Razz is a unique variant of poker that focuses on creating the lowest possible hand, and understanding which hands are worth playing is crucial to succeeding. Unlike traditional poker, where the goal is to have the highest hand, in Razz, the lowest hand wins. Aces are always considered low, and straights and flushes are ignored. Because of the game’s lowball nature, knowing the best hands to play and when to fold is key to navigating Razz poker successfully.
Strong Starting Hands in Razz
In Razz, the best hands to play are those that give you the potential to form a low hand, ideally starting with the lowest cards possible. The most favorable starting hands in Razz are those with cards like 2, 3, 4, or 5, as they offer the most promise for completing a strong low hand. A hand with cards like 2, 3, 4, and 5, for example, has the potential to develop into a strong hand by drawing more low cards as the game progresses.
Hands like 2-3-4-5-X (with the X representing any other card) are the kind of hands you want to play, especially if you have low cards showing. These starting hands give you multiple opportunities to build a low hand, and they are much stronger than hands with higher-ranked cards. If you’re dealt a hand with high cards like 8, 9, or 10, it’s generally a good idea to fold as these hands have fewer chances of improving.
Suited and Connected Hands
While straights and flushes don’t matter in Razz, having connected cards that can work well together is beneficial. Hands where the cards are connected, such as 3-4-5-6, or 4-5-6-7, are strong starting hands because they allow for a variety of possible combinations as the game progresses. If you have a hand with connected low cards, there’s more flexibility to create a lower five-card hand, and you will have more opportunities to improve your hand as new cards are dealt.
Hands with low cards that are suited don’t provide the advantage that they do in games like Texas Hold’em, where flushes are a valuable hand. However, they still make it easier to create a hand that can connect well with the cards you draw in future rounds.
Hands to Avoid in Razz
Some hands in Razz are nearly impossible to develop into a strong low hand. These are hands that start with high cards, such as 7, 8, or 9, as these cards severely limit the possibility of completing a competitive low hand. For example, starting with a hand like 8-9-10-J-Q is a hand that you should almost always fold, as it has very little potential for improving to a low hand. These types of hands are better left alone, as they are highly unlikely to result in a strong enough hand to win the pot.
Another type of hand to avoid is one with several middle-to-high cards showing, like a hand consisting of 6-7-8. In these situations, your opponents are likely to have weaker hands, and it will be difficult for you to draw low enough cards to compete. If your hand is dominated by higher cards, it’s often more efficient to fold early rather than risking too many chips on a hand with limited potential.
Hand Progression and Pot Odds
As you continue through the game, you’ll need to assess how well your hand is progressing after each new card is dealt. A hand that starts off with low cards, like 2-3-4, but then develops into a hand with high cards showing, like 2-3-10, may no longer be worth pursuing. Recognizing when your hand has become weak and when it’s time to fold is essential to minimizing losses.
As you assess your hand, consider the pot odds. If you have a strong hand but the pot is small, you might want to bet more aggressively to build it up. If you have a weak hand and the pot is large, folding is often the best choice, as continuing to invest chips in a hand that isn’t improving may not be worth the risk.
Playing Razz successfully involves evaluating your starting hands, tracking how your hand is progressing, and knowing when to fold or bet aggressively based on your cards and the visible cards of your opponents. By focusing on low starting hands and being mindful of the game’s progression, you can increase your chances of forming a competitive low hand and winning at Razz.
