So is Razz the game missing from you being a solid player at HORSE? Are you interested in playing Razz? Razz is an interesting game aimed for what I would say be the more conservative poker players. Razz is somewhat like Hi/Lo just without the high. Your goal is to make the lowest 5 card hand while using the cards 8 and under.

When you play Razz, you are dealt 2 cards hidden and one where everyone can see. Your fourth, fifth, and sixth cards are also visible to every member of the table. Your seventh card is once again hidden. You are looking to make the lowest possible hand (A-2-3-4-5). You want to have a lower hand then your opponents. So if you had A-3-4-5-6, you would beat A-2-3-4-7 and A-4-5-6-7-8. The reason being is that your hand ends at 6, which is lower than the 7 and 8 of your opponent.

The strategy is essential in Razz because you always have to be watching what your opponents are getting. Say you are showing 5-9 (with an A and a 10) hidden, that usually would not be that good of a hand. However, if your opponent is showing a king and queen, you are likely to be favored to win this pot. Therefore, you always need to be paying attention to the cards of your opponent especially if you’re attempting to bluff.

Top 3 tips before you start playing:

1) Do not jump right into playing real money Razz or you will likely lose it. Razz takes playing experience to gain skill. Start off in some freerolls or simply playing choose the “play money” tables offered by many online poker sites.

2) Watch others play Razz before you get initiated in the game. You will learn a lot from just observing a table. You will find out the smaller details of the game that will allow you not to make a crucial mistake when you sit down at a table.

3) Always watch what cards your opponents are drawing. The worst mistake you can make is getting caught up in your own hand that you believe to be good and then you look up and see your opponent showing A-2-3-4.

Razz is a slow and conservative game in many cases, so you will need to exercise patience and focus in order to become successful at playing this card game.