance of pairing up on a draw) and weaker if there are "make" cards (cards that would allow them to make their hand) visible. (i.eFor instance, Jane holds '''3-4-5''' and sees four "dead" door cards of '''3-4-4-5''' behind her. This is a strong hand, as the likelihood of pairing her hole cards is now greatly diminished. Another example: '''A-6-7''' is a much stronger hand when other players are showing Aces, 6s and 7s than when these players are showing the make cards 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s).