Badugi is a triple-draw lowball game played with four cards instead of five. A hand is scored on the cards that are unpaired and of different suits; anything duplicated in rank or suit is discarded from the count.
That single rule produces a ranking unlike any other poker variant, where a four-card hand beats every three-card hand regardless of the ranks involved.
How a Hand Is Counted
Work through the four cards and remove any card that repeats a rank or a suit already counted, keeping the lowest. What remains is the hand, and a hand of more cards always beats a hand of fewer.
| Cards held | Counts as | Called |
|---|---|---|
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="4s 3h 2d Ac"] | Four cards | A badugi, and the best possible hand |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="8c 5h 3d 2s"] | Four cards | An eight-badugi |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="9h 6h 4s 2d"] | Three cards: nine or six discarded | A three-card nine-low |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="7d 7s 5c 3h"] | Three cards: one seven discarded | A three-card seven-low |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="Kc Kh 9c 9h"] | Two cards | A two-card hand, almost always a loser |
- A four-card hand beats every three-card hand, even a three-card ace-two-three.
- Within the same number of cards, the hand is compared from the highest card downwards, as in other lowball games.
- The ace is always low, and straights are irrelevant.
Order of Play
- Blinds postedSmall and big blind, as in hold'em.
- The dealFour cards face down to each player.
- First betting roundStarting left of the big blind.
- First drawPlayers discard and replace any number of cards.
- Second and third drawsEach followed by a betting round; the bet size usually doubles after the second draw.
- ShowdownThe best badugi wins, counted by the rule above.
Playing the Draws
- Three cards to a strong badugi is the normal starting requirement; drawing two is playable only in late position or in a cheap pot.
- Standing pat with a weak badugi against an opponent drawing one is a common way to lose a large pot slowly.
- The number of cards each opponent draws is the only public information, exactly as in five-card draw, and it narrows their holding sharply.
- A player who draws on the final round and then bets has either improved or decided to represent it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a hand a badugi?
Four cards with no repeated rank and no repeated suit. Any duplication reduces the hand to three cards or fewer.
Does a three-card ace-two-three beat a four-card king hand?
No. Card count is compared first, so any four-card hand beats any three-card hand.
Is the ace high or low?
Always low, and straights do not exist in the ranking at all.