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There are many variants of poker, and one lesser-known version of the game is Badugi. So, what is Badugi poker, and how do you play?
What Is Badugi?
Badugi is poker, but probably not as you know it. A variant of draw poker, Badugi poker is thought to have originated in Asia and be named after the Korean word “baduk” or “badug”. This generally translates as a black and white pattern, or, in the case of “badug”, a black and white spotted dog.
The aim of the game in Badugi is to end up with the lowest four-card hand. It is very similar to Lowball poker, as it is the player with the lowest hand that wins. This can be confusing to players who are used to playing other variants of poker, as it can feel like it’s a game where the so-called ‘worst-hand’ wins.
Also, the four-card structure makes it different from learning how to play five card poker.
Therefore, what makes Badugi poker significantly different from other variations of poker is the hand ranking system. The best hands to have are ones that have no pairs, are of different suits, and are low.
Badugi Rules
- As in playing Texas Hold’em and other well-known poker games, each round starts with blinds being posted. These are forced bets by two players that rotate around to ensure each player has a turn and to guarantee that there is a stake to be won. The small blind is to the left of the dealer, and the big is to their left. The small blind’s bet is half the value of the big blind.
- Once the blinds are posted, each player is dealt one card in a clockwise order until all players have four cards, face down. Players can look at their cards but not reveal them.
- A round of betting then proceeds, where players can bet, raise, call, or fold. Players who remain after this now have their first opportunity to draw. This means you can discard any cards you don’t want and receive new ones from the deck. If you do not wish to discard any cards, you have the option to “standpat”, which means to draw nothing. However, Badugi rules state that all four cards can be discarded, and four new ones drawn from the deck if you so wish!
- Following this, there is another round, where you can choose to either bet, raise, call, or, if possible, check. Once this round of betting is complete, another round of drawing and betting takes place.
- This is followed by a further and final round of drawing and betting, after which the remaining players reveal the cards. The player with the winning hand (the lowest cards) takes the pot.
Badugi Hand Rankings
Now that you know how to play Badugi, you need to know the best Badugi hands. Aces are low in a Badugi poker game, and suited cards or paired cards don’t count towards our hand; in fact, they work against you.
Let’s look at some potential Badugi poker combinations to better understand how to win at this complex game.
There are four types of Badugi hands that can be made. Below are the poker hands ranked from best to worst.
What is the Best Hand in Badugi?
Badugi
4♦3♥2♠A♣
The best hand you can get in Badugi is four low cards that are not of the same suit and are of different ranks. If multiple players have Badugi, then the player with the lowest high card wins.
Three-card hand
3♣3♠2♥A♦
When a hand has cards with identical suits or ranks, they are not counted. The hand above has two 3s – one must be discounted, so there are only three unique cards that can be played. Our example is the best three-card hand possible.
Two-card hand
4♥3♥2♥A♣
The hand above is a two-card hand of 2-A because it has only two cards that are unique in rank and suit. It’s the best two-card hand available to make.
One-card hand
K♥K♣K♦K♠
In the hand above, only one card counts, as they are all of the same rank. This is the worst one-card hand available in Badugi as Kings are the highest ranking card – remember, unlike Texas Hold’em, Aces are always low in Badugi poker rules!
When several players have the same hand type and the same highest card, the player with the lowest second, third, or fourth card wins the round and the pot.
Badugi Strategy
Now that you know the rules and the Badugi hand rankings, you need to know some strategy.
Badugi poker is similar to many other games in which position is very important. Having the chance to be one of the last to act when at the tables can give you an advantage.
Doing so would mean that you would get further information on your opponents, and in any form of poker, knowledge is power.
Being able to see how many cards your opponents are drawing and how much they are betting will help you decide how many cards you’ll draw (or ‘standpat’) and whether you want to raise.
On the other hand, if you are one of the first to act, it is usually a good idea not to draw three or four cards in the early stages of betting, as this can put you at a disadvantage, as you’re giving away a lot of information to your rivals.
One final Badugi strategy to keep in mind is that it is difficult to make a Badugi. If you are dealt a three-card hand before the first draw, the chances of making the best Badugi hand – a four-card Badugi – by the final round are around 51%.
So, it is usually worth bluffing with some of your three-card Badugis.
Where is Badugi Played?
Badugi poker is played in cardrooms all across the globe and features on many online poker sites. While it may not be as popular as many other games, it can be found on some offshore poker sites.
Badugi features in three different mixed-game events at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). This includes the $1,500 Dealer’s Choice, the $10,000 Dealer’s Choice, and the Mixed Triple Lowball.
In 2023, Badugi was added as a bracelet event at the WSOP, a $1,500 buy-in event. The inaugural version was won by Michael Rodrigues of Portugal.
This means that Badugi poker has grown in popularity in recent years and will continue to have its supporters. It is worth familiarizing yourself with this unique variation of the game.
Some may still be unaware of Badugi, especially as it is not a part of the traditional H.O.R.S.E game rotation.
Similar Games to Badugi
Now that you have got to grips with Badugi poker, it’s time to introduce some other similar games. If you thought Badugi was difficult, prepare to mix up the traditional rules of poker even more.
Badeucy
Alongside Badugi poker, another popular variant is 2-7 Triple Draw, a lowball poker game. Somewhere along the line, it was decided to combine these two types of games, and Badeucy poker was born.
Badeucy poker combines Badugi poker rules and 2-7 Triple Draw. Similar to Badugi, it features three consecutive rounds of betting and drawing. The game splits the pot between the best Badugi hand of four cards and the best five-card 2-7 hand.
But, in Badeucy rules poker, Aces are high, so the best Badugi hand would have to start with a 2. For example, a player with the cards 2♣3♥4♠5♥7♠ would have the best possible hands in both Badugi and 2-7 rules.
An extra card means that there are more chances to make lower Badugi hands, and higher Badugi hands will win less often. A challenging game, to say the least.
Badacey
A close cousin of Badeucy, Badacey poker is another split pot game in which the aim is to make the best, lowest Ace to Five, and the best Badugi. The game can best be described as a fusion of Badugi and Ace-5 Triple Draw.
Flushes and straights do not count against you in Badeucy, so the best hand would simply be: A2345.
As we know, Badugi rules dictate that the best Badugi hands are the lowest ones possible with unsuited and unpaired cards.
In Badacey, Aces are always low, so the best hand for the Badugi half of the split pot would be an unsuited A234.
As in Badugi, Badacey poker rules follow the same format: three rounds of betting and drawing follow the initial bets.
