The Bring-In: Why the Highest Card Pays
Razz flips poker upside down: low wins, so the HIGHEST card showing on third street is forced to open. Learn who pays, how much, and your options, and you'll never fumble the first bet again.
Low is good, so high pays
Razz is lowball: the lowest five-card hand wins and the wheel A-2-3-4-5 is the nuts. So the forced bet flips — the player showing the HIGHEST door card must open.
How much it costs
The bring-in is a fraction of the small bet. In $10/$20 Razz it's often a $5 bring-in with a $10 small bet — you post the $5 minimum, or complete to the full $10.
Third street in Razz. Which player's up card forces them to post the bring-in?
Suit order breaks ties
When two door cards share the highest rank, suit decides who pays: spades > hearts > diamonds > clubs. This only picks who acts — it never affects the winning hand.
Forced in — but not doomed
A high door card plus two low cards in the hole is one of Razz's best disguises. Judge the hand by all three cards together, not by the bring-in stigma.
Both players are all-in on seventh street. Which completed 5-card low is stronger (wins)?
After the bring-in
Action moves clockwise: fold, call, or complete. From fourth street on there's NO bring-in — the LOWEST board acts first, and bets jump to big-bet size from fifth street.
- In Razz the HIGHEST door card posts the bring-in — opposite of Seven Card Stud.
- A King is the worst door card and the most common bring-in.
- Rank ties are broken by suit: spades > hearts > diamonds > clubs.
- You may post the minimum bring-in or complete to a full small bet.
- From fourth street on there's no bring-in — the LOWEST board acts first.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 20/24 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
In Razz, which player is forced to post the bring-in on third street?
Because Razz is a lowball game, the forced bring-in is assigned to the highest (worst) door card.
Which single card is the worst possible door card in Razz?
A king is the highest rank, and in lowball high is bad, so a king is the worst door card.
How does Razz differ from Seven Card Stud regarding the bring-in?
Stud (high) uses the lowest door card, while Razz (low) uses the highest door card.
Two players tie for the highest door card, both showing a king. Who posts the bring-in?
When ranks tie, suit order (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) decides who brings it in.
What is the suit ranking used to break bring-in ties, from highest to lowest?
The standard suit order for forced-bet ties is spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs, high to low.
The forced bring-in player has which options?
The bring-in player may post the minimum forced amount or complete the bet to a full small bet.
What does it mean to 'complete' on third street?
Completing raises the opening bet from the bring-in amount up to a full small bet.
Who is allowed to open the pot for less than a full bet in Razz?
The bring-in is the only sub-full-bet opening; everyone else must call, complete, or fold.
You are dealt (A-3) in the hole with a king showing. How should you view this?
The hidden A-3 is an excellent low draw disguised by the scary high door card.
After third street, who acts first on fourth street and beyond?
From fourth street on, the best (lowest) exposed hand acts first, and there is no more bring-in.
In Razz, what is the best possible five-card hand?
Because straights and flushes don't count against you, A-2-3-4-5 is the nut low, the wheel.
Door cards showing are 9, Q, 6, J, and 4. Who posts the bring-in?
The queen is the highest rank showing, so that player brings it in.
A player showing an ace and a player showing a king are both at the table on third street. Which is closer to being forced to bring it in?
The king is a high card, and the highest card brings it in, so the king is the candidate.
Is the ante the same thing as the bring-in?
Antes are posted by everyone pre-deal, while the bring-in is a single forced bet on third street.
Why is being the bring-in player generally a positional disadvantage?
The forced opener acts first and usually shows a bad high card, giving up information and position.
If everyone folds to the bring-in player after they merely posted the minimum, what happens?
With everyone folded, the last remaining player, the bring-in, wins the pot uncontested.
Two players tie for highest with a queen of clubs and a queen of diamonds. Who brings it in?
Diamonds outrank clubs in the suit order, so the queen of diamonds posts the bring-in.
After the bring-in on third street, in which increment do raises go once a player completes?
Fixed-limit Razz uses small bets on third and fourth street, then big bets from fifth street on.
Which holding behind a king door card is the most deceptively strong in Razz?
A hidden A-2 is a premium low draw completely disguised by the high door card.
On fourth street, is there another forced bring-in?
The bring-in duty ends after third street; from fourth street on, action is voluntary and led by the lowest board.
Which statement about the bring-in amount is correct?
The bring-in is a house-set fraction of the small bet, commonly around a third to a half.
In a $10/$20 fixed-limit Razz game, which is a typical bring-in amount?
The bring-in is a fraction of the small bet, so in a $10/$20 game roughly $5 is typical.
Do straights and flushes count against your hand in Razz?
Razz ignores straights and flushes, which is why the wheel is the nuts.
On third street, a player who wants to enter after the bring-in is posted may NOT do which of the following?
Only the bring-in player may put in a sub-full-bet; others call, complete, or fold.
Review — all 24 questions & answers tap to expand
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In Razz, which player is forced to post the bring-in on third street?
Answer The player with the highest door card
Because Razz is a lowball game, the forced bring-in is assigned to the highest (worst) door card.
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Which single card is the worst possible door card in Razz?
Answer A king
A king is the highest rank, and in lowball high is bad, so a king is the worst door card.
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How does Razz differ from Seven Card Stud regarding the bring-in?
Answer In Stud the lowest card brings it in; in Razz the highest card does
Stud (high) uses the lowest door card, while Razz (low) uses the highest door card.
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Two players tie for the highest door card, both showing a king. Who posts the bring-in?
Answer The king in the higher-ranking suit
When ranks tie, suit order (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) decides who brings it in.
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What is the suit ranking used to break bring-in ties, from highest to lowest?
Answer Spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs
The standard suit order for forced-bet ties is spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs, high to low.
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The forced bring-in player has which options?
Answer Post the minimum bring-in or complete to a full small bet
The bring-in player may post the minimum forced amount or complete the bet to a full small bet.
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What does it mean to 'complete' on third street?
Answer To raise the forced bet up to a full small bet
Completing raises the opening bet from the bring-in amount up to a full small bet.
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Who is allowed to open the pot for less than a full bet in Razz?
Answer Only the bring-in player
The bring-in is the only sub-full-bet opening; everyone else must call, complete, or fold.
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You are dealt (A-3) in the hole with a king showing. How should you view this?
Answer A deceptive strong hand hidden behind a bad-looking door card
The hidden A-3 is an excellent low draw disguised by the scary high door card.
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After third street, who acts first on fourth street and beyond?
Answer The lowest exposed board
From fourth street on, the best (lowest) exposed hand acts first, and there is no more bring-in.
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In Razz, what is the best possible five-card hand?
Answer A-2-3-4-5 (the wheel)
Because straights and flushes don't count against you, A-2-3-4-5 is the nut low, the wheel.
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Door cards showing are 9, Q, 6, J, and 4. Who posts the bring-in?
Answer The Q
The queen is the highest rank showing, so that player brings it in.
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A player showing an ace and a player showing a king are both at the table on third street. Which is closer to being forced to bring it in?
Answer The king
The king is a high card, and the highest card brings it in, so the king is the candidate.
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Is the ante the same thing as the bring-in?
Answer No, the ante is posted by all players before the deal; the bring-in is a forced third-street bet by one player
Antes are posted by everyone pre-deal, while the bring-in is a single forced bet on third street.
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Why is being the bring-in player generally a positional disadvantage?
Answer You open first and typically continue acting early with a high card showing
The forced opener acts first and usually shows a bad high card, giving up information and position.
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If everyone folds to the bring-in player after they merely posted the minimum, what happens?
Answer The bring-in player wins the pot (antes plus bring-in)
With everyone folded, the last remaining player, the bring-in, wins the pot uncontested.
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Two players tie for highest with a queen of clubs and a queen of diamonds. Who brings it in?
Answer Queen of diamonds
Diamonds outrank clubs in the suit order, so the queen of diamonds posts the bring-in.
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After the bring-in on third street, in which increment do raises go once a player completes?
Answer Small-bet increments on third and fourth street
Fixed-limit Razz uses small bets on third and fourth street, then big bets from fifth street on.
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Which holding behind a king door card is the most deceptively strong in Razz?
Answer (A-2) hidden
A hidden A-2 is a premium low draw completely disguised by the high door card.
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On fourth street, is there another forced bring-in?
Answer No, betting is voluntary and the lowest board acts first
The bring-in duty ends after third street; from fourth street on, action is voluntary and led by the lowest board.
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Which statement about the bring-in amount is correct?
Answer It is a fraction of the small bet, set by the house
The bring-in is a house-set fraction of the small bet, commonly around a third to a half.
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In a $10/$20 fixed-limit Razz game, which is a typical bring-in amount?
Answer $5 (a fraction of the small bet)
The bring-in is a fraction of the small bet, so in a $10/$20 game roughly $5 is typical.
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Do straights and flushes count against your hand in Razz?
Answer No, they are ignored for low
Razz ignores straights and flushes, which is why the wheel is the nuts.
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On third street, a player who wants to enter after the bring-in is posted may NOT do which of the following?
Answer Open for a partial amount smaller than the bring-in
Only the bring-in player may put in a sub-full-bet; others call, complete, or fold.