Sunday, March 13, 2005

Fantastic Razz & Low Game Tips

I was just reading some of April's comments, and Felicia in a comment gave probably the best short form Razz primer I've ever seen. It's so basic, so easy to understand, yet so damn right:

The easiest way to read a hand in any low game is by making it into a whole number.
So say you are playing Razz, since it is easiest to illustrate in Razz than any other poker game.
Say you start like this: A3/5
Great start, three to a bike, raise it on up, raise any other raiser, unless you think you'll get no action (not likely in today's poker world).
On fourth you brick up: A3/53
But heck, no one knows you paired, and you still have your premium start. Unless you feel you are so badly beat that you have no odds to stay in, just bet your board. Razz is a board game, after all!
On fifth you fare a bit better: A3/534
Sixth you pair again, dang! A3/534A
But no one knows you have two pair with a bike draw, so bet it. Only morons are going to be in there with you, anyway, showing a board like that!
The river...thank God: A3/534A/6
So now to your question, how do you read your hand? This is the time to put it into a whole number. Forget about the two pair, it's the lowest FIVE cards that count.
A3456, excellent, but how do you know what beats what? Turn it around, into a whole number:
65,431, that is your low. Compare it to other lows that might be out, and remember, the lowest low wins.
87,531 is a greater number than 65,431.
75,532 is still a lower number than: 76,321, right?
Don't let that ace fool you. People try to read it from the bottom up, that is incorrect. In all low games (Stud 8, Razz, Omaha , it is read from the top down, not the bottom up. Turn the number into a whole number, and you will never be confused!
Good luck!

Let Felicia guide you through the world of the lowball games. She's the master!

1 Comments:

Blogger Felicia :) said...

"Let Felicia guide you through the world of the lowball games. She's the master!"

That's MISTRESS to you, buddy. I just LOOK like a man! LOL :)

Thanks!

5:13 PM  

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