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Razz Rules & Basics Too!

By Deanna Couras Goodson

Seven-Card Razz is just like Seven-Card Stud, except you’re trying to make the lowest hand possible. Each player is dealt a total of seven cards – some face-down and some face up. Here are the basic rules of the game:

1) The Deal rotates around the table – clock-wise.

2) Before the first cards are dealt, each player has to put in the ante.

3) The dealer puts out three cards to each player, one at a time. The first two are dealt face-down, the third is face up.

4) There’s a round of betting after that, which is led by the highest card up. After each subsequent card is dealt, another round of betting commences; but, with the lowest hand starting the action.

5) Fourth Street is dealt up; so is Fifth Street.

6) Sixth Street and the final card are dealt down.

7) At that point, there’s a showdown between the remaining players. The lowest hand wins.

It’s also important to note that the dealer will announce any pairs the first time they occur unless they are pairs of face cards – those are never announced. You can fold after any round of betting; however, you will have to bet if your hand is the highest post-flop or lowest on any subsequent hand.

As for how to make the worst hand and win the pot there are a few things you should know:

Aces are considered low.

Straights and flushes have no bearing on the low value of a hand.

A wheel is the nut low. Remember, a wheel is A,2,3,4,5.

Razz can be a lot of fun if you follow a few basic strategies. First, keep an eye out on the cards that the other players are dealt. You get to see some of those cards. If, from what you can see, someone has you beat – it’s a good idea to fold. You may not always be right; but, if you are aware of what’s out there, you have more of a shot of maintaining enough of a chip stack to fight another day.

Second, you don’t play position in Razz. There is no blind. There’s an ante and it’s required of all players; plus, as has been previously mentioned – subsequent rounds of betting have everything to do with what cards you or your opponents are showing, not what spot you’re sitting at.

Finally, pay attention to all the cards you’re holding. You make the best (or worst, in this case) combination out of only 5 of the 7 cards. For example, I’m holding A,2,5,9,K,6,10. My best worst hand is A,2,5,6,9. I’m a little concerned about the “9”; but, the hand is pretty good to play.

Here are starting hands that you can comfortably consider playing in Razz:
3-2-A
4 HIGH or LOWER
5 HIGH or LOWER
6 HIGH or LOWER
7 HIGH or LOWER
8 HIGH or LOWER
9 HIGH or LOWER

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