Overview

Badugi is a poker game where each player is dealt four cards and the lowest hand wins. Badugi is also the strongest hand that has four cards of different rank and suit. The game can be played by two to six players. It is played with 52 card deck containing no jokers. Ace is always low card.

Game Types

Limit – bet as well as raise is agreed in advance. For example, in a $1/2 Limit game, in first two rounds both bet and raise must be equal to $ 1. In last two rounds bet and raise must be equal to $ 2.

Betting

The game consists of initial bank formation by the blinds, four betting rounds, three draws and showdown.


Blinds

Before a game starts the player on the dealer's left posts a small blind, and the player on the small blind's left posts a big blind bet. Big blind is usually twice the size of the small blind bet.


First betting round

Each player gets four hole cards, cards that the other players cannot see. The player on the big blind's left begins a round of betting.


First draw

Players can change as few as zero or as many as all the four cards in their hand.


Second betting round

The player on the dealer's left begins a round of betting.


Second draw

Players can change as few as zero or as many as all the four cards in their hand.


Third betting round

The player on the dealer's left begins a round of betting.


Third draw

Players can change as few as zero or as many as all the four cards in their hand.


Fourth betting round

The player on the dealer's left begins a round of betting.


Showdown

When all bets get equal, it is time to show the cards. The last player who bets or raises during the final betting round shows his cards first. The other players reveal their cards moving clockwise around the table. The player with the best hand wins the pot.


Hand Rankings (descending)

When all bets get equal, it is time to show the cards. The last player who bets or raises during the final betting round shows his cards first. The other players reveal their cards moving clockwise around the table. The player with the best hand wins the pot.


  • Badugi – the highest combination – the hand that has four cards of different rank and suit. The best Badugi is 4-3-2-А of different suits. If the low cards in the hand are tied, the second low card wins the pot. If second low cards are also tied, the third low card wins the pot and if third low cards are also tied, the fourth low card wins the pot.
  • Three-card hand – the next in strength combination, it is made of three unpaired cards of different suits, the fourth can be either a pair or suited to any available. Three unpaired cards of different suits play in this case. The fourth card (a pair or suited to any available) is needed to define the winner if combinations are tied. For example, 5-5-4-А – the playing hand is 5-4-А.
  • Two-card hand – any hand, that has two unpaired cards of different suits, the other two cards can bу paired or of one suit. For example, 5d-4d-2d-Аs – the playing hand is 2d-Аs.
  • One-card hand – only one of four cards plays. It happens, when player got four cards of the same rank or suit, for example, 5-5-5-5 or 2s-4s-7s-Ts. The low card wins the pot. The worst hand in Badugi is К-К-К-К.