Razz Starting Hands

January 2, 2008

Obviously we’re looking to make a wheel, so the closer our three starting cards are to that the better. Depending on position and the other cards visible, 8’s (as in an 8 as your highest card) or maybe good 9’s (good meaning although 9 is your highest, your other two cards are very low - also called a smooth 9) are as high as you would go for a starting hand.

Razz Poker Starting Hands

If we were to categorize our razz starting hands, we’d do it like this:

Great - any three wheel cards, A23 obviously being the best start
Good - 6 high, or 7-4 high
OK - rough 7 (rough meaning your kickers aren’t that great) or smooth 8
Poor - smooth 9 or rough 8

***This is the most important concept for all Stud versions, and if there is any one thing that separates the winners from the losers, this is it – LOOK AROUND AT THE CARDS THAT ARE OUT. Stud is a game of live cards, so pay attention***

You’re looking at two things. Most obviously look at what your opponents have – if they have all started with face cards and you have a 5 showing, all you have to do is raise and they all will fold (except the total morons, but we’re going to proceed under the assumption that your opponents are reasonable, and at any non-micro limit they better be or they go broke fast). Don’t lament this result – you may have has a great hand like [A2]5, but you can also raise in this situation with [KJ]5. In 2/4 there is $2 in antes, plus the $1 bring in to start the pot, so your raise to $2 should win you $3. You’re probably a good player if you can make $10 an hour at 2/4, so be happy you just got a third of that.

The second, less obvious thing you are looking at is how the cards out affect your cards. Suppose you have a reasonable good starting hand like [57]4. Your worst card, the 7, is hidden which is always a good thing, and your other two cards are low. But, you really can’t take any cards higher than the 7 and still expect to be a favorite, so you really want to catch As, 2s, 3s and 6s. Any two of those makes you a good hand; catching any three of them makes you a monster. You also do not want to catch cards that pair what you have, especially a 4 which would make the pair exposed for everyone to see. So if you look around and see the other seven exposed cards are K, 9, 7, 4, 2, J, and a T, you like it. Two of your cards are dead (a good thing in lowball), one of those is your doorcard 4, and only one of the cards you want is gone. Contrast that to K, A, 5, 2, A, T, 9. Now three of the cards you want are out, only one of the cards you have is dead, and all your doorcard 4s are still out there. That’s a bad thing – it doesn’t make this an unplayable hand, but it’s not as strong as it was.

Accordingly, we can modify our Great, Good, OK and Poor starting hands by factoring in the cards out:

Nice – needed cards are live
Very Nice – cards you hold are dead
WAY Nice – your doorcard is very dead (very = 2 or 3 out).

The last case will be fairly rare, but in general if you meet one of these criteria you can bump your hand up a notch, and if you fail one of the first two, lower it a notch. Meeting or failing two is even more powerful. So from the example above, our [57]4 starts somewhere between OK and good. In the first case, the cards showing make it a definite good hand. In the second case the out cards make it borderline, and even worth folding if you are first to act with several lower cards yet to act (but likely worth limping on a passive table) or playable from late position against weak boards.

Frez is Bonus Internet Poker’s writer on strategy and theory in most poker games. He has been playing poker for over 5 years between a mix of online and live games. If you would like advice or to have Frez look over a hand that you have question about you can email him here. Your questions will be posted on the site and/or monthly newsletter. frez @ bonusinternetpoker.com

More Razz Poker Strategy

End game - 6th and 7th street