Mixed game poker explained
What is mixed game poker?
Mixed game poker rotates through multiple poker variants during one cash session or tournament. The game normally changes after a set number of hands or a full orbit, asking players to switch hand rankings, betting structures, and information systems without leaving the table.
How a mix works
One table, several poker disciplines
Fixed rotation
The lineup and order are announced in advance. A casino mix often changes every orbit, while a home game may use a fixed number of hands.
Rule reset
Each switch can change the winning objective, number of cards, visible information, forced bets, and legal bet sizes.
Broad edge
Results depend on your combined skill across the lineup, not only your strongest game. Avoiding large mistakes in unfamiliar rounds matters.
Popular formats
HORSE, 8-Game, 10-Game, and Dealer’s Choice
A classic five-game limit rotation covering community-card, stud, lowball, and split-pot skills.
Adds a draw game and switches between limit, no-limit, and pot-limit betting.
Expands the draw-game component with two specialized lowball formats.
The selected game changes by dealer or orbit, and local rules should be agreed before play.
Draw poker family
Why draw games feel different
In community-card games, everyone sees the same board. In stud, exposed cards show part of each opponent’s hand. Draw games keep cards private, so information comes mainly from betting and the number of cards each player exchanges.
That makes vocabulary such as stand pat, draw one, and draw two strategically meaningful. It also explains why starting-hand structure matters: a hand that needs one replacement is much closer to completion than one that needs three.
For strategy study, see how mixed game GTO, starting ranges, equity, and solvers answer different questions.
Draw game directory
Learn the rules before opening a range
Deuce-to-seven Single Draw is a five-card lowball game in which the lowest qualifying hand wins. Every card is private, players draw only once, and the number of cards each opponent exchanges becomes an important source of information.
Read 2-7 Single Draw rules Three draws · five-card lowball2-7 Triple DrawDeuce-to-seven Triple Draw uses the same lowball ranking as Single Draw but gives each remaining player as many as three exchanges. The extra draws reward hands that begin with several coordinated low cards and create repeated decisions about how many cards to keep.
Read 2-7 Triple Draw rules Three draws · ace-to-five lowballA-5 Triple DrawAce-to-five Triple Draw is a five-card lowball game in which aces are low and straights and flushes are ignored. That single ranking change makes many combinations that are dangerous in 2-7 excellent here.
Read A-5 Triple Draw rules Three draws · four-card lowballBadugiBadugi is a four-card lowball draw game. A complete hand needs four different ranks and four different suits; if ranks or suits conflict, only one of those cards can count toward the final hand.
Read Badugi rules Three draws · split-pot lowballBadacyBadacy, also commonly spelled Badacey, is a five-card split-pot draw game. Half the pot goes to the best ace-to-five low using all five cards, and half goes to the best Badugi that can be formed from the hand.
Read Badacy rules Three draws · split-pot lowballBadeucyBadeucy is a five-card split-pot draw game. Half the pot is awarded to the best deuce-to-seven low and half to the best Badugi that can be made from the same five cards.
Read Badeucy rules One draw · traditional high pokerFive-Card DrawFive-Card Draw is a traditional high-hand poker game and a useful introduction to the draw format. Each player sees only their own cards, so betting patterns and the number of cards exchanged provide most of the available information.
Read Five-Card Draw rules Three draws · qualified high-low splitArchieArchie is a five-card triple-draw split-pot game with qualifiers on both sides. Under common rules, half goes to the best high hand of a pair of nines or better and half to the best ace-to-five low of eight-high or better.
Read Archie rules Three draws · Archie with a high-only community cardAriAri is an Archie-style five-card triple-draw game with one extra community card dealt before the first betting round. That shared card may help form a player’s high hand, but it never counts toward the qualifying ace-to-five low.
Read Ari rulesStud and Razz directory
Follow exposed cards through the stud-game family
Start with Seven-Card Stud and Razz, then compare split-pot and specialty combinations such as Archie, Razzdugi, and 2-7 Razzdugi.
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.
Read Razz rules Seven cards · traditional high pokerSeven-Card StudSeven-Card Stud is a traditional high poker game with no shared board. Players receive seven cards over five betting streets—three hidden and four exposed—and use the best five-card poker hand they can make.
Read Seven-Card Stud rules Seven-card stud · high-low splitStud 8 or BetterSeven-Card Stud 8 or Better—often called Stud 8/b or Stud Hi-Lo—uses the normal stud deal but can award half the pot to the best high and half to the best qualifying ace-to-five low.
Read Stud 8 or Better rules Seven-card stud · unqualified high-low splitStud Hi-Lo No QualifierSeven-Card Stud Hi-Lo Regular—also called Stud Hi-Lo No Qualifier, Stud NQ, or Stud Q—splits the pot between the best high hand and the best ace-to-five low. Unlike Stud 8 or Better, the low side has no qualifying rank requirement.
Read Stud Hi-Lo No Qualifier rules Seven-card stud · five-card opening and discardSuper StudSuper Stud is Seven-Card Stud High with a larger opening decision. Each player begins with four downcards and one upcard, bets, then discards two downcards before the deal continues like ordinary stud.
Read Super Stud rules Super Stud · qualified high-low splitSuper Stud 8 or BetterSuper Stud 8 or Better combines the four-down, one-up opening of Super Stud with the high-low split rules of Stud 8. After the first betting round, each player discards two downcards and continues with a normal seven-card stud holding.
Read Super Stud 8 or Better rules Seven-card stud · A-5 and 2-7 splitRazzdeuceyRazzdeucey—also written Razzduci—is a seven-card stud split-pot game. Half the pot goes to the best five-card ace-to-five Razz hand and half goes to the best five-card deuce-to-seven low formed from the same seven cards.
Read Razzdeucey rules Seven-card stud · Razz and Badugi splitRazzdugiRazzdugi combines the seven-card stud structure of Razz with Badugi hand ranking. Half the pot goes to the best five-card ace-to-five low and half to the best four-card Badugi that can be selected from the seven cards.
Read Razzdugi rules Seven-card stud · deuce-to-seven lowball2-7 Razz2-7 Razz is seven-card stud played for the best deuce-to-seven low. It follows the familiar Razz street structure, but aces are high and straights and flushes count against the final five-card hand.
Read 2-7 Razz rules Seven-card stud · 2-7 and Badugi split2-7 Razzdugi2-7 Razzdugi is a seven-card stud split-pot game. Half the pot goes to the best five-card deuce-to-seven low and half to the best four-card ace-high Badugi selected from the same seven cards.
Read 2-7 Razzdugi rules Super Stud · Razz and Badugi splitSuper RazzdugiSuper Razzdugi uses ordinary Razzdugi hand rankings with a Super Stud opening. Players receive four downcards and one upcard, bet, discard two downcards, and then continue toward separate A-5 Razz and Badugi awards.
Read Super Razzdugi rules Super Stud · ace-to-five lowballSuper RazzSuper Razz is ace-to-five Razz with the Super Stud opening. Players start with four downcards and one upcard, bet, discard two downcards, and continue through the remaining stud streets for the best five-card low.
Read Super Razz rulesPut the rules into practice
Move from a guide to a playable decision
For a visual range, open the Five-Card Draw starting-hand guide or compare all available draw-game starting hands.
To test exact cards, use the Badugi equity calculator or browse every draw-game equity calculator. For complete betting trees, explore the experimental 2-7 Single Draw GTO solver and read the solver methodology.
Learning plan
A practical route into mixed games
- 01
Separate the ranking systems
Memorize which games use traditional high, ace-to-five low, deuce-to-seven low, or Badugi ranking.
- 02
Learn the betting sequence
Count the draws and betting rounds, and confirm whether the game is limit, pot-limit, or no-limit.
- 03
Study one starting decision
Use a compact starting-hand framework before adding later-street tactics and deceptive plays.
- 04
Practice switching deliberately
At each rotation, restate the game, winning hand, ace value, and betting limit before acting.
Popular starting-hand guides