Razz poker is a form of stud poker and is quite similar to the seven card stud. Most of the rules of the latter also apply in razz with a few changes. The object of this game is to make the lowest possible five card hand from the dealt seven cards. It is normally played for ace to five low. The best possible razz hand is 5-4-3-2-Ace or five high which is sometimes also called ‘the wheel’ or the ‘the bicycle’ in poker jargon.

Razz, with its popularity was included in the World Series of Poker games in 1973 and generally is played as a limit poker game. In Razz, everyone is supposed to put in their ante before the cards are dealt. Each player is dealt two cards face down and one face up called the door card. The gambler with the highest door card has to start the bet which is generally one third to one half of the regular bet. If two players have the same door card, then the suit determines the first better. (more…)