Razz Strategy Tips

Razz Tournament Tips Part 2

Making Player Notes

While you are waiting for decent starting hands you also want to pay attention to how the other players at the table play. Make note of what they started with and if they bluff a lot. If they weren't the bring-in and you noticed that they started with a hand like (A 8) 10, or (2 8) J then you want to make note of their questionable hand requirements. This will come in handy when you play a pot with them later on in the tournament, also, these kinds of notes really do help with your decision making when you are deep in a tournament and your tournament life may be on the line. Yes, players with less than perfect starting hand requirements do at times make it deep in Razz tournaments... and that is good for you! These are the players that you'll target as the tournament goes on. You'd be amazed on how many players go in a hand with less than desirable starting hands. Typically when players get involved in a pot with junk hands then overall they generally tend to play Razz poker poorly. They'll not just start with poor starting hands but they'll also call with mediocre hands and/or hope for miracle cards. These are the kinds of players that help good Razz players excel in Razz tournaments!

Slow-Playing

Slow-playing in Razz is generally not a good idea. About the only time you may want to slow-play or smooth call a monster hand is when you have the nuts (A-2-3-4-5) or second nuts (A-2-3-4-6) or close to it made by 5th or 6th street. In Razz this kind if situation can come up... you are dealt A-2-3; you slow-play or smooth call - the next card is a 5 - then you hit brick (high card), brick, brick! So by jamming (betting) the pot when you have the best of it gives you a chance to take down the pot before it even gets to the showdown. Keep in mind that in the middle and late stages of a tournament winning pots early in a hand can still pay off substantially because of all the high antes and bring-in already in the pot. You don't always have to win huge hands at showdown to climb up in a tournament. Winning small and medium pots here and there can offer just as good results as winning big pots that come less seldom.

Bluffing

In Razz it's important to bluff occasionally. Bluffing only works though when you have low up cards or you appear to be in a better situation than your opponent. As long as your bets represent a good hand and your opponent thinks that there is a chance that your hand is better then theirs then bluffing can work. Bluffing is used much more when it's short-handed play or when you are trying to steal the antes from the higher up cards.

A Chip and a Chair

Patience really does pay off in Razz even when you are the short stack. I've been in many situations where I was the short stack late in a tournament only to find myself right back in the tournament!

When you are short stacked the other players will be gunning for you. They will challenge you with marginal hands just to end your tournament life. Be patient and wait for 8 or better to commit your chips to. If you only have a few antes left then you may want to go all-in with a hand kike 10 high. By waiting for some decent hands even when you are low on chips will at least give you a fighting chance to stay alive in the tournament. You may need a little more luck in a couple more hands if you survived the first all-in, but if luck is on your side and you come into a hand with decent starters than all it takes is a few wins and you are right back in the tournament.

Final Table

Getting to the final table is always a great achievement, regardless of what game you are playing. When you get there you shouldn't really change your style of playing tight unless you are one of the chip leaders.

The chip leaders can bully a few hands here and there and when doing so aren't putting themselves at risk as opposed to the other players who have less chips and are looking to climb up on the pay scale. Be cautious though as all it takes this late in the tournament is a couple of losses and your once proud chip stack can easily crumble down.

If you have an average to lower stack size then I recommend that you keep tight, selective hands. This late in the tourney players can go out fast, and for every player that goes out before you do, you make more money!

Short Handed

I would consider short-handed play when there are four or less players. When it gets to this many players left you'll need to lower your starting hand requirements to include 9 and 10 high's. The high antes and bring-ins will destroy your chips and you'll be the bring-in more frequently. Of course whether your in a hand or not does depend on what the other players cards are showing.

Heads-Up

Playing Razz poker heads-up is very simple. If your up card is higher than your opponent's up card then you bet, regardless of what your hole cards are. If you get re-raised and you have two bad cards in the hole then fold. Don't chase when they look good and you hold a marginal hand. You don't want to give them more chips than you should be giving away in these marginal situations.

Online Razz Poker Tips

Turn the chat feature off! You have enough to focus on.
Activate the instant visual hand replayer tool. Having this feature ready in the taskbar gives you quick access to this invaluable tool that will help you make crucial decisions from players past hands. All the poker rooms we feature (PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker) include the visual hand replayer.
Do not multi-table when playing in a Razz tournament. Razz requires focus and playing more than one poker game at a time will diminish your concentration level.