Razzdugi Rules and Basic Strategy

Rules of the Game

Razzdugi is a split pot game where the object is to make both the best razz low hand as well as the lowest badugi.  It is structured exactly the same as Razz with a stud structure and the highest up card is forced to bring-in the action.  In Razz aces are low so the best hand is A2345.  The best possible badugi hand is A234 of all different suits (e.g A♣ 2 3 4♠) and is called a four high badugi or just a four badugi.  If no one has a badugi then the best “incomplete” badugi will win that side.

Variations of Razzdugi include 2-7 Razzdugi where aces are considered high and straights and flushes do count against you.  Thus the best possible low is 23457 that is not a flush and the nut badugi is 2♣ 3 4 5♠.   Super Razzdugi is also sometimes spread and in that variation all players receive four down cards, however, two of them must be discarded after the 3rd street round of betting has been completed.

In general Razzdugi is often substituted for Razz in mixed games as it typically produces more action and larger pots.

Basic Strategy

In Razzdugi, unless you are three suited you typically want to play 3rd street as if you were playing Razz.  Certainly (2♣ 3) 4 is a much better start than (2♣ 3) 4, however, you should often be playing both holdings.  Badugis are much easier to obtain in Razzdugi then straight Badugi because you are not forced to make any discards.  Thus it is more important to focus more on the Razz side to put yourself in more free-roll situations.  The (2♣ 3) 4 is a much better holding than a higher three card badugi start such as (9♣ 7) 8.

The biggest leak in Razzdugi is defending a high card bring-in just because it is a three card badugi.  This is particularly disastrous in multi-way pots as you typically have no chance to make the best Razz low and are also an underdog to end up with the best badugi.  In a split pot game continually putting yourself in a position where you have no chance to win one side is a recipe to losing your money fast.

Super Razzdugi strategy is a bit more straightforward. Starting hands are much stronger in this game so essentially your only playable hands are those with three unsuited cards lower than an eight.  The only exception would be is if it is steal situation.

Further Learning


A Poker Player's Guide to MIXED GAMES
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02/18/2024 10:13 pm GMT

Mixed Games by Ken Lo,  (Rating 8/10) – In general this book does not offer that much in the way of ground breaking advice on other games, however, the chapter on Razzdugi may be the best one in the book.