top corner

Rules and Strategy for Badugi Poker

A popular draw poker variant spread in live casinos and online poker rooms is badugi. It is a variant of Five Card Draw that is popular amongst mixed game players.

Today you’ll learn the rules of badugi along with the basic rules of how to play. This game is important to learn for anyone wanting to play in mixed game tournaments, especially anyone wanting to play Dealer’s Choice games.

Rules for Badugi

Badugi is a draw poker variant where the object is to get a hand containing all four suits. This is known as a badugi. A badugi must have one heart, one club, one diamond, and one spade. In this game, the lowest badugi wins. Aces are always low, so the best badugi is A-2-3-4 rainbow and the highest being K-Q-J-10 rainbow.

In many cases, a player will not draw to a badugi. When this happens, the player with the best three-card hand wins. When a three-card hand is not made, the best two-card hand wins. Honestly, you’ll seldom see a two-card hand win.

The game itself is a triple draw game. It is normally played in a Limit format using a blind structure like Texas Hold’em. After blinds are posted, all players are dealt four cards. After a round of betting, players make their first draw. Players can draw up to four cards or stand pat.

PokerStars is one place you can learn to play badugi.

After cards are drawn, the second round of betting occurs. You then have your second drawing round. The third round of betting is doubled. For example, if you are playing $5-$10 the first two rounds are bet at the $5 big blind amount. The third and final rounds of betting are at $10 per bet.

After the third round of betting, a final draw occurs followed by a final round of betting. Afterward, all remaining players go to showdown. If only one player holds a badugi, they automatically win. When multiple players have a badugi, the lowest badugi wins. If a three-card hand is required to determine the winner, the lowest hand wins.

Basic Badugi Strategy

Starting hand selection is very important in this game, and you are looking to start with hands with at least three different suits. The lower the cards in your hand, the better. For example, if you are dealt a 10h-8h-2d-Ac, you will want to play this hand and draw one.

Obviously, the best starting hand you can get is a pat badugi, even if that badugi is higher. Otherwise, the best hands have three rainbow cards to a 7 or lower.

Afterward, you want any hand with three rainbow cards with A-2, A-3, or 2-3. These give you the best shot for a low badugi hand.

This is a solid starting hand in badugi.

Do your best to stay away from two-card starting hands. The exception would be if you’re starting with A-2, A-3, or 2-3 without a lot of action ahead. You can then take a draw off to see if you can improve to a strong three-card hand or a badugi.

Whenever you’re dealt a pat badugi or a strong three-card starting hand, you want to play the hand fast to thin the field. When you have a higher badugi, you definitely want to thin the field to give it the best chance of holding up.

Learn Badugi at PokerStars

Unless you live in an area like Las Vegas or Los Angeles, chances are you will only see badugi spread in mixed game tournaments. To learn the game naturally, you’re going to have to play online poker. PokerStars is one site that spreads all forms of badugi cash games and poker tournaments.

Learning badugi is important if you plan to play in mixed game tournaments, especially Dealer’s Choice events. Many players like to play badugi because it generally drives a lot of action. By becoming competent in the game, you will hold your own against most mixed game players.

bottom corner