Introduction to Badugi

What is Badugi? Is it even poker? Well in a sense, yes, but you will not find Badugi in any of the largest poker rooms like Carbon Poker or Full Tilt. Although this game has a funny name and rules that are a little different from what most players are used to, it is a form of poker, and one that can be fun and useful for all poker players to learn how to play.

Badugi Basics

Badugi isn’t like any poker game you’ve played before. It is a form of four card draw lowball, which should already give you an indication of how unusual this game is.

Each player is dealt four cards and the objective is to make the lowest possible four card hand. Straights and flushes do not count, so the lowest hand is A 2 3 4. The catch is that cards that match another in rank or suit are counterfeited, so players can have three card hands, two card hands or even one card hands. All four card hands beat all three card hands, all three card hands beat all two card hands and all two card hands beat all one card hands. If players have the same number of working cards, the lowest hand wins.

Badugi Example

Let’s say there are four people who go to a Badugi showdown. A has 5s 3c 2h Ah. B has 8c 6d 3h As. C has 7s 6c 5h 3d and D has 4d 4s 2c Ac. Who wins? The answer is C. D has the four lowest cards, but he has both a pair and suited cards. One of the fours and one of the clubs is eliminated, leaving him with a two card 4 low. Player A has a 5 as his highest card, but he has two hearts, so he has only a three card 5 low. He beats the two card player, but loses to both B and C, who both have four card hands since they have no matching ranks or suits. C’s highest card is lower than B’s highest card, so C wins the pot.

Badugi Betting

Betting works as in five card draw. There are blinds to start the action and betting and raising counter-clockwise around the table. After all bets, players may draw cards to improve their hand. There are three rounds of drawing and betting and then a showdown.