How to Play Stud Low Only Poker

Stud Low Only, or Razz as it is commonly known, is essentially lowball played in stud form. The best low is A-2-3-4-5. It can be frustrating at times as players often find themselves with good starting hands and then catch bricks (high cards or pairs) on later streets, leaving them with an unplayable hand by the end. Razz is the fourth game of the popular H.O.R.S.E. rotation. Here is a primer on the game.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cards
• Chips

Razz it up

1. Sit down in a game. Razz is commonly found online but is often hard to find in casinos. It is generally played only as part of H.O.R.S.E. tournaments in land-based games. Razz games are played with a maxium of eight players.

2. Put up your ante. There is an ante from every player on every hand (as in any stud game), with the amount of the ante depending on the stakes you play. Usually, the ante is about one-quarter of what the opening bets are.

3. Bring it in if you have the high card showing. In Razz, the high card is forced to "bring it in" with an initial bet after the first three cards are dealt to each player (two down and the last one face up). Play continues clockwise around the table with each player having the option to raise, call or fold. Play continues on successive streets among the remaining players with each player receiving one card up on each street (except seventh, where the final card is dealt face down to each player), but on these final four streets the low hand showing has the first betting option.

4. Open the betting only if you have three cards lower than 8 at a full table. Three cards 7 or lower are preferable. If you see plenty of high cards around the table, you can play more moderate hands, even raising with a 9 if the other hands appear particularly weak.

5. Fold any hands with a pair or a card higher than 9.

6. Do not try to steal the antes often. You can occasionally try to steal with a high card in your hand, but do it judiciously. Most players will call raises with any decent starting hand in this game, so it’s tough to take down pots initially when others have cards 8 or lower showing.

7. Do not forget to account for your outs around the table. If you start with 5-6-7 and see several 2s, 3s and 4s around the felt, you don’t have many outs to make a good low. At least one player probably has a better starting hand with three cards 6 and lower, and many of the cards you could draw to beat the other players are already out of the deck.

8. Decide on fifth street to play all the way or fold. The betting doubles on fifth street, so if you are behind on fourth and don’t catch a good card on fifth, you will generally want to fold.

Tips & Warnings

• Play tight. Many players lose money by opening on too many hands.