A wheel can be the best low in one game and a straight you do not want in another. Learn which hand wins, how it is constructed, and who acts first before borrowing a strategy from hold'em or the previous round of a mixed game.
Four games, four different questions.
| Game | Hand selection | Low rule |
|---|---|---|
| Stud hi-lo eight-or-better | Best five of your seven for each half | Five distinct ranks, eight or lower; ace low |
| Razz | Best five of your seven | Ace-to-five, no eight-or-better qualifier |
| 2-7 triple draw | Five-card draw hand | Aces high; straights and flushes count against you |
| Badugi | Largest subset with distinct ranks and suits | Four-card lowball; ace low |
The Stud8, razz and 2-7 rule pages and Pagat's Badugi rules explain each system. They are references for the described variants, not evidence that a nearby room offers them today.
Read an unpaired low from the top down.
Fictional comparison: under ace-to-five rules, 7-6-4-2-A loses to 7-5-4-3-2. Both are seven-lows, so compare their next highest cards: the five is lower than the six. Having an ace does not automatically make the first hand better. Do not add the card ranks and compare totals.
In razz, a nine-low can win. The absence of an eight-low does not cancel the low contest because razz has no qualifier. In Stud8, a nine-low does not qualify for the low half. If nobody has a qualifying low there, the high winner takes the full pot.
The ace-to-five wheel A-2-3-4-5 is a best low even when suited. In 2-7, aces are high, and straights and flushes are penalties. A non-flush 7-5-4-3-2 is the standard best 2-7 hand. The similar-looking 7-6-5-4-3 is a straight, not an improved seven-low. These are different ranking rules, not exceptions to memorize without context.
Count the valid Badugi cards before their ranks.
Fictional hand: ace of clubs, 2 of diamonds, 3 of hearts, king of spades forms a four-card king-high Badugi. Ace of clubs, 2 of diamonds, 3 of hearts, 4 of hearts contains two hearts, so only three cards can be used together. The best three-card subset is A-2-3. The four-card king-high hand beats that three-card hand, despite its high king.
Paired ranks create a similar selection problem. The process is to maximize the number of legal cards, then compare ranks among equal-sized subsets. A card that looks low may not add to the playable hand if its suit or rank clashes with a card already used.
The face-up cards are part of the record.
In stud variants, exposed cards affect what remains possible in the unseen deck. A hand note that records only your final seven cards misses information available during play. Write down relevant exposed cards you actually remember, the street and the action. Do not reconstruct opponents' earlier boards from their final showdown cards as though you remembered them then.
Position is also not a fixed button advantage in the same way as hold'em. The razz procedure assigns the bring-in from the highest exposed third-street card, then starts later streets with the lowest exposed hand. A different stud game can use different criteria. Confirm the current rule before an unfamiliar forced action.
Use a four-question rotation check.
Before each change of game, identify the hand-ranking system, the hole-card or subset requirement, the forced bets and action order, and the betting structure. For example, a displayed fixed-limit amount may name the small and big bet sizes rather than the blinds. A pot-limit hand uses a different raise calculation from a fixed-limit hand.
A useful first practice task is to write two hands and explain which wins under two different games. Then vary one suit or rank and repeat. No wager is needed. The Omaha hi-lo workshop continues the split-pot comparison; the rules guide identifies where a live procedural question belongs.
Check your understanding.
Does razz require an eight-low to win?
No. Razz uses ace-to-five rankings without an eight-or-better qualifier.
Is a non-flush 7-6-5-4-3 a premium unpaired 2-7 low?
No. It is a straight. Do not rank it as an ordinary seven-low.
Does a three-card A-2-3 beat a four-card king-high Badugi?
No. The four-card Badugi wins. First compare the number of valid cards, then their ranks.
Sources and further reading
Review methods, access conditions and limitations are retained from the main directory. A catalogue or page review is not a complete product, course or legal audit.
PokerStars
Razz rules
An introduction to a stud-format lowball game and its hand-ranking conventions.
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PokerStars
Seven-card stud hi-lo rules
A street-by-street introduction to stud eight-or-better, including the low qualifier and split-pot showdown.
Before you use it: Stud hand construction differs from Omaha. This page describes this operator's game, not a universal live-room procedure.
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PokerStars
Deuce-to-seven triple draw rules
Explains three drawing rounds, standing pat, and lowball rankings in which aces, straights and flushes matter.
Before you use it: Do not import ace-to-five low rankings from razz or Omaha hi-lo. This is triple draw, not single draw.
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Pagat
Badugi rules and showdown comparisons
Look up the deal, drawing rounds, hand comparison, and the treatment of incomplete four-card hands.
Before you use it: Rules reference rather than strategy instruction. Confirm local variations before using it to interpret a particular event.
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Prepared with AI assistance. Published . Worked examples are fictional, not Nolan's hands or experiences. Use study material away from play.