How to Play Razz: The Rules
Razz is the poker game where the LOWEST five-card hand wins — the reverse of most poker. You get seven cards and make your best (lowest) five, and straights and flushes can't hurt you. Learn the deal, the bring-in, and how to read a low hand so you never freeze at showdown. (Already know seven-card stud? Razz is that game flipped upside down.)
Razz in one breath
Razz is 'lowball' poker: the lowest five-card hand wins. You're dealt seven cards a few at a time — each deal-and-bet round is called a 'street' — and you use your best FIVE. Aces count as low, and suits never matter.
The deal, street by street
First everyone posts an ante (a small forced chip paid before the deal). Then you get 2 cards face down (hidden — only you see them) plus 1 face up (your 'door card' — the one card opponents see) on 3rd street. You catch another up card on 4th, 5th and 6th, and a final card face DOWN on 7th. That's three hidden, four showing, five betting rounds. (Only the third-street up card is the 'door card'; the later face-up cards are just 'up cards'.)
In Razz the lowest hand wins. What is your best 5-card low hand from these seven cards?
Who acts first: the bring-in
Razz flips stud. On 3rd street the HIGHEST up card is forced to bring in and act first. From 4th on, the LOWEST board acts first.
Both players go to showdown. Lowest hand wins in Razz — whose 5-card low is better?
Reading a hand's name
Name it by the top two cards, counting down. To split two sevens, check the next card: 7-4-3-2-A (a 'seven-four') beats 7-6-3-2-A.
Showdown
After 7th street, the lowest five-card hand wins. No qualifier — someone always scoops the low. Identical hands split; suits never break a showdown tie.
- Lowest hand wins; straights and flushes don't count, so 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel) is the nuts.
- Seven cards, five streets: 2 down + 1 up on 3rd, up cards on 4th-6th, final card down on 7th.
- HIGHEST up card brings in and acts first on 3rd street; lowest board acts first after that.
- Name and compare hands by the top cards counting down; pairs are high hands and hurt you.
- Aces are always low, suits never matter, and identical hands split the pot.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 20/25 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
In Razz, which hand wins?
Razz is a lowball game, so the lowest five-card hand takes the pot.
What is the best possible hand in Razz?
5-4-3-2-A, the wheel, is unbeatable because straights and flushes don't count against you.
How many cards is each player dealt in total across a full Razz hand?
Like seven-card stud, Razz deals seven cards per player over the course of the hand.
Do straights and flushes count against your hand in Razz?
In Razz straights and flushes don't count, so 5-4-3-2-A is a low, not a straight.
On third street, who is forced to post the bring-in?
Razz reverses stud: the highest exposed card brings in and acts first.
How are aces treated in Razz?
Aces are always low in Razz, which is why A-2-3-4-5 is the best hand.
On which street is the final card dealt face down?
The seventh and final card (the river) is dealt face down to each remaining player.
How many down (face-down) cards does each player receive in total?
Two down cards on third street plus the final down card on seventh street equals three.
Between 8-6-4-3-2 and 8-7-5-2-A, which is the better Razz hand?
Both are eight-lows, but comparing the second card, 6 beats 7, so 8-6 wins.
What happens if you pair a card in Razz?
Pairs count as high hands in lowball, so pairing damages your low.
How are Razz hands named?
A hand like 7-5-4-2-A is a 'seven-five,' named by its highest cards.
After third street, which player acts first?
From fourth street on, the lowest showing board acts first and may check or bet.
In a fixed-limit Razz game, when do the bets double to the big limit?
Bets are small on third and fourth street and double starting on fifth street.
Do suits matter when comparing two Razz hands?
Suits never affect hand value in Razz; identical ranks split the pot.
Two players finish with the identical hand 8-6-4-3-2. What happens?
Identical hands split the pot, since suits are irrelevant in Razz.
How many up (face-up) cards does each player receive in a full hand?
Up cards are dealt on third, fourth, fifth, and sixth street — four total.
If two players tie for the highest up card on third street, how is the bring-in decided?
Suit rank in reverse alphabetical order (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) breaks the tie for the bring-in.
Which starting card layout is correct for third street?
Third street gives each player two down cards and one up card.
Between a 9-low and a paired hand, which wins?
Any unpaired five-card low beats a pair, since pairs count as high hands.
What is another common name for the 5-4-3-2-A hand?
5-4-3-2-A is called the wheel or the bicycle.
Comparing 6-5-4-3-2 and 6-4-3-2-A, which is better?
Both are six-lows; at the second card 4 beats 5, so 6-4-3-2-A wins.
In Razz, what is the minimum number of different ranks you need to make a qualifying low hand?
A five-card hand needs five different (unpaired) ranks to avoid counting as a high pair hand.
How many betting rounds are there in a hand of Razz?
Betting occurs on third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh street — five rounds.
Which is the best possible 'seven-low'?
7-4-3-2-A is the lowest possible seven, beating all other seven-lows.
Is there a low qualifier in standard Razz?
Standard Razz has no qualifier, so the lowest remaining hand wins regardless of how high it is.
Review — all 25 questions & answers tap to expand
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In Razz, which hand wins?
Answer The lowest hand
Razz is a lowball game, so the lowest five-card hand takes the pot.
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What is the best possible hand in Razz?
Answer 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel)
5-4-3-2-A, the wheel, is unbeatable because straights and flushes don't count against you.
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How many cards is each player dealt in total across a full Razz hand?
Answer Seven
Like seven-card stud, Razz deals seven cards per player over the course of the hand.
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Do straights and flushes count against your hand in Razz?
Answer No, both are ignored
In Razz straights and flushes don't count, so 5-4-3-2-A is a low, not a straight.
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On third street, who is forced to post the bring-in?
Answer The player with the highest up card
Razz reverses stud: the highest exposed card brings in and acts first.
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How are aces treated in Razz?
Answer Always low
Aces are always low in Razz, which is why A-2-3-4-5 is the best hand.
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On which street is the final card dealt face down?
Answer Seventh street
The seventh and final card (the river) is dealt face down to each remaining player.
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How many down (face-down) cards does each player receive in total?
Answer Three
Two down cards on third street plus the final down card on seventh street equals three.
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Between 8-6-4-3-2 and 8-7-5-2-A, which is the better Razz hand?
Answer 8-6-4-3-2
Both are eight-lows, but comparing the second card, 6 beats 7, so 8-6 wins.
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What happens if you pair a card in Razz?
Answer The pair counts as a high hand and hurts you
Pairs count as high hands in lowball, so pairing damages your low.
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How are Razz hands named?
Answer By their two highest cards, counting down
A hand like 7-5-4-2-A is a 'seven-five,' named by its highest cards.
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After third street, which player acts first?
Answer The player with the lowest exposed hand
From fourth street on, the lowest showing board acts first and may check or bet.
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In a fixed-limit Razz game, when do the bets double to the big limit?
Answer Starting on fifth street
Bets are small on third and fourth street and double starting on fifth street.
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Do suits matter when comparing two Razz hands?
Answer No, suits never affect hand value
Suits never affect hand value in Razz; identical ranks split the pot.
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Two players finish with the identical hand 8-6-4-3-2. What happens?
Answer The pot is split evenly
Identical hands split the pot, since suits are irrelevant in Razz.
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How many up (face-up) cards does each player receive in a full hand?
Answer Four
Up cards are dealt on third, fourth, fifth, and sixth street — four total.
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If two players tie for the highest up card on third street, how is the bring-in decided?
Answer By suit, in reverse alphabetical order (spades worst)
Suit rank in reverse alphabetical order (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) breaks the tie for the bring-in.
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Which starting card layout is correct for third street?
Answer Two down cards and one up card
Third street gives each player two down cards and one up card.
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Between a 9-low and a paired hand, which wins?
Answer The 9-low
Any unpaired five-card low beats a pair, since pairs count as high hands.
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What is another common name for the 5-4-3-2-A hand?
Answer The bicycle
5-4-3-2-A is called the wheel or the bicycle.
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Comparing 6-5-4-3-2 and 6-4-3-2-A, which is better?
Answer 6-4-3-2-A
Both are six-lows; at the second card 4 beats 5, so 6-4-3-2-A wins.
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In Razz, what is the minimum number of different ranks you need to make a qualifying low hand?
Answer Five different ranks
A five-card hand needs five different (unpaired) ranks to avoid counting as a high pair hand.
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How many betting rounds are there in a hand of Razz?
Answer Five
Betting occurs on third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh street — five rounds.
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Which is the best possible 'seven-low'?
Answer 7-4-3-2-A
7-4-3-2-A is the lowest possible seven, beating all other seven-lows.
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Is there a low qualifier in standard Razz?
Answer No, the lowest hand always wins even if it's a king-low
Standard Razz has no qualifier, so the lowest remaining hand wins regardless of how high it is.