Rules of Badugi Poker
I recently came across this game while paging through a Bluff magazine. It turns out this game is already being played live at some of the casinos on the west coast fo the states, and has even made it's way into the poker room at Treasure Island in Las Vegas.
If you're looking for a funversion of the game to try it, or are ready for real money lay online, visit Doyle's Room.
The game is a Triple Draw - Four Card Lowball version of poker. That's right, there are only four cards used in this game. And, you get three draws to make your best possible hand.
Aces count as a low card in this game. The very best possible hand is one with four cards ranking A,2,3,4, all of different suits. Having two or more cards of the same suit is an issue in this game.
Procedures for Playing Badugi
These are common to holdem. There is a dealer button, a small blind, and a big blind.
Each player is dealt four cards face down. The first betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the big blind. This is the same as in holdem and omaha. During this round, players can either fold, raise or call. Once the betting round is complete (players have all invested into the pot equally), a round of drawing takes place.
The option to draw begins with the player to the left of the dealer. This player chooses which cards to keep, and which to discard. He is immediately given replacement cards for those he discarded. Action procedes to the next player until the drawing round is complete.
Then another round of betting occurs (the second), starting with the player to the left of the dealer. This time players have the option to check, as in holdem and omaha.
The second round of betting is followed by the second round of draws.
Then the third round of betting takes place. If you are playing limit Badugi, this round begins the use of the higher betting increment. Read the section on badugi betting for more information on the betting forms that can be used in badugi. This is followed by the third and final round of draws.
The hand ends with a fourth and final round of betting, and then the showdown.
Badugi Betting
Like holdem, that comes in fixed, pot and no limit version, badugi can also be played as a fixed limit game, a pot limit game, and in the more exotic half-pot limit betting style.
In a fixed limit game of badugi, the higher betting amount begins on the third of the four betting rounds.
In a pot limit badugi game, players are able to bet up to the the amount of the pot.
In a half-pot limit game, players can bet up to half of the pot.
When figuring out the value of the pot for a raise, the cost of the call is included. For example, you're sitting in a half-pot badugi game where the small blind ($2), the big blind ($4), and one caller ($4) have acted. How much can you raise?
The pot already has $2 + $4 + $4 = $10 in it. You count the cost of your call as well ($10 + $4) for a $14 pot. Half of which is $7. That what you can raise, $7. So, you can make your call (toss in $4), then raise another $7 if you'd like.
Hand Evaluation and Hand Rankings in Badugi
Here's a twist, not only do you only get four cards, but it's easy for one of them to be counterfeited and not be playable at the showdown.
In Badugi, you can only play one card of a suit. So, if you have two cards of the same suit, one cannot play. This is a very important concept.
Also, you can only play one hand of a rank. So, if you have a hand with a pair in it, one of the cards will not play at the showdown.
Baudgi is a lowball game. The idea is to have the lowest hand at the table when all is said and done. Remember, Aces count as low, making A,2,3,4 of different suits the mortal nuts.
Badugi Hand Ranking and Tie Brakers
Here is the hand ranking chart:
Badugi - four cards, each a different rank and suit
A three card hand
A two card hand
A one card hand
Tie breakers are the same as other lowball games. First the highest cards are compared, then the second highest, etc. The easy way to do this is to read the cards as though they were a four digit number.
For example, A,2,4,9 would be read 9,421. When compared to 3,4,5,6 (which is read 6,543) it would lose.
Players end up with a three card hand when their hands contain either a pair, or two cards of the same suit. they end up with two card hands when they contain two pairs, or several cards of the same suit.
