Razz poker rules reverse Seven Card Stud: the pot goes to the lowest five-card hand, an ace is the smallest card in the deck, and neither a straight nor a flush counts against you. Nothing beats the wheel, 5-4-3-2-A, and five different ranks always outrank a pair, however high those ranks are. Many habits from high poker need to be turned around, which makes this game a good test of how well you read hands. Reading on, you will see how two lows are compared, who opens the betting and who acts afterwards, what the limits do and which five of the seven cards to keep. Five exercises close the page: a tie, a three-way contest and a hand of high cards that defeats a hand of pairs.
Key Takeaways: Razz Poker Rules
- Low-Hand Rules: The lowest five-card hand wins the pot; aces are always low, straights and flushes are ignored, and 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel) is the best possible hand.
- Hand Comparison: Low hands are evaluated from their highest card downward; any five unpaired ranks beat a paired hand, and ties split the pot regardless of suits.
- Action Order: The highest upcard pays the compulsory bring-in on third street; from fourth street onward, the lowest showing hand acts first.
- Betting Limits: Unlike high Stud, an exposed pair does not trigger a big bet early; big bets begin on fifth street, and a depleted deck is replaced by a single community card.
What Makes a Hand Low
The structure of Razz is borrowed from Seven Card Stud and only the winner changes. Cards are dealt, betting streets run and five cards are chosen from seven exactly as in the Seven Card Stud rules guide, yet the pot is awarded to the lowest hand with no high half to share.
Three rules decide what a low looks like:
- An ace is always the smallest card, which makes A-2-3-4-5 the wheel and not a straight.
- Straights and flushes mean nothing, so 2-3-4-5-6 is an ordinary six-high low.
- Pairs are a handicap: five different ranks beat any hand holding one, even five face cards.
Putting Two Lows Side by Side
Begin at the top of each hand, where the lower card wins. When the top cards are equal, step down to the next pair of cards, and continue until the hands differ. Small cards lower in the hand cannot rescue a high top card.
| First hand | Second hand | Result | Why |
| 6-4-3-2-A | 5-4-3-2-A | Second hand | A five-high low is below a six-high low |
| K-4-3-2-A | Q-J-T-9-8 | Second hand | The queen at the top is lower than the king |
| 8-6-4-3-A | 8-6-4-3-2 | First hand | The last card is the only difference, and an ace is lower than a deuce |
| 9-9-4-3-2 | K-Q-J-T-8 | Second hand | A hand with no pair beats any pair |
| 7-5-4-3-2 | 7-6-4-3-2 | First hand | The tops match, and 5 is lower than 6 |
| 7-5-3-2-A | 7-5-3-2-A in other suits | Tie | Equal ranks split the pot, and suits are ignored |
Choosing Five Cards From Seven
Pick out one card of each different rank, setting aside any card that repeats a rank, and then discard the highest ones until five remain. Take a player with Jh Td 8c 8s 5d 3h Ac. The second eight duplicates a rank and the jack is the highest of what is left, so the ranks kept are ace, three, five, eight and ten, giving T-8-5-3-A low.
A player with only four different ranks cannot avoid a pair, and any unpaired hand beats that player.
Bring-In and Who Acts First
The player showing the highest upcard makes the bring-in on third street. Equal ranks are separated by suit, where spades come first, followed by hearts, diamonds and clubs. After third street the lowest hand among the upcards opens the action. A tie between those hands is handled by house rules, and a frequent choice is to start with the player nearest the dealer’s left.
| Point of comparison | In Razz | In Seven Card Stud |
| Who takes the pot | The lowest five | The highest five |
| Value of an ace | Lowest card, always | High, or low only inside the wheel |
| Straights and flushes | Disregarded | Strong hands |
| Who brings in | Highest upcard | Lowest upcard |
| Who opens afterwards | Lowest upcards | Highest upcards |
| Big bet | Starts on fifth street | Can start once a pair shows |
Limits and the Showdown
In Razz a pair showing on the table does not raise the limit. Revealing starts with whoever made the last bet or raise on the final round, or with the first player to act if the round was all checks. A deck that runs out is replaced by a single card dealt face up in the centre for everyone’s use.
Exercises: Five Razz Showdowns
All seven cards of every player are shown after the last street. Find each player’s lowest five and name the winner, remembering that low beats high.
❓ Practice: Pick the Lowest Hand
Maya’s seven cards are Ah 2c 3d 9s Th Jd Qc, and Jean’s seven cards are 4c 5d 6h 7s Kh Kd 8c. Who wins?
Maya’s seven cards are Kc Qh Jd 9s 9c 8d 4h, and Jean’s seven cards are Ad Ac 3h 3d 2s 2c 4s. Who wins?
Maya’s seven cards are Ah 2d 4c 6s 7h Kd Qs, and Jean’s seven cards are Ac 2h 4s 6d 7c Jd Td. Who wins?
Maya has 8c 6d 5h 4s Ac Kd Qh, Jean has 8d 6h 5c 3s 2d Js Td and Priya has 8h 6c 4d 3h Ad Ks Qs. Who wins?
Maya’s seven cards are 9c 7d 5h 3s Ac Kd Qh, and Jean’s seven cards are 9d 7h 5s 3c 2d Kc Qd. Who wins?
More Guides in the Series
Razz is the last game of the third stage in the online poker series, and the fourth stage turns to casino tables where the dealer is the opponent. Good pages to open next:
- Seven Card Stud rules: the same deal played for the high hand.
- Omaha Hi-Lo rules: a second game built on an ace-to-five low.
- Poker showdown rules: the order of showing and the sharing of pots.
- Poker hand rankings: the high-hand ladder that Razz flips over.
- Casino poker games: poker tables where the dealer is the opponent.
Limits When Low Cards Rule
Winning with low cards changes nothing about how chips leave the stack, so the usual limits still apply. Decide on a spending limit and a stopping time before you start, and walk away when either arrives. Anyone worried about gambling in Manitoba can reach the Addictions Help Line for problem gambling on 1-800-463-1554, and our responsible gambling page covers more tools and support services.
❓ Razz Poker Questions: Frequently Asked Questions
Which hand is best in Razz?
Can a straight or flush spoil my hand?
Who starts the betting?
How do I compare two Razz hands?
Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.