Badugi Poker: How to Play
Badugi is a draw poker variant with a unique hand-ranking system. Unlike most poker games, the aim is to make the lowest possible hand using four cards of different suits and ranks. The best hands contain no pairs and one card from each suit.
New to Badugi? Learn how the game works, how hands are ranked and what to consider when drawing new cards.
What Is Badugi Poker?
Badugi is a lowball poker game that originated in Asia. Like other draw poker variants, players can discard unwanted cards and draw replacements to improve their hands.
However, Badugi has a key difference: the strongest hand is a four-card hand with no duplicate ranks or suits. A hand that meets both conditions is called a Badugi.
Understanding how the poker hand rankings differ for Badugi compared to Texas Hold’em is important: aces count as low, and straights do not count against your hand.
What Are the Rules of Badugi?
1. The Blinds
Badugi uses forced bets called blinds. The player to the left of the dealer button posts the small blind, and the next player posts the big blind. The small blind is usually half the size of the big blind.
2. The Deal and First Betting Round
Each player receives four face-down cards. Once the cards have been dealt, the first betting round begins. Depending on the action, players can call, raise or fold.
3. The Draw
After the first betting round, any players still in the hand can choose which cards to discard and replace. You can draw anywhere from zero cards to all four.
The aim is to remove cards that duplicate a rank or suit, giving you a better chance of making a Badugi. Keeping a strong three-card hand may also be a good option if completing a four-card Badugi looks unlikely.
4. Further Betting and Draws
Badugi typically has three draw rounds, with a betting round after each draw. Players can improve their hands at each opportunity, or stand pat by keeping all their cards.
During a betting round, you can bet or fold when facing a bet, and check if no bet has been made. The available actions depend on the action before you and the game's betting structure.
5. The Showdown
After the final betting round, any remaining players reveal their cards. The best Badugi wins the pot. If no player has a qualifying four-card Badugi, the best three-card hand wins. If no qualifying three-card hand is available, a two-card hand can win, and a one-card hand can also take the pot if necessary.
Badugi Hand Rankings and Basic Strategy
The goal is to make the lowest four-card hand possible without duplicating a rank or suit
The best possible Badugi is 4-3-2-A, with each card in a different suit. Aces are low, and straights are ignored when ranking hands.
How Are Four-Card Badugis Ranked?
Badugis are compared by their highest card first. The Badugi with the lower highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal, the next-highest cards are compared, continuing until the hands differ.
For example:
- 8-7-3-2 beats 9-8-4-3. An Eight Badugi beats a Nine Badugi because eight is lower than nine.
- 5-4-3-2 beats 6-3-2-A. A Five Badugi beats a Six Badugi.
- 6-4-3-2 beats 6-5-4-A. Both hands have a six as their highest card, so the next-highest card decides the winner. Four beats five.
All four cards must have different suits and different ranks for a hand to qualify as a Badugi.
What Happens If You Don’t Make a Badugi?
If no player has a four-card Badugi at showdown, the best hand made from three valid cards wins. If no player has a qualifying three-card hand, the best two-card hand wins, followed by a one-card hand if needed.
When a hand contains duplicate suits, duplicate ranks or both, the cards that prevent a valid Badugi are ignored. The remaining cards determine the hand’s value.
For example, if you hold 6♥-4♦-3♠-A♥, you have two hearts. Only one heart can count, so the higher heart is ignored. Your best hand is therefore A♥-4♦-3♠: a three-card hand with a four as its highest card, often called a Three-Card Four.
This beats a hand such as 7♥-5♦-4♦-3♠, where the duplicate diamonds mean one card must be ignored, leaving a three-card hand with a seven as its highest card. The Three-Card Four wins because four is lower than seven.
A three-card hand always beats a two-card hand, regardless of the cards’ individual values. For example, A♦-A♠-2♦-2♣ can make only a two-card hand because it contains duplicate ranks and suits. Its best valid combination is A♠-2♣, a Two-Card Deuce.
It’s also possible to end up with a one-card hand. If you hold Q♦-J♦-8♦-4♦, all four cards share the same suit. Only one can count, so the lowest card, 4♦, remains. This is a One-Card Four.
Learn More About Poker
Ready to explore more poker variants? Visit PokerStars on Betfair to discover more games and learn the rules before you play.
You can also browse our guide to poker games and poker hand rankings to build your knowledge and develop your strategy.
