Razz poker is a seven-card stud played for low hands only. Aces are low, straights and flushes don’t count against you, and pairs make a holding worse; the wheel (A-2-3-4-5) is the nut low.
Play centers on starting clean three-low combinations, keeping your visible card lower than the table, and applying pressure on big-bet streets when you stay unpaired.
This variation is available in mixed cash games and major tournament series, so the rules translate directly to real tables.
What Is Razz Poker?
Each player receives seven cards and makes the lowest five-card hand at showdown using Ace-to-Five evaluation.
Antes seed the pot, the highest door card posts the bring-in on third street, and betting follows fixed limits—small bet on third and fourth, big bet from fifth through seventh. Tables commonly seat 2–8 players.
Razz Poker Rules and Table Basics
The highest upcard posts the bring-in, action can “complete” to the small bet, and betting proceeds through fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh street, with a final showdown using the best five low cards. Games often run at 1/2 or 2/4 limits, and antes usually sit around 10–20% of the small bet.
- Antes and bring-in: antes go in first, the highest door card posts the bring-in on third street.
- Completion and raises: any player can complete the bring-in to the small bet; fixed raises follow room limits.
- Bet sizing by street: small bet on third and fourth, big bet from fifth street through seventh.
- Showdown: best five low using Ace-to-Five; pairs hurt, straights/flushes ignored
Razz Hand Rankings
Below is a quick ladder of common razz outcomes. Each row shows a five-card low, a sample seven-card board, and a short note on how the hand evaluates. The best razz hand is A-2-3-4-5.
Rank | 5-Card Low | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A-2-3-4-5 (5-low) | Best possible low; straights ignored |
| 2 | A-2-3-4-6 (6-low) | Next, after 5-low; compare the highest card first |
| 3 | A-2-3-5-7 (7-low) | Any 7-low beats all 8-lows and worse |
| 4 | A-2-4-6-8 (8-low) | Suits don’t matter; flushes ignored |
| 5 | A-3-4-6-9 (9-low) | Highest card sets the tier, then next-high |
| 6 | A-3-5-7-T (10-low) | Any 9-low beats any 10-low |
| 7 | A-2-3-3-9 (pair low) | Pair ruins a smooth low; worse than any 9-low |
| 8 | 2-4-7-9-J (no ace) | No ace is common; compare from the highest card down |
Evaluation uses Ace-to-Five rules: five lowest non-paired ranks win from the seven dealt; pairs count against you, straights and flushes do not.
Tie-break between 7-low vs 7-low: A-2-4-5-7 beats A-3-4-5-7; compare highest card first, then next-high.
Pair vs. rough 9-low example: A-2-3-3-9 loses to A-3-4-6-9; any pair ranks below all 9-lows.
Streets, Antes, and Action Flow
- Antes dealt. Each player posts an ante, often 10–20% of the small bet. Two downcards and one upcard are dealt to each seat.
- Bring-in. The highest upcard posts the bring-in. Action moves left. Any player may “complete” the small bet.
- Third street. Fixed-limit small bet applies. Raises follow the house cap.
- Fourth street. One upcard is dealt to each player. Betting uses the small bet. Lowest boards can pressure here.
- Fifth street. One more upcard, and bet size steps to the big bet for the rest of the hand. Pairing on board often forces tight folds.
- Sixth street. Another upcard, big bet sizing. Board texture drives who applies pressure; visible high cards often surrender.
- Seventh street. Final downcard, last betting round at big bet, then showdown. Lowest five-card Ace-to-Five hand wins from seven dealt.
In regulated online poker sites, software enforces antes, bet caps, and bring-in automatically, so the flow above matches live tables, with geolocation and action timers guiding pace.
Starting Hands and Board Pressure
Razz rewards clean, unpaired three-low starts and visible leverage from your door card. Enter pots when your upcard is among the lowest on the table, then keep pressure on opponents whose boards turn heavy or paired.
Open
- A-2-3-x-x-x-x, A-2-4-x, A-3-4-x. These hands keep many live lows and block opponents’ best draws. Heads-up, A-2-3 and A-2-4 are top-tier three-lows versus random holdings.
Marginal
- A-5-6-x, 2-3-7-x, or any low start with a dead ace showing elsewhere. Play these with position and fold to strength when your board stalls.
Fold
- Starts that pair on third, any door card 9 or higher, or ragged lows with multiple dead outs. Pairing early cuts your chance to make an 8-low or better and burns bets at big-bet streets.
Board pressure matters. When your upcard is the table’s lowest and you remain unpaired by fifth, apply the big-bet pressure; when you pair or catch paint, shift to pot-control or exit before seventh. Tracking dead aces and wheels on the board keeps your live outs intact and your calls priced correctly.
Razz Poker Strategy: Third-Street Starts and Board Reading
Third street sets the tone. Favor unpaired three-low starts such as A-2-3 or A-2-4, then read the upcards. When your door card is the lowest on the table and your hidden cards stay clean through fifth, pressure with the bigger bet. On fifth street, ~8 clean outs need ≈4:1 to call; fewer outs or dead cards means fold.
When your door card is 8 or higher, plan to fold a large share of starts; a conservative benchmark is shelving 60–70% of these hands on third unless the board and position offer a clear edge. Dead-card tracking matters, too. Seeing multiple aces or wheels out reduces your live paths and narrows your value range by seventh.
Table texture and pace change in anonymous pools, including crypto razz poker games. Shorter decision timers reward preflop-style planning for stud: map fold, call, or raise lines on third, then update as exposed highs and pairs appear.
Protect your stack on fifth and sixth, since big bets land there; leaking one extra call on those streets moves your expected return more than a small-bet error earlier in the hand.
Table Comparison: Razz vs. Other Poker Variants
Columns reflect how each variant actually plays: betting model, hand evaluation, streets/draws, split-pot logic, and typical U.S. rake disclosures.
Variant | Betting structure | Hand evaluation system | Split pot? | Typical rake & cap (US rooms) | Table size (common) | Notable rule/feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Razz (Stud Low, A-to-5) | Fixed limit | Ace-to-Five low, pairs hurt; straights/flushes ignored | No | ~4–5% rake, cap ≈ $1–$3 (stake-dependent) | 2–8 | Highest door card posts bring-in; big bet from fifth |
| Seven-Card Stud High | Fixed limit | High hand wins | No | ~4–5% rake, cap ≈ $1–$3 | 2–8 | Bring-in by lowest door card; no community cards |
| Texas Hold’em (No-Limit) | No-limit | High hand (5 from 7) | No | ~4–5% rake, cap varies by stake | 2–9 | Preflop/flop/turn/river; bet sizing uncapped |
| Omaha Hi (Pot-Limit) | Pot-limit | High hand; must use exactly 2 of 4 hole cards | No | ~4–5% rake, cap varies by stake | 2–9 | Exactly two hole cards must be used |
| Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or Better) | Pot-limit (often) | Split: best high + best low (8-low qualifies) | Yes | ~4–5% rake, cap varies by stake | 2–9 | Low must be 8-or-better; quarters possible |
| 2-7 Triple Draw (Lowball) | Fixed limit | Deuce-to-Seven low; straights/flushes count; Aces high | No | ~4–5% rake, cap ≈ $1–$3 | 2–6 | Three drawing rounds, no community cards |
Rake figures are representative disclosures from U.S. rooms and depend on stake and table size. Rules are derived from the World Series of Poker’s latest tournament rules, dating from May 2025.
Cash games in regulated poker rooms apply a capped percentage rake (about 4–5% with $1–$3 caps at low stakes), whereas tournaments assess an upfront entry fee; hitting the cap improves cash-game EV, but short-handed play can raise the effective rake per meaningful pot.
How Do You Play Razz Poker Online?
As of November 2025, eight U.S. states have legalized real-money online poker in some form, though not all run active stud/razz games at all times.
Player pools grow when states join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which now lists six members, adding Pennsylvania in April 2025. Bigger networks improve table selection and shorten queues for mixed games.
Geolocation runs in the client to confirm you’re inside a legal boundary before dealing a hand. Account identity checks verify age and limit duplicate accounts. Razz engines use audited RNGs; accredited labs (e.g., eCOGRA) test and certify them under regulator oversight.
Bonuses That Actually Clear for Stud/Lowball
Most poker bonuses clear through rake or reward points, not slot turnover. Read the earn rate, the release blocks, and the expiry window before you opt in.
Typical 100% match releases in blocks as you generate rake—for example, $10 per 180 points at 5 pts per $1 means ~$36 in rake to unlock each $10.
Rakeback programs often post a flat 10–40% band, tracked either through tiers or a direct percentage. Tournament tickets count too, but check seat value versus your usual buy-in.
Quantified checklist:
- Deposit match: release blocks of $5–$25, expiry commonly 30–60 days.
- Rakeback: tiered or flat, typical range 10–40%, paid as cash or credits.
- Tickets: face value $5–$109 most frequently, sometimes laddered; unused tickets may expire within 30–90 days.
Perfecting Your Razz Poker Strategy
Treat third street like a fork in the road: play the clean starts, pass on the clutter. Keep your rhythm simple, price every call against live outs, and let the board tell you when to press or step back.
When the door card gives you the edge, lean into it; when it doesn’t, conserve chips for the next smooth draw. Small, steady decisions build the edge that shows by seventh.
Play responsibly. Set limits, take breaks, and seek help if gambling stops being fun. T&Cs apply.
