Badugi Poker

My first few hands of Badugi Poker at Doyle's Room was a blast. I didn't know the game. I didn't win much. The fact is I lost all my money as I fumbled and fuddled my way through a new game I really didn't understand. But it was fun, and I've since gone on to become a reasonably competent Badugi Poker player.

A deceptively simple game, Badugi is a 4 card handed poker game played with one deck of cards. The object of the game is to hold the lowest 4 card hand. Aces are the lowest rank, and the rank order is from Ace to King. You don't want pairs and you don't want two of the same suit.

Badugi Poker: triple draw, four card, low-hand wins
The best low hand - a Badugi - is made up of four cards, four suits, and no pairs.

A four card hand with one card of each suit and no pairs is a Badugi. The player holding the Badugi consisting of the lowest high card wins the pot. It isn't necessary to be holding a Badugi to win a pot, however. If you have, say k♦ 4♦ 3♠ 2&club; , the lowest 3 cards of different suits will make up your best possible hand. Based upon what you've learned about your opponents' playing styles and all that jazz, a hand such as this might cause you to bet/raise or fold.

How Bedugi Poker is Played:

Each player is dealt 4 cards, followed by the first bet round. Once the betting round is over, the first draw round begins, where the players may replace some of their cards, or Stand Pat (stick with the cards they have).

Once the chosen cards are replaced, there is another betting round, and so on. An entire Badugi Game unfolds like this:

• first betting round
• first draw round
• second betting round
• second drawing round
• third betting round
• third draw round
• Final Betting Round

1. Badugi
2. 3 Card hand
3. 2 Card hand
4. 1 Card hand