Game rules for Razz

Overview

Razz is a 7 Card Stud version of poker played between two to eight players. A total of seven cards are dealt to each player, and five betting rounds take place before the showdown.

Objective of Razz

The main objective of Razz is to make the best lowest possible hand using five out of the seven cards that you are dealt. The lowest hand in Razz will consist of an Ace, two, three, four and five.

Betting Rules in Razz

The ante in Razz is around one fifth of the low limit bet size and all players need to up the ante before a betting round commences. After all players have one card showing, the player with the lowest card needs to place the low limit bet into the pot: This is known as ‘bringing in’.

How to Play Razz

There are five betting rounds in total in Razz. Players should pay special attention to the bets and raises, which change according to the round being played. A total of three raises are allowed per betting round in Razz.

3rd Street Round: The dealer deals two cards face down to each player and another face up, and the player with the highest hand ‘brings in’. Bets and raises are equal to the low limit bet size.

4th Street Round: The dealer deals another card to the players face up. The player with the lowest cards showing begins the betting round. Open pairs do not affect the betting limit (unlike in regular Seven Card Stud or Hi/Lo) Bets and raises continue to be the low limit bet size.

5th Street Round: Another card is dealt face up to all players. All bets and raises are equal to the high limit bet size.

6th Street Round: Another card is dealt face up to all players. All bets and raises are equal to the high limit bet size.

7th Street Round: A final card is dealt face down to all players. All bets and raises are equal to the high limit bet size.

The Showdown Stage

The final stage of the Razz game is known as the showdown. Anybody still left in the game enters into the showdown stage, with the player who wagered last showing his or her cards first. At this point in the game, a player may choose not to show the cards and this is called ‘mucking it’. The pot is won with the player who has managed to create the lowest possible hand out of the seven cards dealt to him or her.

Conclusion

Razz is a fun 7 Card Stud game, made more interesting with the fact that players need to go for their lowest hand.