i'm playing over at FTP in a live game for the first time and wanted some general advice, strategy, starting hands, etc. can anyone help? I'd post in strat, but 1) i was afraid no one would see this ... and i didn't see a section devoted to razz.

Help!

Maybe learn first, play later?

Oh, i never thought of that ... huh, i knew i'd get some good advice if i posted on here. (sw)

Just start with low cards.

Under 7 or 8, but preferably like A23, A35, stuff like that.

3 to a wheel to start in a full ring game, and no slowplaying. be wary of rough 7s and 8s, those are the hands that get you killed. if you cant bet, you should probably fold.

the stupid thing is i feel like i've bought every stupid friggin poker book known to man, and not a single one of them has even a small section on razz .... what the crap?!?!?!?!?!

Just play stud hi/lo, but forget about the high. Smilar starting hands though, minus the pairs and high cards.

i've noticed most people don't even consider folding until after fifth street because they're hoping you catch bad (pair up) and they can steal the pot with a rough jack or something. one hand i started with (26)A, caught a 3 on fourth, and ended up making a full house and a guy was there the whole way to win with a King.

CRAZY game, but I really enjoy it!

Razz is a dumb, pointless game to play in my opinion. It's like playing poker with your hand exposed for everyone to see, there are too limited possibilities in razz to have more than half your hand exposed..just my opinion. I'm sure there is a decent edge to be gained just by knowing better math than your opponents and playing better cards but reading hands is rather easy for you and your opponent.

very true, but its amazing how many people don't understand when they have a board lock and that they should be raising, etc. i am witnessing just a TON of missed bets where people have board locks on fourth and fifth, giving free cards. i think the edge in this game can be huge ...

4 of your 7 are exposed.

Same in stud, same opinion?


Yet.... in Hold'Em, 5 of 7 are exposed.

Think it through.

probably because theres way less luck involved in razz, which makes it a lot harder for people like you to win?

Razz is awesome. I agree that it probably takes a little less skill than some other games, but that doesn't mean it takes no skill, and in fact skill is very much rewarded.

If you're looking for something to read, Super System 1 has a fairly small section on Razz in the lowball section, it's good but rather short. The real book to get is Sklansky on Poker, which has a few essays and then includes Sklansky on Razz at the end, which is a very, very good out of print book.

Automatic decisions do not make a game pointless, just easier for people who know how to make them. If you know exactly how to play, stud has a lot of automatic decisions...

A lot of times you can assume someone's hole cards are pairing.

IF you're betting a xx6 in a full ring game, I'm giving you credit for something like, A26, 326, etc.

So if you're board ends up showing something like, xx6432 on sixth street, I can assume that AT LEAST one of your hole cards has paired, if not both.

If it turns out they haven't paired, say, your final board, 876432, I make a mental note you were betting and 876 in the first betting round and abuse you later.

Razz is a lot more difficult than people give it credit for.

It's not just "I need a bad hand."

This is a dumb post.

I'm sorry.

Is Omaha a superior game then, because you have four cards no one else can see?

And why is Razz soooo dumb, but Seven Card Stud doesn't get a mention in your post?

Come on.

Think critically.

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I feel better now.