The hand dealt is an example of one that might be seen at a full ring game at medium limits. Before reviewing this hand, it is suggested that you read the articles on this site on basic and advanced Razz strategy. That will enable you to understand the plays that are being made, and why certain actions of the players might be approved of or criticized. The hand dealt is an example of one that might be seen at a full ring game at medium limits. Hole cards are shown in parentheses. Please note that no suits will be listed, since suits are irrelevant in Razz.
Limits are $5-$10, ante is $1 and bring-in is $2.
Seat #1- (K-J) 4
Seat #2- (8-7) 3
Seat #3- (A- 10) 9
Seat #4- (4-3) 5
Seat #5- (2-6) K
Seat #6- (9-9) A
Seat #7- (Q-2) 4
Seat #8- (5-6) 7
Seat #5 is forced to bring the hand in, since he has the highest card showing. He brings it in for $2. Seat #6 folds, as does seat #7. Neither of these players has a hand worth pursuing, especially with the other low door cards yet to act. Seat #8 calls the bring-in bet. Since he has a 7 showing, and there are other, lower cards still to act, there is no particular need for him to complete the bring-in. He knows that if someone else has a playable hand, they will likely do it for him, so he wants to see the next card as cheaply as possible.
Seat #1 folds with his two paint cards, and seat #2 then completes the bet to $5. This is a bit of a stretch, however, with the 3 showing, he knows that if he can get seat #4 to fold, he can take down the pot if he hits another low card on fourth street heads-up against seat #8. Unfortunately, seat #4 has no intention of going anywhere, and after seat #3’s fold, seat #4 re-raises the pot, and seat #8 calls the double bet, as does seat #2 (certainly a somewhat “thin” call, but reasonable since there are already the antes, the bring-in, and five complete bets in the pot. There are three players left in the hand, and the pot is at $38 ($40 minus $2 rake).
Fourth card:
Seat #2- (8-7) 3 2
Seat #4- (4-3) 5 3
Seat #8- (5-6) 7 A
Seat #2 has a bit of a dilemma, as he must start the action after the fourth card. He decides to follow-through on his third street raise in order to keep the lead in the betting, despite the fact that he thinks he is beaten by at least one, and possibly both of the players. Seat #4 has paired one of his hole cards, and should probably fold, especially since two of the aces (actually three, but he can’t see that) and one of the deuces (really two) he needs to make a wheel (A-2-3-4-5) are in other players’ hands. He decides to call, however, to see if he can either catch a great card on fifth, or start creating a consistent story for a bluff later in the hand. Seat #8 also calls, which is a better play than raising in this situation, since his opponents can see if they are already ahead of him, and he cannot see the same in their hands. The pot is now $53.
Fifth card:
Seat #2- (8-7) 3 2 9
Seat #4- (4-3) 5 3 6
Seat #8- (5-6) 7 A 2
Now it is seat #4’s turn to be uncomfortable in the role of starting the action, as he knows that another one of his outs is in the hand of an opponent. However, he must bet here, or let his opponents know, by checking, that he paired a card. If he is lucky, the player in seat #8 will have paired, and he can induce a fold. But seat #8 has made a 7-6 low hand, and knows that unless seat #4’s hand is perfect to this point, he is ahead with his made hand. He calls, but seat #2 decides to fold, with the betting limit having doubled on this street. Although he is getting more than 7 to 1 on his bet, he will have to call two more bets before the end of the hand, and it is quite possible that, even if he hits perfectly twice, he will still be beaten.
Notice that the real problem with seat #2’s play of this hand is just how weak an 8-7 is when up against good boards. In fact, 8-7-x, with “x” being a lower card than either of the other two cards, is often a very dangerous hand to play, as it is almost impossible to tell where you are at in the hand if other players bet aggressively on every street. In this case, he should have folded to the re-raise on 3rd street, and saved his money. There are two players left and the pot is $72 (minus the rake).
Sixth card:
Seat #4- (4-3) 5 3 6 8
Seat #8- (5-6) 7 A 2 J
The problem deepens for seat #4, as he has now made an 8-high hand. If seat #8 also has an 8, or if he paired one of his hole cards, seat #2 is ahead in the hand. Just in case one of these scenarios is true, he needs to bet, to avoid giving seat #8 a free card. He does so, and seat #8 calls. (Since he has a better hand than any 7-high that seat #4 can have, he is only vulnerable to some combination of ace-deuce-four in the hole). Notice that, with the unlikelihood of seat #4 holding the absolute “nuts” (the best possible hand), even if he held 6-5-4-3-A, seat #8 would still have a draw to beat him with a 4 or 3 on seventh street. The pot is now $92.
Seventh card:
Seat #4- (4-3) 5 3 6 8 (K)
Seat #8- (5-6) 7 A 2 J (Q)
Nothing changes with the last card, and seat #4 is forced to check, since he cannot see whether or not his is the winning hand. Seat #8 now value bets his made 7, and seat #4 makes the call, just in case seat #8 is bluffing (He only needs to catch seat #8 once in 10 times to make this profitable, since the pot is at $102 when he makes the call).
Seat #8 takes down the pot. Notice that seat #4’s failure to fold after he paired on fourth street caused him to lose an additional $35 in the hand. The cards he drew on fifth and sixth were just good enough to make a very fine second-best hand, the most dangerous situation to be in at the table.
Tags: Razz Poker