“What Is Badugi?”Badugi is a four card triple draw game. It’s played for low hands only. The best hand you can make is 4-3-2-A, all off-suit. Hand ranking goes by the lowest high card. There is one big catch… The hand Qc-7h-5d-2s beats 5h-4h-2c-As. The reason is, the first hand is all off-suit. Where in the second, two cards are suited. A hand of all off-suit and un-paired card’s, is a “badugi”. If no one has a all off-suit or un-paired hand, the hands get ranked by the best three-card hand. If no one has a three card hand, it goes to the best two card hand. And if no one has a two card hand, the lowest card wins! I know it sounds like an impossible game, but with some practice, you’ll be playing a solid game. This hand: 10c-6h-3c-2s Beats This hand: 9c-7h-5h-As This: Ks-Qc-Jd-9h Beats This: 5s-5c-3s-Ah Grab a deck and deal some hands. Practice reading them, it will help. Getting rules will also help. · limit · no limit · and pot limit It is typically played with a limit betting structure though. It’s rare to find the game played no limit or pot limit. Learning how to play badugi is a confidence booster. 1. 4-3-2-A 2. 5-3-2-A 3. 5-4-2-A 4. 5-4-3-A 5. 5-4-3-2 6. 6-3-2-A 7. 6-4-2-A 8. 6-4-3-A 9. 6-4-3-2 10. 6-5-2-A The game is thought to have originated somewhere in South Korea. As with most poker games, the exact local is fuzzy. It’s been played there for some years and was brought to the U.S. a few years ago. Since the game landed on U.S. soil, it’s been gaining popularity. Las Vegas poker rooms such as… · Treasure Island · MGM · and The Wynn, spread the game. California card rooms also spread it. Even some online poker sites offer the game (I’ll have the sites posted here eventually, check back). If you’re new to the game, start playing online for play money. This will give you a good feel for how the game is played and what will win at showdowns. Once you have the game down, move up to the micro limits or higher. This all depends on your bankroll size and how comfortable you feel in moving up. Take your time and remember that patience is a virtue. Good luck! |
