If you mention that you play poker to the average person on the street, they will almost always assume you mean Texas Hold’em. Tournament Texas Hold’em was accepted as “the poker game” when the poker boom hit the United States in 2003, after Chris Moneymakers historic World Series of Poker Main Event victory. Millions of college students, middle aged men and women, and retirees began playing the game which was made famous through ESPN’s coverage.

Many people inside the game of poker only play Texas Hold’em and many of these people do not even understand the other forms of poker that are our there. I recently hosted my weekly home poker game and decided to make it a dealer’s choice game. I selected Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, and 7 card stud as my dealer’s choice games and had to explain the rules and concepts of the games numerous times. A few of my friends, who are quite talented Texas Hold’em players, were not big fans of these new games, as they did not fully understand the strategies to excel at the new games and could not be bothered to apply themselves. A few of the other players at the game, loved the new additions. They liked the added action created in Omaha, as well as the new information and betting rounds created in Stud and Razz.

There are so many different and unique caveats of each game, that it creates new and different challenges amongst each game. I, like many, first learned how to play Texas hold’em competitively. I got into Razz by playing online and reading books such as Super System. At the time I first got into these other games, I was a bit burnt out on Texas hold’em. That’s what really turned me onto playing Razz competitively. Learning the nuisances Razz and different strategies involved with the game brought back my passion for playing poker. I became a student of the game again, studying and learning everything I could about the game. In the end, I became much better at Razz, but these strategies and new thought processes also helped me in my Texas hold’em game as well.

Some sites do not offer every form of poker or have as high as volume of games in these different games that they do in Texas hold’em. However, most of the large sites and many medium sized sites have many game types. Paddy Power Poker, Virgin Poker, and Ladbrokes Poker all offer games in Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi Lo, Razz, 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud H/L. Just like Texas Hold’em, these sites offer micro stakes, .01/.02, low stakes, $1/2, medium stakes, $10/$20, and large stakes, $50/$100 and above. I would suggest starting at very low stakes if you are just learning the game of Razz. It can be very confusing at first and you don’t want to blow your whole bankroll before you even understand the game.

Throughout the next few weeks, I will take you on a journey through the game of Razz. I will not only give you a better understanding of the game, but I will teach you some proven winning strategies for this form of poker and the various opportunities involved with Razz.

First, depending on how the game is structured, there may be players in your group that will decide to sit out many of the hand in the Razz round.  This is more common in H.O.R.S.E. cash games as opposed to tournaments.  As a result, these players may only play a hand that is really strong.  Sometimes, you can play a marginal hand against these players in the hopes that they may catch bad and fold to pressure.  I’m not saying to call down this type of player if you are showing a King and they come in with an ace.  However, if you are showing a 9 or 10 and they are showing a card from 5 to 8, sometimes you can come in and see 4th street.  Sometimes if they catch paint and you improve, they will fold to a bet on fourth.

Next, if a player calls a completion bet on third that was a bring-in or has a card 10 or higher, it is a safe bet that they have a couple of really strong low cards underneath.  As a result, pay close attention to how they improve and if you are improving, bet your hand strong.  Usually if someone calls a completion with a 10 or higher, I am going to put them on A-2 or A-3 in the hole.  If by 6th street they are showing potential to have a better hand than yours, slow down or even fold if you can’t outdraw them.

If someone hits a pair on their board and they call a bet from you, their hole cards are either strong or perfect.  I would continue to push my advantage unless they happen to improve or you fall behind.

Next, as in any form of poker, don’t try and bluff a calling station.  There are some players that will not fold their hand even if you are showing A-2-3-4 and they are showing K-7-8-9.  I know this seems odd, but I have experienced it.  (I have also lost when my hole cards were 8-9-10 to this type of player.)

Remember that most players that play H.O.R.S.E. tend to specialize in some games and just are average in some games.  Razz is the game that most players have the least amount of experience with.  As a result you will see some bad plays during the course of a H.O.R.S.E. game that you may not see that often in a Razz cash game.