Razz poker is an often-overlooked gem in the world of lowball stud poker — a game that rewards patience, observation and a deep understanding of relative hand value. In this guide I combine personal experience at live tables with up-to-date strategic thinking to help you move from a tentative beginner to a confident, winning Razz poker player. Expect practical hand-selection rules, betting guidance, tournament adjustments, and examples you can use immediately at the table.
What is Razz poker? A concise primer
Razz poker is a seven-card stud variant in which the lowest five-card hand wins the pot. Aces are low, and straights and flushes do not count against a low hand — so A-2-3-4-5 (the “wheel”) is the best possible hand. Unlike Texas Hold’em, there are no community cards: each player receives a mix of face-down and face-up cards over multiple betting rounds. That visible information is the heart of Razz strategy.
Key rule reminders
- Aces are low; the best possible Razz hand is A-2-3-4-5.
- Five lowest distinct ranks determine the hand (pairs hurt you).
- Straights and flushes are ignored for low purposes.
- Upcards are public information — use them to form ranges and put pressure on opponents.
Why Razz poker rewards skill and observation
When I first learned Razz at a small weekly game, I was humbled by how much visible information the upcards give. Unlike hole-card games, Razz allows you to track opponents’ live card development. That changes decision-making: betting and folding are often based more on opponent ranges and card removal effects than on complex combinatorics. Skilled players who pay attention to upcards and betting patterns gain a consistent edge.
Starting-hand selection: which boards to play
Good starting-hand rules separate winners from break-even players.
- Always play: A-2 (with a third low upcard), A-3, A-4 when you have two low cards including an ace showing — these are premium starting points.
- Often play: 2-3-x or 2-4-x where x is a low card and not paired; three distinct low cards increase your chance to make a five-card low.
- Fold more often: hands with pairs, especially pairs of low cards (e.g., 2-2, 3-3) are deceptive — they block your ability to form a unique five-card low and reduce your chance to win the low pot.
- Fold: high connectors like K-Q-J or hands where your two downcards are both high — they rarely improve meaningfully in Razz.
As a rule of thumb, the more live low cards you have among your three-card start (two down, one up or two up, one down depending on position), the better. If you’re on the button (last to act), you can widen your starting range slightly because of the positional advantage when later betting on subsequent streets.
Reading upcards: the single biggest edge
One of the biggest adjustments from Hold’em is learning to read and count upcards. If three opponents show a 2, the probability that another player will complete a wheel decreases significantly. Conversely, if few low cards are present among upcards, your marginal low becomes more valuable.
Example: You hold A-4 down and 7 up. Two other players have upcards J and Q, while another shows 2. Your A-4 is significantly better than the player showing J or Q, but vulnerable to the player showing 2. You should tailor aggression: against J/Q showdowns you can be more aggressive, against the 2 you must proceed cautiously.
Betting strategy by street
- Bring-in: The player with the highest upcard posts the bring-in. Use this to buy information. If you have a strong low and face a weak bring-in, consider completing or raising to take control.
- Third and fourth street: These are information streets. If you have a clear low advantage and face little resistance, apply pressure to force opponents with drawing or middle hands out.
- Fifth and sixth street: The pot is larger and mistakes are costlier. Tighten up — only continue with realistic closers to five-card lows. Be mindful of “counterfeiting” when community handling isn’t relevant but shared upcards reduce your relative lead.
- Seventh street (final card): This is where you commit. If you’re shown to have an effective five-card low entering the final bet and opponents have pairs or higher, a final lead is usually correct.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Playing too many pairs: Many new players overvalue paired low cards. Pairs almost always reduce your chance to assemble a distinct five-card low.
- Ignoring opponent upcards: Folding or calling without considering the visible range is a costly oversight — build a quick mental tally of live low cards.
- Chasing to the river: Razz punishes speculative river chases. If you need two perfect cards with limited outs, fold earlier to preserve bankroll.
- Misreading the bring-in dynamic: Folding when you have a reasonable ace-low because the bring-in is small is a common leak. Small investments early can buy crucial information and fold equity later.
Odds, outs and simple math
You don’t need complex calculations to make better Razz poker decisions, but a few quick checks help:
- Count live low ranks visible at the table; each visible low rank reduces your outs.
- When on a four-card low (needing one card), estimate rough odds by counting unseen low ranks. For example, if you need a 3 and two 3s are visible, fewer outs remain and you should be more cautious.
- Use implied pot odds sparingly: Razz pots can grow rapidly, but calling long shots without fold equity is dangerous.
Advanced concepts: blockers, reverse implied odds, and deception
Blockers matter in Razz. If you hold an ace and a two, you reduce opponents’ ability to make wheel-type lows. Conversely, reverse implied odds are real: having a seemingly strong low that can easily be beaten by an even lower upcard on the board is a hazard — you may win small pots but lose big ones less often, which hurts long-term EV.
Deception also pays. Since many players stop paying attention to face-down cards, appropriately timed checks and deceptive bet sizes can extract extra value or induce folds. I once slow-played an A-2-3-4 showing a disguised weak upcard and induced a larger bet from a mid-strength hand; timing and opponent tendencies made the play correct.
Tournament adjustments vs cash games
In tournaments, stack preservation and ICM considerations alter Razz play:
- Short stacks: You must widen pre-bubble aggression to steal antes/bring-ins but avoid flipping marginally with insufficient fold equity.
- Late-stage play: ICM means folding marginal long shots becomes more common; preserving tournament life is often more valuable than thin Razz equity.
- Cash games: You can take more speculative lines and rely on deep-stack implied odds when the stacks justify it.
Online Razz poker: differences and tips
Online play increases hand volume and reduces physical tells, so adapt:
- Track patterns: Use HUDs or note-taking to identify who plays too loose/too tight in Razz.
- Faster pace: Multi-tabling increases volume but reduces focus; play fewer tables until you’re comfortable reading upcards quickly.
- Software tools: Many players use equity calculators in study sessions to understand ranges; do your homework away from the table.
Bankroll and mindset
Razz has variance like any poker form. Manage your bankroll conservatively — I recommend at least 30–50 buy-ins for the stakes you play in cash games and larger buffers for tournament play. Keep a steady mindset: focus on correct decisions (hand selection, fold equity, reading upcards) rather than short-term results.
Sample hand walkthrough
Scenario: You’re dealt down A-2, up 7. Opponent A shows 9, Opponent B shows 3. You’re last to act on fourth street holding A-2-7-?-? (two down, two up including A-2 as down allows different permutations — the idea is you have a strong ace-low but a visible 7 as a potential blocker).
Analysis: Opponent B showing 3 is a direct threat to your low. If B bets modestly on fifth street and pot odds are poor, a fold is reasonable unless board development clearly favors you. If B checks and you face a loose player betting, consider leading to exploit their wide range. The decision hinges on how many live low ranks remain and players’ tendencies.
How I improved my own Razz poker game
When I started, my biggest leak was overplaying low pairs. A few sessions of deliberate practice — logging hands, reviewing upcard distributions and focusing on starting-hand discipline — made a visible difference. I also learned the value of counting visible low ranks each hand and applying consistent pressure when opponents didn’t respect upcard information.
Further resources and practice
To build skill, combine study with volume. Practice in low-stakes cash games to refine reads, and review hands with software or a study group. For additional practice and community play, see resources like keywords which host a range of poker variants and can help you apply concepts in a controlled online setting.
Closing: mindset and next steps
Razz poker is a game of patience, visible information and disciplined decision-making. Master the basics — starting hands, reading upcards, and street-by-street betting — and then layer in advanced concepts like blockers and reverse implied odds. With deliberate practice, focused review and table awareness, you’ll find Razz to be a rich and rewarding variant where skill reliably outperforms luck.
If you want, tell me the common mistakes you make at the table or paste a few hand histories and I’ll analyze them with concrete corrective suggestions tailored to your style.
