Comparing low hands
Razz usually uses ace-to-five lowball rankings. Aces are low, and straights and flushes do not reduce the value of a low hand. First distinguish unpaired hands from pairs and other hand categories: any five-card hand without a pair beats a paired hand. Only when both hands are unpaired do you compare cards from highest to lowest, with the lower hand winning.
For example, if the players’ best five-card hands are K-Q-J-10-9 and A-A-4-3-2, the king-high hand still beats the pair of aces. You cannot ignore the pair category and compare only the highest card.
No eight-or-better qualifier
Unlike an 8-or-Better split-pot game, Razz has no eight-low qualifying threshold. The best eligible low hand wins the entire pot; there is no separate high half.
Dealing and first action
The dealing streets resemble Stud, but the highest upcard usually brings in, and the lowest exposed hand acts first on later streets. Do not simply copy Stud high's action order.
Rules may vary between platforms, tables and events. This guide explains common rules; available games, eligibility and dispute procedures are determined by the platform's official announcements.
Keep exploring
This guide was independently compiled in Chinese. The following sources let you verify the rules.
PokerStars official game guide(new window)