Seven-card stud · ace-to-five lowball
Razz rules and beginner guide.
Razz is seven-card stud played for low only. Each player receives a mixture of hidden and exposed cards, then uses the best five-card ace-to-five low from their seven cards. There is no eight-or-better qualifier: the best low at showdown wins the whole pot.
How to play
The objective, deal, and showdown
Winning objective
Make the lowest five-card ace-to-five hand. Aces are low, straights and flushes are ignored, and A-2-3-4-5 is the best possible hand.
Deal and drawing
After the ante, each player receives two cards down and one up. The highest exposed card posts the bring-in. Fourth, fifth, and sixth streets are dealt face up, seventh street is dealt face down, and betting follows every street.
Key comparison
An unpaired low is compared from its highest card downward. A 7-5-4-3-A beats 7-6-4-3-A, and there is no requirement that the winning hand be eight-low or better.
Razz hand rankings
Compare your best five cards, highest card first
Choose the lowest five-card hand from your seven cards, then read it from highest to lowest. Aces count as one. Straights and flushes do not hurt your hand, but pairs do.
The best Razz hand
5-4-3-2-A is the wheel. Even if all five cards share a suit, it is still the best possible low.
Breaking a tie
7-5-4-3-A beats 7-6-4-3-A. Both are seven-low, so compare the next card: five beats six. Continue down the ranks until they differ.
No qualifying ceiling
A nine-low can win when every opponent has a worse hand. Unlike Stud Hi-Lo 8-or-better, Razz does not require an eight-low or better.
If your best five cards are unpaired, they beat any hand that must include a pair. A pair somewhere among your seven cards is harmless when you can leave one of those cards out of your best five. Identical five-card lows split the pot; suits do not break a showdown tie.
Five betting rounds
Who acts first on each street?
Razz normally uses fixed-limit betting. In a $2/$4 game, the small bet is $2 and the big bet is $4; the ante and bring-in are set by the table.
- 03
Third street: after the antes, deal two cards down and one up. The highest upcard brings in or completes to the small bet. Equal high cards use suit order for the bring-in: spades, hearts, diamonds, then clubs.
- 04
Fourth street: deal a second upcard. The lowest exposed hand acts first and can check or bet. Continue using the small bet.
- 05
Fifth street: deal a third upcard. The lowest exposed hand acts first. Bets and raises now use the big bet.
- 06
Sixth street: deal a fourth upcard. The lowest exposed hand acts first; the big bet still applies.
- 07
Seventh street: deal the final card face down. The lowest exposed hand acts first for the last big-bet round, followed by showdown if more than one player remains.
Worked hand
Which seven-card hand wins?
Player A: A♣ 2♦ 4♠ 6♥ 8♣ K♦ K♠. Leave out both kings: the best five cards are 8-6-4-2-A.
Player B: A♦ 2♣ 3♥ 7♠ 8♦ Q♣ J♥. Leave out the queen and jack: the best five cards are 8-7-3-2-A.
Player A wins. Both hands are eight-low, but A’s next card is a six while B’s is a seven. B’s three does not make up for the higher second card. A’s pair of kings is irrelevant because neither king is needed.
Compare Stud Hi-Lo rules to learn when a low must qualify, or A-5 Triple Draw rules to use the same low ranking in a draw game.
Rules reference
Sources and table rules
Hand rankings, street order, and bring-in suit order follow PokerStars’ Razz rules. The showdown above is an original teaching example. Confirm the ante, bring-in, raise cap, and any house rules before playing.
Strategy foundation
What to notice before playing
Watch the exposed cards
Every upcard and every folded board changes how many useful cards remain live. A strong-looking draw loses value when several of its needed ranks are already visible.
Start with three low cards
Three different low ranks give the cleanest foundation. Pairs and high cards make it harder to finish with five distinct low ranks.
Read the board, not only your hand
A smooth low board can apply pressure even when the hidden cards are weak, while a board that pairs or catches high cards often signals trouble.
Common mistakes
Avoid these beginner leaks
- Applying an eight-or-better qualifier even though Razz has no low qualifier.
- Forgetting that aces are low and straights and flushes do not count against the hand.
- Ignoring exposed dead cards when judging the chance of improvement.
- Continuing after repeated high cards or pairs without considering an opponent’s smoother board.
FAQ
Quick answers
Does a nine-low qualify in Razz?
Yes. Razz has no eight-or-better requirement, so a nine-low can win if it is the best five-card low at showdown.
Who posts the bring-in?
The player showing the highest door card on third street posts the bring-in. Ties are broken by the cardroom’s suit-order rule.