Badugi

Badugi is a Poker Game that is played by 2 to 10 players using a standard 52-card deck, without Joker. In Badugi each player gets 4 face down hole cards and gets to discard three times.

Each deal ends with a betting round.

The goal is to get the lowest four card hand as possible.

Game overview

Dealer button
The dealer button determines who starts to act. At the start of the round, the dealer button is moved one step clockwise around the table, effectively changing the players positions in the game. The first player to act is the player immediately after the player with the dealer button and the player with the dealer button will therefore be the last to act.

Posting blinds
A blind is a bet that is posted before any cards have been dealt and serves the purpose of seeding the pot. In Omaha Hi-Lo two blinds are posted.

Small blind
The first blind is called the “small blind” and is usually half the size of the minimum bet of the game.

Big Blind
The second blind is called the “big blind” and is always the same size as the games minimum bet.

The first player to act posts the small blind and the next player after him posts the big blind. Additional blinds might need to be placed by players who just have arrived or returned to the table.

Dealing Cards
After the binds have been posted each player receives 4 cards, face down.

Betting round 1
Badugi uses standard poker betting practices. See the section “Standard betting in poker” for details.

The first round of betting differs from the following ones in that the two blinds already have been posted. Consequently, the first player to act is the third player after the dealer button and he won't have the choice to check, since he at least will need to call the big blind to remain in the game.

Also consequently, the player who posted the small blind will need to at least call the big blind to remain in the game even if no raise has been placed.

The player who posted the big blind can check if no raise has been placed, otherwise call.

Discarding cards – first time
Following the first betting round, each player gets the chance to discard any number of cards. The first player after the dealer button starts discarding.

The player selects the cards to discard by clicking his cards in the player tag. The cards to be discarded turn gray and can be unselected by a second click. Once the player is satisfied with his choice, he presses the DISCARD button to discard the selected cards and new ones are drawn.

A player may choose not to discard any cards by pressing the STAND PAT button that is active when no cards are selected. Standing pat means that no cards will be discarded.

If the deck runs out of cards the discarded cards from previous players are collected and shuffled, forming a new deck to draw from.

Betting round 2
When all players have discarded and drawn new cards, a new betting round starts. No blinds on the table this time, so the first player to act will be the first player after the dealer button.

Discarding cards – second time
Following the second betting round, each player gets the chance to discard any number of cards, exactly the same way as the first time.

Betting round 3
When all players have discarded and drawn new cards, a new betting round starts. The first player to act will be the first player after the dealer button.

Discarding cards – third time
Following the third betting round, each player gets the chance to discard any number of cards, exactly the same way as the first and second times.

Betting round 4
When all players have discarded and drawn new cards, a new betting round starts. The first player to act will be the first player after the dealer button.

Showdown
Once the second betting round is completed, it's time for show down.

Badugi uses a different ranking of hands than traditional poker.

Hand Ranking
In Badugi, a hand consists of one to four cards, where no suits or rank are the same. A four-card hand beats a three-card hand; a three-card hand always beats a two-card hand etc.

When comparing hands of the same length, the hand with the lowest high card wins. If the high card is the same, the next highest card is compared.

If all cards have the same rank, the hands are a tie. Suits are not used. Aces are always played low.
Some examples (ranked from best to worst):

4-Card Hand (a Badugi), 4 high. This is the best possible hand in Badugi.

4-Card Hand (a Badugi), 8 high.

Another 4-Card Hand (a Badugi), 8 high. This hand is however beaten by The hand above because the 3rd highest card is higher.

3-Card Hand, 7 high. (One of the 4 is disregarded).

Another 3-Card Hand, 7 high. (5 of Hearts is disregarded). This hand is a The with the hand above because all 3 cards have the same rank.

2-Card Hand, 5 high. (Both 7 is disregarded, because they have the same Suit as the other cards.).

2-Card Hand, 7 high. (One 4 and one 7 is disregarded because they have The same rank as the other cards).

1-Card Hand, 3 high. (All other cards disregarded due to suit).