Badugi is a Draw Poker variation, this game is born in South Korea. This poker variation is now getting to be known in other parts of the poker world. Thus, if you want to add another variant to draw poker, Badugi is a neat game play to try.
Rules of Badugi
• There are no maximum number players set to play Badugi, however, because there will be three draw rounds, seven to eight players would be good enough.
• Badugi can be played in fixed limit, pot limit or no-limit games. In this case, we will discuss only fixed limit Badugi.
• If there are cards that are suited or of the same rank, only the highest rank card will count as part of the hand.
• This game involves blinds, just like in any other poker variant with blinds, the small blind posts half of the minimum bet and the big blind posts the minimum bet.
• There will be four betting rounds in Badugi, one round of betting after the hole cards are dealt, then one round of betting after each of the three draw rounds.
• This is a lowball draw poker variation where A, 2, 3, 4 unsuited would be the highest possible hand a player may form.
• This is a 4-card poker variant.
Here is how Badugi is played.
1. The dealer will shuffle the cards. The player on the left of the dealer will cut the deck somewhere in the middle.
2. The small blind and the big blind now post the forced bet known as blinds. The small blind will post half of the minimum bet and the big blind posts the minimum bet. In the case of $2-$4 fixes limit game, the small blind posts $1 and the big blind posts $2.
3. The dealer will now deal four face down cards to each player starting from the small blind. The last card being dealt to the dealer.
4. The betting round will start from the player on the left of the big blind. The players can either check, bet or raise. Checking would mean the player is not withdrawing from the game but is not betting. Bet would mean the player bets the same amount as the big blind or raise the betting, bet more than the bet of the big blind.
5. The betting round will continue clockwise until the big blind has made his action either to bet, raise or fold. If you are looking for the check action, no player can check in a betting round that already has a player that made a bet.
6. After this betting round, players can draw new cards and discard the replacement. There will be three drawing rounds followed by betting rounds.
7. Then, the showdown will happen. The lowest hand card unsuited will win the pot. In cases where there are pairs, trips or suited cards, only the highest card will be part of the final hand.
This is how Badugi is played.
There are other cool variations of poker such as Follow the Queen, Manila Poker, Chicago Hi-Lo, Oxford Stud and Countdown.
We will discuss some more of these variations in the next pages to give you more options in playing poker anywhere you are.
