Razz Starting Hand Requirements

[TRBNGR]

Ive been playing some Sit and Go Razz online. Where Ive been doing well I think I might be playing too tight pre-flop. I mostly have been limiting myself to three wheel cards and hands with a solid chance of stealing the antes. What are some other classes of opening hands that should I be looking to play? Any help much appreciated.

[pipes]

I know very little about Razz, but 3 wheel cards sounds too tight. 3 cards to a 6 or 7 are probably okay too, maybe a smooth 8 as well...something like A28 or A38.

Consider the other upcards...are the cards you need out? Are the cards that will pair you out?

An important consideration is your board. If you are playing a 3 card 7 or 8, it is much better to have it in the hole.

You may get more extensive advice in Stud section. Also, Sklansky on Poker has a great section on Razz.

[Nick_Foxx]

you are about 33 to 1 to get dealt 3 unpaired wheel cards...in other words, thats way too tight... in razz i'd play any 3 unpaired babies 8 or below... you will get a hand such as this about 16% of the time

mike

[Andy B]

I don't play this game, but I think that playing any three-card Eight regardless of what's out and how much it costs to play is way too loose. A three-card Seven is going to be playable most of the time, though. In a lot of spots, I'd rather have A29 than 378, especially if the Nine were in the hole.

[Iceman]

[ QUOTE ]
Ive been playing some Sit and Go Razz online. Where Ive been doing well I think I might be playing too tight pre-flop. I mostly have been limiting myself to three wheel cards and hands with a solid chance of stealing the antes. What are some other classes of opening hands that should I be looking to play? Any help much appreciated.

[/ QUOTE ]

In early position or in raised pots, you want a three-card seven or better. If there's a high ante and your raise is likely to get it heads-up, you can play three-card eights. If the pot is raised and reraised by wheel cards, you need a three-card six to play. If you have a good chance to steal, you can play a hand with a hidden eight or nine or ten if your upcard and other downcard are strong. Heads-up hands run close in value - be careful with rough draws in multiway pots.

[Cornell Fiji]

Which online sites has razz?

Thanks,
Steve

[Al Mirpuri]

Playing three card sevens or better has you playing about 10% of all hands.

If your upcard is the lowest upcard and your holecards are lower than it then you can play this too.

Read Sklansky On Poker.

[TRBNGR]

Full Tilt and Planet Poker do... I play on FT but the games dont get off all that often.

[TRBNGR]

What hands do you guys like from the bring in? Say the bet is completed and your holding A2K, Im guessing most people would call this, but how about hands like 24K or 45K?

[Buzz]

[ QUOTE ]
you are about 33 to 1 to get dealt 3 unpaired wheel cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mike - Not a big deal, but I think 34.5 to 1 against getting dealt three unpaired wheel cards is correct.

Here's my math:
52*51*50/(20*16*12) = 34.5.
(Both the numerator and denominator of 52*51*50/(20*16*12) are actually divided by six, but the sixes cancel).

Doesn't change your conclusion. Waiting for three wheel cards is too tight.

Here's waiting for three low cards, six or better:
52*51*50/(24*20*16) = 17.2.

Here's waiting for three low cards, seven or better:
52*51*50/(28*24*20) = 9.9.

I think you'll be playing about one hand out of ten if you wait for three low cards, seven or better. That seems reasonable.

Trouble is, the person with the lowest card showing has to make a forced "bring-in" bet. And the forced "being-in" bet complicates things.

In a ten handed game, you figure to have the lowest card showing one time out of ten.

Assuming you have the low card showing, and assuming it is a seven or lower, and not considering the cards your opponents have showing, you figure to only have two more low cards, seven or better, in the hole only about one hand in five.
Here's the math:
51*50/(24*20) = 5.3.

So you're bringing it in one time out of ten, but of these times you bring it in, assuming you want to stick to your standard of seven or better, you'll only want to continue one hand in five. The other four times out of five when you bring it in, you won't like your hand much.

Geez, thinking a bit ahead of what I'm typing, this game sounds like a bluffers paradise!

But enough! Omaha-8 is my game. I'll put this in my razz file and if I ever have to play razz, maybe I'll finish it. Better yet, I'll re-read Sklansky on razz (found in the book <font color="white">_</font>Sklansky on poker). That held me in very good stead the last time I had to play razz (as part of a HORSE tournament).

Buzz