In Part I of this series, I explained that the most thorough strategy on this game presented in David Sklansky's book Sklansky on Poker. I also explained that most of the razz games that I've found lately, in rotation games like HORSE and on line, with many poor players, can be beaten with a far simpler strategy. I promised to give you that strategy. Let me start with Third Street.
Lesson 1: Third Street
Rule 1 – Tight is Generally Right. Fold with even one bad card.
For the most part, the simplest street to play, and the most important, is third street. You have three cards and need to make a basic decision about whether and how to play your hand.
In general, you want to fold on third street unless you have three cards of 8 or less. There are exceptions to this – times you'll play with a 9 or a T or as a bluff even with paint, or when you're the bring-in of course. And there are times when you'll fold your 8 or even your 7. But for the most part you want to play when you have three cards 8 or less.
There are many players who don't follow this general rule. They'll frequently call a raise with two low cards and a brick – like (J-6)A. Some of them will even call with two low cards and a brick when their brick is exposed like (6A)J. They'll frequently raise from any position with just an exposed low card – even with one or even two bricks in the hole. Their attitude appears to be that they only have to worry about their board – and they don't even worry about that some of the time.
It is tempting at times to play along with these ultra-loose types of players – to copy their play. Hey, if they're raising with a low up card and two bricks maybe you should re-raise with a hand you think might be slightly better. They raise with a 3? You have a (9-6)8? Why not re-pop them. They're probably semi-bluffing with some paint in the hole. Some writer somewhere wrote that the best defense against a semi-bluff is a raise. So why not raise?
Wrong! In these games you'll make your money from the terrible wild, loose, bad players who call and raise with garbage. But you won't make your money by playing a shade tighter. You'll make your money by rarely taking chances – knowing that you don't need to take many chances to get their money. They raise with an 8. You have (29)8 or (2J)7 or (Q3)6? Fold. True, you may be ahead of them. But why risk it when the antes are very small relative to the bet – as they typically are in the lower stakes razz games you find on line and in rotation games.
Wait until you have three cards under an 8 or a smooth 8 or a concealed 8. If you have three cards under an 8 go ahead and raise them. Don't get cute and try to lure them in. They'll probably call you anyway. Hell, they make that move when they have a brick in the hole. So they may well suspect you are just re-raising to snow them. Meanwhile you'll knockout all of the other players who might have called the single raise. And that's what you want – to go heads up with the poor loose player who may well call you – even if he has paint in the hole.
Some players at this level, convinced by a few successful ventures that aggression is the key to winning at razz, will raise with their 8. If you re-raise them with a 7 let's say, they figure that you're trying to snow them. So they call. I've even been re-reraised. They figure that they may win on the next card if you catch bad and they catch good. And you know what, they're right. They probably will win in those situations when you either pair your 7s or catch paint and they catch a low card.
But here's what they may not know or may not care about. That will only happen, on average, about 25% of the time. 75% of the time either you'll both catch bad, you'll both catch good, or you'll catch good and they'll catch bad. That's 3:1 against them. I like those odds. Plus, the times they catch good and you catch bad and you fold when they bet…you'll be reinforcing their belief that their call of your raise or their re-reraise was a good move. So have at it.
What you don't want is to just call their raise if you have a hand you know is better than theirs. Sure, deception has its place. And if you start to learn the styles of the players you're against and tag someone as a tight player, you can surely try a deceptive call on third street when you have the boss hand. But in general, especially when you are getting started against relatively unknown opponents, you want to take the safer route. Raise the hands you have an obvious edge over; don't encourage players to call and draw behind you who might otherwise have folded for your re-raise; and make the raiser pay for his mistake – even if he may well fold to your re-raise. Tight and aggressive gets the money in these games.
Similarly, if you find yourself with a 7 low or better on third street you want to raise if the pot has not yet been raised. True, players after you with lower cards may hold a better three card low. But you can't play razz always worried about that. A 7 low or better is a very strong hand, especially with the 7 unexposed. If you have it you should generally raise to drive out those who would be happy playing a smooth 8 or higher for a single bet.
There are exceptions to this of course. If you are early in the action with a rough 7 and with many of the cards that will make your low out, then you should generally fold. Let's say, for example, that you see the following clockwise around the table with a K to your immediate right:
K
(56)7
4
4
A
8
3
Q
Fold your 7! Others may well be ahead. And, they have the cards you need to catch to make a low. Wait for a better opportunity.
You don't have to play super-tight. If a lower upcard than yours raises before the action gets to you, you can call with a smooth 8 (and eight and two cards 5 or less) provided the cards you need are relatively live – and especially if the low cards you hold are duplicated elsewhere.
So, for example, if you see
K
4
4
A
(48)A
7
Q
T
and one of the 4s raises in front of you, go ahead and call with your 8. If your 8 were exposed, or if the two 4s were a 5 and a 6, you would fold – since some cards you needed would be out and you'd have a weaker board.
That's enough for now. Next we'll cover fourth street.
Ed Note: Don't wait for next week. Play Razz today at Full Tilt.
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