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Download on Google Play- 2-8 players with a standard 52-card deck.
- All players post an ante.
- Deal 2 face-down and 1 face-up card to each player.
- Highest door card posts the bring-in.
- Receive face-up cards on fourth, fifth, and sixth streets.
- Seventh street card is face-down.
- Lowest exposed hand acts first from fourth street onward.
- Lowest unpaired five-card hand wins.
- Aces are low; straights and flushes do not count against you.
Rules
Razz is a lowball variant of Seven-Card Stud where the lowest hand wins the pot. Aces are always low, and straights and flushes do not count against you, making the best possible hand A-2-3-4-5 (the wheel). Razz is one of the most patience-testing poker variants and is a staple of mixed-game formats.
Objective
Form the lowest five-card hand from your seven dealt cards. The best possible hand is A-2-3-4-5, known as the wheel.
Setup
- Players: 2 to 8 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Ante: All players post an ante before the deal.
- Deal: Each player receives 2 cards face-down and 1 card face-up (the door card).
Gameplay
- Third Street: The player with the highest door card posts the bring-in (opposite of regular Stud). Betting proceeds clockwise.
- Fourth Street: Each player receives another face-up card. The player with the lowest exposed cards acts first.
- Fifth Street: A third face-up card is dealt. Bet limits typically double.
- Sixth Street: A fourth face-up card is dealt with another betting round.
- Seventh Street: A final card is dealt face-down, followed by the last betting round and showdown.
Scoring
- Low hand rankings: The lowest unpaired five-card hand wins. Aces are low.
- Straights and flushes: These do not count against you in Razz — only card ranks matter.
- The wheel: A-2-3-4-5 is the best possible hand.
- Comparison: Hands are compared from the highest card down. For example, 6-4-3-2-A beats 6-5-3-2-A.
Variations
- London Lowball: Uses the A-to-6 low ranking where straights and flushes count against you.
- Razz in H.O.R.S.E.: Razz is the R in the popular mixed-game format H.O.R.S.E., where players rotate through five poker variants.
Tips and Strategies
- Start with three cards eight or lower — hands starting with high cards are rarely worth playing.
- Watch opponents' door cards carefully; if their low cards are pairing your hand, your draws are weakened.
- Patience is key — Razz often involves long stretches of folding before finding a playable starting hand.
Tips & Strategy
Starting hand discipline is paramount in Razz — only enter with three cards to an eight-low or better. Steal antes aggressively when you show a low door card and opponents show high ones.
Ante-stealing is a crucial part of Razz strategy — when your door card is lower than every opponent's, a raise will often take the pot immediately. Track exposed cards to know your live outs.
Trivia & Fun Facts
Razz is often called the most frustrating poker game because players can start with three perfect low cards and still end up with a pair on later streets.
What is the best possible hand in Razz, and what is it commonly called?
History & Culture
Razz has been a WSOP event since 1971 and gained broader recognition as part of the H.O.R.S.E. mixed game format introduced at the 2006 WSOP.
Razz is an essential component of mixed-game poker and is respected among serious players as a test of patience and discipline.
Variations & House Rules
London Lowball uses ace-to-six rankings where straights and flushes count against you, creating a more restrictive lowball format than Razz.
For a faster home game, try dealing only five cards total instead of seven, reducing the number of betting rounds.
