Badugi is an East Asian variety of poker. She is relatively young, but quite peculiar and popular. In games with the exchange there are general rules, as well as those that are inherent in each individual variety. So, badugi resembles a lowball, but it has its own characteristics.
Badugi Poker Rules. Best combination
The youngest, starting with an ace, is a combination of four different suits. In other words, the combination “ace - deuce - three - four” should never repeat the suit. At the beginning of the game, each participant receives 4 cards in his hands. All of them are closed. The lack of community cards makes the Badugi rules a clear difference from a variety like Texas Hold'em. After the distribution, the players begin to bet depending on what they have on hand, or their own excitement. After the bets are made, the turn of exchanges begins. Moreover, at the request of each player, you can change any number of cards - from 0 to 4. Then, as the rules of badugi say, the time comes for new trading and new bets.
Showdown
Naturally, a badugi combination is not found at someone at the table every time a card is opened. It is simply not possible. Therefore, combinations are considered winning if they are of different sizes and begin with the lowest card. Kickers are the second oldest cards. In the event that only one player at the table collected the combination without repetition, he is the sole winner in the distribution.
It happens that none of the players sitting at the table succeeds in collecting a combination of four cards, then the winner is determined by a combination of three. Pairs in badugi are not counted. So, if a player is holding “ace - five - jack - jack" at the showdown, then only the ace - five - jack combination is considered. Accordingly, this three will be lower than any four-card combination. This applies to different stripes. If two cards of the same suit are dealt during the deal, and when exchanging, the pair could not be improved, then the lowest will be considered in the combination. The worst starting option possible is double suited hands.
Subtleties of the game
In the varieties of poker have their own wisdom of the game. The newer the variety, the more pitfalls and various features. Not all players have already managed to get to know them. Despite the apparent simplicity, and in some places primitiveness, in fact, the main difficult game moment is exchange. It is aimed at the desire to improve the lost game combination. If you carefully study the rules of badugi, compare the frequency of occurrence of variegated winning combinations, we can conclude that the probability of occurrence of the main combination is relatively low. Therefore, all players need to think ten times before going to exchange, initially collecting any 4 cards of different stripes. The likelihood that the combination will line up in the desired sequence is negligible. If after the deal any cards of different stripes are collected, experienced players do not risk going to exchange at all.
What is more important - face value or suits?
Experienced players will immediately exclaim, which is more important, of course, exactly the suit. Therefore, in the online game, beginners are advised to turn on the four-color deck option until a habit develops. To safely enter the game, you must have at least three cards of different stripes on hand. When exchanging one in the formed three of different suits, beginners are advised to carefully monitor so as not to accidentally form pairs.
In any case, beginners should be advised to carefully observe what is happening at the table exchange. Psychology in poker, regardless of variety, is an integral part. Having studied the way the opponent plays, you can predict his next moves. So, if an active exchange continues at the table, and one of the players does not participate in it, then most likely he collected a combination of 4 different suits. Of course, it’s not a fact that this is the main combination, but he can calmly play the game in the future.
It often happens that only one card is missing. In this case, there are chances to win, but you need to carefully monitor your opponents. If at least one player at the table stops participating in the exchange, then the beginner needs to continue the game only when the cards on his hands are no older than eight. These are the rules.
Badugi poker: combinations, bluff
As with all types of poker, bluffing is a fairly common and common occurrence. It is not difficult for a good player to know the opponent’s intentions. In addition, having already played at the table more than one hand, you can learn the style of play of each of the opponents. As the rules say in a Badugi game, combinations are winning if none of the 4 cards drawn is repeated in the suit and face value. Bluffers from the very beginning show opponents that they have allegedly badugi on their hands. Very often at the table you can meet several bluffing players who make large bets without exchange. They are forced to demonstrate the strength of their hands by refusing the subsequent exchange. If bluffers understand that someone sitting at the table is more likely to have a winning combination, then in the last round, bets from previously bluffing players stop and an exchange is made in the hope of somehow improving the existing combination.