Badugi

Badugi is new to America, it has been imported only a couple of years ago from Korea.

But it has captured the attention of poker players in casinos and those who enjoy online poker. Badugi can be played for blinds as small as $0.05/$0.10 or as big as $100/200. there are casinos in Vegas who offer badugi in high limit mixed games.

When beginning to learn how to play Badugi you may notice it is similar to triple draw four card game – low hand wins.

Let's first take a overlook at the basics of Badugi:

You get several chances to change the cards you were dealt for new ones
After players draw cards betting rounds take place
The size of the bets is dependent on the game – limit, pot limit or half-pot-limit
Low hands are winners
The evaluation system is different form the hold'em system because players only use four cards

Now let's get to the cool stuff:

The dealer will be determined by high card and the small and big blinds post the blinds.
Starting from the small blind the dealer will deal each player four cards, one at a time, in a clockwise motion.
The first betting round begins from the player in the under the gun position and goes clockwise to the other players.
Players can call, fold or raise. In the first betting round the bets are small.
At the end of each betting round:
- Players can draw for new cards starting from the small blind and going around the table in a clockwise motion.
- Players can change between 0 and four cards.
- Before getting new cards the players will have to discard the old ones
- New cards are dealt from the top of the deck to each player by the dealer
- If the deck does not contain enough cards the previously discarded cards can be added. The deck will then be reshuffled and the rest of the players will gt new cards.
In the second round the betting begins from the small blind position and the bets are in small amount.
The third betting round again starts form the small blind position. The only difference from the previous betting rounds is that the bets are big.
The fourth betting round is the final one and, like in the third betting round the bets are also big.
After the last betting round the showdown follows. The players who did not fold will put their cards on the table, face up and the dealer will evaluate the hands and decide the winner according to the Badugi evaluation system.

Up next we'll take a look at the Badugi hand evaluation system:

In Badugi you don't want to hold cards of the same suit or pairs. If you have two or more cards of the same suit or pairs you will want to discard one so that you only have different suits and different number cards in your hand.

Though during the game you get to replace the same suit cards or pairs, if at the showdown you will have the bad luck of having pairs or same suit cards you will have to remove some of the cards in your hand so you only have different suits and different number cards.

For example, if at the showdown you have two clubs you will have to discard one of the two clubs - if you have pairs the same principle applies.

A Badugi hand can consist of 4, 3, 2 or 1 card. 4 card hands beat 3, 2 and 1 card hands; 3 card hands beat 2 and 1 card hands and so on.

You have a Badugi hand when you are holding four cards of different suits and numbers. However, you don't have to have a Badugi hand to be a winner.

You want to have the lowest hand of cards. If you hold 6, 5, 4, A you will lose to a 5, 4, 3, A hand.

Comparing Badugi hands means comparing the highest card in all hands and deciding which of them has the smallest value. The lowest high card brings home the money.

Remember, only 4 card hands with different suits and card values are considered Badugi hands. The more cards you have the bigger is your chance to win the pot.

Last words about Badugi:

It is mostly played online.
You can also find it at some casinos.
You can host your own Badugi poker night
You can play limit Badugi, pot limit Badugi or half-pot limit Badugi
Because there are no community cards the the flop, turn and river don't exist.

That's it! Have fun playing!