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 to 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 more well-known poker games, each round starts with blinds being posted. These are forced bets by two players which 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 blind is to the left of them – the small blind’s bet is half the value of the big.
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 cards are revealed by the remaining players. The player with the winning hand (the lowest cards), takes the pot.
Badugi Hand Rankings
Now that we know how to play Badugi, we now 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 us.
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 shows the 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 which are not of the same suit and are 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 which 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!
In the occurrence of several players having 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 Badugi strategy.
Badugi poker is similar to many other games in that 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 to 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 to not 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 is to keep in mind that it is difficult to make a Badugi. If you are dealt a three-card hand before the first draw, then the chances of making the best Badugi hand – a four-card Badugi – by the final round is 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 Badugi may not be as popular as many other games it can be found on some of the best 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.
And as of 2023, Badugi has it’s own 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 rules 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 be still unaware of Badugi however, since it is not a part of the traditional H.O.R.S.E game rotation when you learn how to play H.O.R.S.E.
Similar Games to Badugi
Now that you have got to grips with Badugi poker, it’s time to introduce some other games that are similar. If you thought Badugi was difficult, prepare to mix up the traditional rules of poker even more.
Badeucy
Alongside Badugi poker, another variant of the game which has gained in popularity has been 2-7 Triple Draw, which is another poker game of the Lowball variety. Somewhere along the line, it was decided to combine these two types of game – and Badeucy poker was born.
Badeucy poker is a combination of 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: 2c 3h 4s 5h 7s would have the best possible hands in both Badugi rules 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 where the aim is to make the best, low Ace to five as well as 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, with three rounds of betting and drawing following the initial bets.