Razz Poker Strategy

Razz poker is a fun and challenging version of seven card stud that is played completely opposite of the normal game. In razz poker, players are competing to make the best low hand. Flushes and straights don’t count for anything in this game and pairs are bad because the point is to make the lowest five card hand with five separate ranking cards. Obviously pairs will detract from your chances of doing this. Although the rules of razz poker may seem confusing at first, it becomes pretty clear and easy to understand with just a little playing time. The razz poker strategies discussed below cover the fundamental tactics you will need to learn to become a winning razz poker player.

Best Razz Poker Hands

The ace is the lowest ranking card in razz and as such it is an important card to have when building a low hand. The best possible low hand you can get is A2345, this hand is called the wheel and as you can see, it is the five lowest ranking cards in the deck. Below is a list of the ten best hands in razz so you can get a conceptual idea of how the low hands work:

• A2345
• A2346
• A2356
• A2456
• A3456
• 23456
• A2347
• A2357
• A2457
• A3457

The best way to figure out who has the best low hand is to consider the following saying:

The lowest low hand is one in which after accounting for all ties in rank, the player who holds the next lowest card is the winner.

Here are some examples:

87632 vs. 87542 The winner here is the 87542.

6532A vs. 6432A The winner here is the 6432A

9532A vs. 87654 The winner here is the 87654

Remember that the simplest way is to arrange the cards from highest to lowest, then compare ranks. Whoever has the lowest ranking card or cards after accounting for ties is the winner.

Basic Razz Poker Strategy

In razz you want to play starting hands that generally have low unpaired cards under seven. The absolute best starting hand would be A23. Check out our article on Razz poker starting hands for more info. Hands that have cards over seven or are paired are generally bad news and you shouldn’t enter the pot. If you have three cards under seven or eight, it is generally safe to enter the pot, but be aware that players who raise and re-raise almost certainly have a hand better than 873 and you should consider folding.

Pay very close attention to the up cards in razz as they will determine the dynamic of the hand. If you have a low up card while everyone else is showing nines or higher and face cards, then this would be an excellent opportunity to get the antes or to influence a bad player to stay in the pot. Whenever a face card falls for an opponent this is also a good time to make a move and take down the pot. Conversely, if a face card falls for you on fourth street, folding would be wise.

Final Thoughts On Razz Poker Strategy

Although this article only covers razz basics, it is very important to get in there and play the game. The only way you will become familiar with the low hands and the dynamics of this unique game is through experience. After some time at the table, you will learn to see what types of hands are unfolding by the up cards that are out and you will truly understand how they determine the course of a hand. We suggest starting at the micro or low limits first and moving up as you become more familiar with the nuances and subtleties of this game.