Which hands to play
In Razz, most of your money is won or lost before third street even finishes — it comes down to which three cards you agree to play. Learn one filter and a four-tier system, and you'll instantly out-select most opponents.
One question decides almost everything
Razz is lowball: the best hand is the wheel 5-4-3-2-A, aces are low, straights and flushes don't count. On third street, ask one thing — are all three of my cards eight or lower?
The four tiers
PREMIUM: three unpaired cards, all five or lower — always raise. STRONG: three to a seven or eight, ideally with an ace — raise for value. MARGINAL: two babies plus one middler — play in good spots. TRASH: any pair or two high cards — fold.
Both players are dealt their first three cards in Razz (lowest hand wins). Which starting hand is stronger?
Your door card only changes HOW you play
Two cards are hidden; one — the door card — shows. Buried babies behind a high door card disguise your strength and win extra bets. This never decides whether a hand is playable, only how you attack.
You are dealt these three starting cards in Razz (lowest hand wins). Is this a premium starting hand you should play?
Flex with position and the field
Requirements aren't fixed. Multiway, demand premium or strong hands — someone always shows up with babies. Short-handed or in late position with high cards folded behind you, a marginal hand can be promoted to a raise.
- Baseline for a playable hand: three unpaired cards, all eight or lower — "three to an eight."
- Three cards five-or-lower (especially with an ace) are premium raises; the wheel 5-4-3-2-A is the nuts.
- Any pair is a trap — one paired card is dead, so treat it as a two-card holding and usually fold.
- Check live vs dead: needed low cards showing in opponents' hands lower your value.
- Tighten in multiway pots; loosen short-handed or in late position with high cards behind you.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 18/22 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
What is the best possible completed hand in Razz?
Razz is lowball with aces low and straights/flushes ignored, so 5-4-3-2-A is the unbeatable nut low.
What is the baseline standard for a playable Razz starting hand?
"Three to an eight" — three unpaired cards all eight or below — is the minimum standard for entering a pot.
Do straights and flushes count against your low hand in Razz?
In Razz only card ranks matter for the low, so straights and flushes never hurt your hand.
Which of these is a PREMIUM starting hand?
Three unpaired cards five-or-lower like A-2-3 are premium raising hands.
Why is a buried pair such as 2-2-7 a trap hand?
You can only use one card of a pair in a low, so a pair effectively strips a card from your hand.
In Razz, how do aces rank?
Aces always play low in Razz, making an ace the single most valuable card to start with.
What does it mean for a card you need to be "dead"?
Dead cards are those you can see in other players' hands, meaning they can no longer improve you.
How should exposed low cards around the table affect your hand's value?
When your needed low cards are dead in opponents' hands, your chances of completing a strong low drop.
Which is the STRONGER starting hand?
7-5-2 is three low unpaired cards to a seven, better than a rough eight, a pair, or a hand containing a nine.
How does a high door card with two buried low cards change your play?
Card position affects information and deception, not the underlying ranking of your holding.
Which factor can promote a MARGINAL hand to a playable one?
Short-handed pots, favorable position, and weak opposition can all make a marginal hand worth a play.
Which starting hand contains a card that keeps it out of the premium tier?
The nine in A-4-9 is a high card, so despite two babies the hand is only marginal, not premium.
Why is an ace especially valuable in a Razz starting hand?
Since aces are low, holding one gives you the smallest possible building block for your hand.
You hold 8-6-2. An opponent shows three cards to a six. Who is ahead if both complete well?
Lower is better in Razz, so a completed six-low beats your eight-low.
Which of these should you routinely raise with?
3-4-5 is three unpaired wheel-range cards — a premium hand you should raise.
Position in Razz is valuable primarily because...
Seeing more information before you act lets you make better starting-hand decisions.
How many cards are you dealt to start a Razz hand?
Razz is a seven-card stud game, so you begin with two down cards and one up card.
Which hand is TRASH and should be folded?
5-5-8 is a pair plus an eight — the pair kills it, so fold.
When your low cards are live and opponents show high door cards, you should...
Live cards for you plus dead-looking high cards for opponents is exactly when you should press your edge.
Which hand should you fold as trash?
Two or more high cards (nine and up) make a hand unplayable trash.
Against a full multiway field, how tight should your starting requirements be?
In multiway pots someone usually holds three babies, so marginal hands are dominated.
What makes 8-7-5 a marginal rather than strong hand?
All three cards are high within the low range, making it a rough eight that many hands dominate.
Review — all 22 questions & answers tap to expand
-
What is the best possible completed hand in Razz?
Answer 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel)
Razz is lowball with aces low and straights/flushes ignored, so 5-4-3-2-A is the unbeatable nut low.
-
What is the baseline standard for a playable Razz starting hand?
Answer Three unpaired cards, all eight or lower
"Three to an eight" — three unpaired cards all eight or below — is the minimum standard for entering a pot.
-
Do straights and flushes count against your low hand in Razz?
Answer No, they are ignored entirely
In Razz only card ranks matter for the low, so straights and flushes never hurt your hand.
-
Which of these is a PREMIUM starting hand?
Answer A-2-3
Three unpaired cards five-or-lower like A-2-3 are premium raising hands.
-
Why is a buried pair such as 2-2-7 a trap hand?
Answer One paired card is dead weight, so it plays like a two-card 7-2 holding
You can only use one card of a pair in a low, so a pair effectively strips a card from your hand.
-
In Razz, how do aces rank?
Answer Low — they are the best (lowest) card
Aces always play low in Razz, making an ace the single most valuable card to start with.
-
What does it mean for a card you need to be "dead"?
Answer It is already showing in an opponent's up cards
Dead cards are those you can see in other players' hands, meaning they can no longer improve you.
-
How should exposed low cards around the table affect your hand's value?
Answer They lower it, because the cards you need are gone
When your needed low cards are dead in opponents' hands, your chances of completing a strong low drop.
-
Which is the STRONGER starting hand?
Answer 7-5-2
7-5-2 is three low unpaired cards to a seven, better than a rough eight, a pair, or a hand containing a nine.
-
How does a high door card with two buried low cards change your play?
Answer It disguises your strength but does not change the hand's actual value
Card position affects information and deception, not the underlying ranking of your holding.
-
Which factor can promote a MARGINAL hand to a playable one?
Answer All of the above
Short-handed pots, favorable position, and weak opposition can all make a marginal hand worth a play.
-
Which starting hand contains a card that keeps it out of the premium tier?
Answer A-4-9
The nine in A-4-9 is a high card, so despite two babies the hand is only marginal, not premium.
-
Why is an ace especially valuable in a Razz starting hand?
Answer It is the lowest possible card and anchors the strongest lows
Since aces are low, holding one gives you the smallest possible building block for your hand.
-
You hold 8-6-2. An opponent shows three cards to a six. Who is ahead if both complete well?
Answer The opponent — a six-low beats an eight-low
Lower is better in Razz, so a completed six-low beats your eight-low.
-
Which of these should you routinely raise with?
Answer 3-4-5
3-4-5 is three unpaired wheel-range cards — a premium hand you should raise.
-
Position in Razz is valuable primarily because...
Answer Acting later lets you see opponents' door cards before deciding
Seeing more information before you act lets you make better starting-hand decisions.
-
How many cards are you dealt to start a Razz hand?
Answer Three — two hidden and one door card
Razz is a seven-card stud game, so you begin with two down cards and one up card.
-
Which hand is TRASH and should be folded?
Answer 5-5-8
5-5-8 is a pair plus an eight — the pair kills it, so fold.
-
When your low cards are live and opponents show high door cards, you should...
Answer Play more aggressively — conditions favor you
Live cards for you plus dead-looking high cards for opponents is exactly when you should press your edge.
-
Which hand should you fold as trash?
Answer 9-J-K
Two or more high cards (nine and up) make a hand unplayable trash.
-
Against a full multiway field, how tight should your starting requirements be?
Answer Tighter — you generally need premium or strong hands
In multiway pots someone usually holds three babies, so marginal hands are dominated.
-
What makes 8-7-5 a marginal rather than strong hand?
Answer It is a rough three-to-an-eight with no small cards
All three cards are high within the low range, making it a rough eight that many hands dominate.