What counts as a badugi
Four cards, but any that share a suit or rank stop counting. Learn to spot a real badugi and read which lowball hand wins — the core skill of the game.
The one-sentence definition
A badugi is four cards, all different suits AND all different ranks. It's lowball, so the lower your highest card, the better the hand.
Aces are low — and gold
The ace always counts as '1' and never plays high. Since your hand is judged by its highest card, an ace is the most valuable rank you can hold.
Is this hand a complete four-card badugi?
How a hand collapses
Hold Ks-8s-5d-2c (that shorthand means the king and eight of spades, the five of diamonds, and the two of clubs): both spades clash, so drop the King and keep the 8s. You're left with 8-5-2 — three suits, three ranks. That's a three-card hand, not a badugi.
How does this hand actually count? Watch for a repeated suit.
Two badugis? Highest card first
Line each hand high-to-low; the lower top card wins, ties broken downward. So 8-6-4-2 beats 8-7-3-A — same top card, but 6 beats 7 on the second.
Smooth vs rough
Players name a badugi by its top card. A 'smooth eight' (8-3-2-A) has tiny kickers; a 'rough eight' (8-7-6-A) has high ones. Smooth beats rough.
- A badugi = four cards, all different suits AND ranks; lower is better.
- Aces are always low, making them the most valuable rank in the game.
- Shared suits or ranks get discarded, collapsing a hand to 3, 2, or 1 cards.
- Count cards first: any four-card badugi beats any three-card hand.
- Rank badugis high-card-first; ties break downward. The nuts is 4-3-2-A.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 20/24 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
What exactly is a badugi?
A badugi is four cards with no repeated suit and no repeated rank.
In Badugi, the ace counts as:
Aces are always low in Badugi, worth '1'.
What is the best possible hand (the nuts) in Badugi?
4-3-2-A with all four suits is the lowest complete badugi and cannot be beaten.
You hold 9s-7s-4d-2c. How many counting cards is that?
The two spades clash, so one is discarded, leaving a three-card hand of 7-4-2.
When two spades clash, which one do you keep for ranking?
You keep the lower of the two clashing cards, which gives the stronger low hand.
Does a four-card badugi always beat a three-card hand?
Card count is compared first: any complete badugi beats any three-card hand.
How do you compare two complete badugis?
Badugis are read high card first, and the lower high card wins, ties broken downward.
You hold Kc-Kh-5d-2s. What is your hand?
The two kings share a rank, so one is discarded, leaving a three-card K-5-2.
A 'seven badugi' means:
Hands are named by their highest card, so a seven badugi tops out at 7.
Which is the WORST possible complete badugi?
K-Q-J-10 of four suits is the highest (worst) four-card badugi, but still beats any three-card hand.
Between a 'smooth eight' (8-3-2-A) and a 'rough eight' (8-7-6-A), which is better?
After the shared high 8, the smooth eight's lower kickers win the comparison.
Why are aces so valuable in Badugi?
Being the lowest rank, an ace helps keep your high card small, which is what wins.
You hold 5h-5s-5d-5c. What counts?
All four share the rank five, so only one counts, giving a one-card hand.
A three-card hand of 4-3-2 versus a four-card badugi of K-Q-J-10. Who wins?
Card count is compared first, so the four-card badugi wins regardless of ranks.
Can a badugi contain two cards of the same suit?
By definition a complete badugi has all four suits, so no suit repeats.
You hold 2s-2h-2d-2c. How many cards count?
All four are twos (same rank), so only one counts — a one-card hand.
Two players hold identical badugis, say 7-5-3-A each. What happens?
Suits have no ranking value in Badugi, so identical hands split the pot.
In the hand Ks-8s-5d-2c, which card is discarded for ranking?
The two spades clash and you keep the lower (8s), so the Ks is discarded.
Is a badugi's rank affected by which suits it contains?
Suits only determine whether cards clash; they carry no ranking value.
A 10-badugi versus a jack-badugi, both complete. Which wins?
The lower high card wins, and a ten badugi's high card beats a jack's.
What's the first thing you check when comparing two Badugi hands at showdown?
You compare the number of counting cards first, then rank within equal counts.
Between 8-6-4-2 and 8-7-3-A (both complete badugis), which wins?
Both are 8-badugis; comparing the second-highest card, 6 beats 7.
Two players show 6-4-3-A and 6-5-2-A, both complete. Who wins?
Both are six badugis; at the second card, 4 beats 5, so 6-4-3-A wins.
Which four-card holding is a valid badugi?
J-8-6-3 has four different suits and four different ranks; the others have a repeat.
Review — all 24 questions & answers tap to expand
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What exactly is a badugi?
Answer Four cards all of different suits and different ranks
A badugi is four cards with no repeated suit and no repeated rank.
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In Badugi, the ace counts as:
Answer The lowest card
Aces are always low in Badugi, worth '1'.
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What is the best possible hand (the nuts) in Badugi?
Answer 4-3-2-A of four different suits
4-3-2-A with all four suits is the lowest complete badugi and cannot be beaten.
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You hold 9s-7s-4d-2c. How many counting cards is that?
Answer Three — the two spades clash
The two spades clash, so one is discarded, leaving a three-card hand of 7-4-2.
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When two spades clash, which one do you keep for ranking?
Answer The lower spade
You keep the lower of the two clashing cards, which gives the stronger low hand.
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Does a four-card badugi always beat a three-card hand?
Answer Yes, always
Card count is compared first: any complete badugi beats any three-card hand.
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How do you compare two complete badugis?
Answer Compare highest card first, then downward; lower wins
Badugis are read high card first, and the lower high card wins, ties broken downward.
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You hold Kc-Kh-5d-2s. What is your hand?
Answer A three-card hand (one king discarded)
The two kings share a rank, so one is discarded, leaving a three-card K-5-2.
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A 'seven badugi' means:
Answer A badugi whose highest card is a 7
Hands are named by their highest card, so a seven badugi tops out at 7.
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Which is the WORST possible complete badugi?
Answer K-Q-J-10 of four different suits
K-Q-J-10 of four suits is the highest (worst) four-card badugi, but still beats any three-card hand.
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Between a 'smooth eight' (8-3-2-A) and a 'rough eight' (8-7-6-A), which is better?
Answer The smooth eight
After the shared high 8, the smooth eight's lower kickers win the comparison.
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Why are aces so valuable in Badugi?
Answer They are the lowest card, and low hands win
Being the lowest rank, an ace helps keep your high card small, which is what wins.
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You hold 5h-5s-5d-5c. What counts?
Answer Just one five — a one-card hand
All four share the rank five, so only one counts, giving a one-card hand.
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A three-card hand of 4-3-2 versus a four-card badugi of K-Q-J-10. Who wins?
Answer K-Q-J-10, a complete badugi beats any three-card hand
Card count is compared first, so the four-card badugi wins regardless of ranks.
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Can a badugi contain two cards of the same suit?
Answer No — all four suits must be different
By definition a complete badugi has all four suits, so no suit repeats.
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You hold 2s-2h-2d-2c. How many cards count?
Answer One
All four are twos (same rank), so only one counts — a one-card hand.
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Two players hold identical badugis, say 7-5-3-A each. What happens?
Answer They split the pot
Suits have no ranking value in Badugi, so identical hands split the pot.
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In the hand Ks-8s-5d-2c, which card is discarded for ranking?
Answer The Ks
The two spades clash and you keep the lower (8s), so the Ks is discarded.
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Is a badugi's rank affected by which suits it contains?
Answer No, suits never affect ranking
Suits only determine whether cards clash; they carry no ranking value.
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A 10-badugi versus a jack-badugi, both complete. Which wins?
Answer The ten badugi
The lower high card wins, and a ten badugi's high card beats a jack's.
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What's the first thing you check when comparing two Badugi hands at showdown?
Answer How many cards count in each hand
You compare the number of counting cards first, then rank within equal counts.
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Between 8-6-4-2 and 8-7-3-A (both complete badugis), which wins?
Answer 8-6-4-2, because the second card 6 beats 7
Both are 8-badugis; comparing the second-highest card, 6 beats 7.
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Two players show 6-4-3-A and 6-5-2-A, both complete. Who wins?
Answer 6-4-3-A
Both are six badugis; at the second card, 4 beats 5, so 6-4-3-A wins.
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Which four-card holding is a valid badugi?
Answer Jd-8s-6h-3c
J-8-6-3 has four different suits and four different ranks; the others have a repeat.