Razz, also known as Seven Card Razz, is a stud variant that is essentially lowball stud. The worst five card hand is the winning hand and the ace is always low in Razz. As a result, a pair of aces is actually lower than a pair of deuces in this game. The rank of cards is the only thing that matter in Razz, so suits are irrelevant with the exception of determining certain betting conditions.

Before a hand is dealt, each player must put forth an ante. Each player then gets three cards. Two are dealt face down, and the other face up, just like in other stud games. The main difference in Razz and Stud is that in Razz, the bring-in bet is done by the highest card showing as opposed to the lowest card. If two cards are of equal rank, the tie is broken via suit, which is alphabetical from low to high. The king of spades is the automatic bring-in.

After the bring-in comes in, betting rules for the rest of third street are primarily the same as in stud. Any player may complete at any time and after a completion, betting is done in the small bet amount. In a $2 – $4 with .50 ante, the bring-in is $1 and the small bet is $2. After third street, the next upcard is dealt to players, which is fourth street.

The other main difference between Razz and Stud in betting is that from fourth street to the river, the player with the lowest showing hand opens the betting. If two players tie, then the player closest to the dealer opens the betting. Also, since this is lowball, there is no double bet on fourth street to an open pair. In fact, in many cases, an open pair on fourth is almost an automatic fold.

The third upcard is dealt on fifth street and from fifth to the river, the betting is done in the big bet increment. The same player that opens the betting on sixth street will also open the betting on the river. The seventh card, or river, is dealt face down. After the betting round is completed, the players show their cards and the worst five card hand wins the pot.

Note that in Razz, there aren’t any qualifiers such as in stud 8 or better. If the worst hand is three sixes, then three sixes win the hand. However, such an instance is rare. Razz is a very simple game to learn, but can be very frustrating as you can start with a great starting hand, and then catch all high cards or pair up and lose to a mediocre hand. However, this is a game that rewards patience and observant play. This game is played less in live cash games and more in mixed tournaments or H.O.R.S.E. cash games. Many of the larger poker sites still spread Razz.

For those wanting to be well rounded poker players, learning Razz is a must. Take the time to learn and play properly and you will reap the rewards. Good luck.