Razz is a variant of 7 Card Stud where the best low hand wins the pot. The game can be played by two to eight players. It is played with 52 card deck containing no jokers. Each player is dealt a total of seven cards, but only the best five-card low hand is used to determine the winner. Unlike in 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, in Razz there is no ”eight or better“ requirement to win the pot. Straights and flushes do not count against a hand, and Aces are always low.
The game consists of initial bank formation by the ante, five betting rounds and showdown.
All players post ante. This is the cost of being dealt into the hand. The ante amount is approximately equal to 1/5 of the minimum bet.
After the ante is posted, each player is dealt 3 cards - two hidden hole cards and one face up. The player with the lowest open card must make a Bring-in bet which is usually equal to a half of the minimum bet or full minimum bet. If several players have the same low card, the player to bring-in will be determined by suit order: clubs, hearts, diamonds, and spades.
Each active player is dealt another face up card. The player with the highest hand using two face-up cards starts betting round. If several players are tied for the highest hand, the player who is the first to act is determined by suit order. If player's face-up cards are a pair, double bet is allowed. The player may place either the minimum or maximum bet. If nobody has a pair, all bets must be equal to the minimum allowed bet. The player with the highest hand starts all the remaining betting rounds.
Each active player is dealt another face up card. All bets on Third Street and in all the remaining betting rounds are equal to the maximum bet size.
Each active player is dealt another face up card.
Each active player is dealt last hole card. When all bets get equal, it is time to show the cards. The last player who bets or raises during the final betting round shows his cards first. The other players reveal their cards moving clockwise around the table. The player with the best five-card Ace to Five low hand wins the pot. Remember that (unlike Seven Card Stud Hi/Low and Omaha Hi/Low), there is no ”qualifier“; the best low hand wins the entire pot.