How to Play Badugi Poker – Easy Rules for Beginners

Badugi is a relatively new four-card lowball game that originates from South Korea. There are three exchanges and 4 betting phases where grinders can form the low-value hand that wins. In this article, we’ll share detailed Badugi rules, explain the betting structure, the winning Ace-to-five system and the specs of card rankings. You’ll also find basic tips for choosing starting values from each position and more advanced strategies.

Badugi Poker Rules

It combines the characteristics of draw and lowball versions, and therefore, is a sibling to 2-7 triple draw. However, the hand ranking system in Badugi poker is different, as well as the pocket cards count – there are 4 of them (dealt blindly). A full deck of 52 cards (from 2 to A), without jokers, is necessary to play.

​Your goal in Badugi is to collect 4 cards of distinct suits and ranks, or force the opponents to muck their hole (fold).

It uses the traditional system of obligatory bets, widely dubbed blinds. Each participant is given the chance to change the composition of the starting hand to collect the best combination. Taken together, there are 3 exchanges where people decide to keep what they have or ramp it up. Each exchange ends and proceeds to a betting stage. Hence, you should expect a total of 4 rounds to fight for the pot.

How does a drawing round work? During draws (exchanges), it is allowed to get rid of 1 to 4 cards at the discretion of the punter, or leave the hand unchanged. This option is called "Standing Pat."

Badugi Betting Structure

The game is usually played in a fixed-limit. It suggests betting small in rounds 1 and 2. Later, in the third and fourth rounds, a big bet is used. For example, at a table with a £1/£2 limit, at first you can bet only £1, and then £2.

There are also no limit and pot limit tables, but they are less popular.

Playing Badugi From Blinds Up to Showdown

The action begins in the same manner as when you usually play Texas Holdem, PLO and 5 card draw poker – the blinds are settled. Ante bets are more the exception than the rule. Participants sitting to the left of the button put down small blind and big blind. This rule follows the principle of conventional poker. Then, everyone is dealt 4 pocket cards.

First Bet & Exchange

A person sitting left of the BB makes the first bet, and the next decision is made clockwise. In Badugi poker, participants have three options to choose from based on their starting hand:

• fold
• call 
• raise

If there are at least two players left in the hand, they can choose to remove from 1 to 4 of their hole cards or stand pat. Those who got rid of the weak items get the same number of new elements from the deck in return.

The first exchange phase reveals which of the opponents is likely to have a strong hand and who has 1- and 2-card combinations. 

Second Bet & Exchange

The next round of betting goes according to the already familiar scenario. If one participant manages to knock out all his opponents from the fight, he takes the bank and the game ends.

Again, players can get rid of 0 to 4 of their pocket cards, or leave them unchanged. At this time, you should quickly assess your current combination, whether it’s one or two cards away from A♣-2♥-3♦-4♠ – the strongest hand, known as Badugi. If you’re close, it may be a good time to start a more aggressive play against the players with low-value hands. 

Third Bet & Exchange

Another chance to try to knock out opponents from the hand. Again, during the third betting round, the small blind is the one who starts the action. After the bets are placed, grinders enter the exchange phase. 

Some of them may use it as the last opportunity to remove the unwanted cards and increase the combo's strength. The replacement algorithm is similar to the previous phases. Drawing more cards now is usually a sign to other players that your hand is still weak.

Fourth bet 

Active players make decisions one last time. Showdown occurs only if at least 2 players remain in the game. According to Badugi rules, the hand of the lowest value leaves the table with the pot in the pocket.

Showdown

This moment shows what bets were a bluff and who raised for values. It’s not very frequent for players to remain until the showdown. Most participants who don’t have at least a three-card hand will fold before it starts. 

Everyone who has not folded up to this point demonstrates the collected combinations and compares them. For example, 8♠-5♦-3♣-2♥ beats 9♣-6♥-3♦-2♠.

Badugi considers both card rank and suit, so identical combinations at the showdown are very rare.

If 2 players reveal identical combinations, the pot is split equally. Also, do not forget that an ace in this variety refers to the lowest rank, it is used as a “1”.

Badugi Hand Rankings Explained

The combinations here sharply differ from the traditional sets of cards used in Hold 'em or Omaha poker. The most remarkable thing is that aces are considered exclusively low cards. If the pairs or flushes appear in your combination, their rank decreases. However, there are no straights in the game, so four cards in ascending order will not harm you in any way.

Here are the hands grinders can form:

​In addition to Badugi itself, among the high-ranked combos are A♦-2♣-3♥-5♠, A♦-2♣-4♥-5♠, and A♦-2♣-4♥-6♠.

Top 3 Tips To Spot The Hand Rank

If you want to know how to notice the strong hand in seconds, study the basic ranking rules of Badugi below:

1. A pair contributes only a single card to a ranking.
2. In two cards of matched suits, the lower-ranked one is used.
3. Straights aren’t bad if all cards have different suits.

Unlike traditional poker games, this variation considers suits in forming combinations. This is what makes assessing the value a bit more difficult.

Basic Badugi Strategy Insights

Here are four effective strategies that will help you learn how to play Badugi:

• Know how to remove cards. If you were dealt the high values or matching suits, like A♥-3♦-9♠-K♣, don’t be afraid to discard K and 9. Stand pat on the second draw if your hand is a 1 or 2-outer. The last exchange should be the time to get rid of the weak cards.
• Fold wisely. Weak starters like 7♠-J♦-K♣-Q♥ are a valid reason to fold without entering the real action. Do you see raises and re-raises? Giving up may be a reasonable move with 7♠-8♦-9♣-K♥. There’s only 30% probability that this hand can improve to the strongest combo.
• Show aggression.  A♥-2♦-3♠-6♣ is a good starter to enter the game and even play tighter. Are you playing late with a strong 3-card hand and seeing a bit of a passive atmosphere at the table? Then it’s time to raise to push them out and take the pot.
• Keep an eye on your opposition. Players’ behaviour at the table tells a lot about their combo strength. If anyone discards 2-3 items during the first exchange, they hardly have a strong low-value hand. Plan your own behaviour as well, since other punters read all your moves too.

How to Pick Starting Cards by Position?

Choosing the right starting cards to play is a key element of success. Here are the best Badugi hand options for each of the seats at the table:

• Early position. Open raise with good 4-card combinations, as well as with 3-card combinations up to six.
• Medium position. Enter the game with 3-card combos up to seven and 4-card hands up to jack.
• Late position. Freely raise with good and average 3-card hands up to a nine.
• Small Blind. Open even with average 3-card sets. If someone has already raised, you should significantly narrow your range.
• Big Blind. Strong 2-card and medium-strength 3-card are the best starters in Badugi to defend against late position raises. If players in the early/middle position have raised, use a narrower range.

More Ideas for Improving Your Badugi Sessions

If the abovementioned approaches already feel usual as you apply them at almost every table you play, you’re ready to deepen your mastery and skills. Below are the editor’s tips on how to reach the expert-level play in Badugi:

• Avoid playing weak badugis in multi-way pots. If your hand is weak and will hardly lose to 2+ opponents in the showdown, don’t enter the pot.  When 3+ players are at the table, at least 1 of them certainly has a better low combination than yours.
• Be unpredictable. Sticking to one playing pattern across all games. Enter pots even with underdogs in your hole cards and try to bluff even if you’re away from the desired A♣-2♥-3♦-4♠. Let your behaviour differ sharply from the cards you have.
• Apply snowing tactics. Standing pat with a losing combo is what the art of snowing is. You may stand pat across 3 drawing rounds with A♥-3♦-6♠-9♣. Weak players will draw in the next phase and will likely fold to avoid risks.
• Adjust your behaviour. Tailor your aggression and playing style depending on the punters who are against you. If you see somebody folding with weak hands, raise more on the latter positions. When an opponent plays too aggressively, only bet with strong three-card hands.
• Never play with 1-card hands. There’s only 1.1% of facing  A♥-9♣-J♣-K♣ or quads as Badugi starting hands. No matter how seasoned you are, you’ll hardly improve this combo where only 1 card counts into a winning three-card one. Playing in the Big Blind position is the only exception to this rule.
  

Where to Play Badugi Poker Online?

This poker version isn’t widely seen in online poker rooms compared to traditional game variations. Moreover, the game was only added to the WSOP schedule in 2023. Badugi cash games and tournaments are currently only available on PokerStars.

Our Summary

This poker format is relatively young, but it can be an interesting one to try, especially for conventional poker players. Many are already bored with two-card Holdem and want to try something exotic and non-standard. This is where this Badugi poker variation comes in handy. It steps away from the concept of the cards on the board and fixed hands. If your starting lineup isn’t a very strong one, you still have the chance to remove the weakest pieces and receive the better ones.