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Badugi

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Games

   The best hand in badugi, a four-high badugi.
   Enlarge
   The best hand in badugi, a four-high badugi.

   Badugi (also known as Badougi or Padooki) is a draw poker variant
   similar to triple draw, but with differing hand values than traditional
   poker. The betting structure and overall play of the game is identical
   to a standard poker game, but unlike traditional poker which involves a
   minimum of five cards, players' hands contain only four cards at any
   one time. During each of three drawing rounds, players can trade zero
   to four cards from their hands for new ones from the deck, in an
   attempt to form the best badugi hand and win the pot. The object of
   Badugi is to win pots, the share of money put in by oneself and one's
   opponents during the hand. The winner of the pot is the person, who has
   not folded, with the best badugi hand at the conclusion of play (known
   as the showdown).

   Believed to have originated in Asia, Badugi is becoming popular in the
   United States.

Play of the hand

   An illustration of the blinds
   Enlarge
   An illustration of the blinds

   Play begins with each player being dealt four cards face down. Each
   player may observe those four cards he is dealt, but not the cards
   dealt to other players. The hand begins with a "pre-draw" betting
   round, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind (or the
   player to the left of the dealer, if no blinds are used) and continuing
   clockwise. Each player must either call the amount of the big blind
   (put in an amount equal to the big blind), fold (relinquish any claim
   to the pot), or raise (put in more money than anyone else, thus
   requiring others to do the same).

   Once everyone has put the same amount of money in the pot or folded,
   play proceeds to the draw. Beginning with the first player still in the
   pot to the left of the dealer, each player may discard any number of
   cards and receive an equal number of replacement cards (called the
   "draw"). Replacement cards are dealt before the next player chooses the
   number of cards to draw. The discarded cards are not readded to the
   deck but are discarded from the game.

   The first draw is followed by a second betting round. Here players are
   free to check (not put in any money, but also remain in the hand) until
   someone bets. Again betting proceeds until all players have put in an
   equal amount of money or folded. After the second betting round ends,
   there is another draw followed by a third betting round. After that
   there is the final draw, followed by a fourth betting round and the
   showdown, if necessary.

   If at anytime all players but one have folded, the sole remaining
   player is awarded the pot. If there is more than one player remaining
   at the conclusion of the final betting round, the hands of those
   players are compared and the player with the best badugi hand is
   awarded the pot.

Hand evaluation

   Badugi has a different ranking of hands than traditional poker.
   Although every player has four cards to use, the rules of the game
   require that certain cards be removed to construct a one, two, three or
   four card badugi hand. At the showdown (after all betting has
   concluded), a player is forced to remove one of any two suited cards
   and any paired cards from the four. This generates a badugi hand of one
   to four cards. Any four card badugi hand beats a three card badugi
   hand, three card badugi hands beat a two card badugi hand, and two card
   badugi hands beat a one card badugi hand. A four card badugi hand is
   often referred to simply as a "badugi".

   Two badugi hands containing the same number of cards are evaluated by
   comparing the highest card in each hand (where ace is low). As in
   lowball, the hand with the lower card is superior. If there is a tie
   for the highest card, the second highest card (if there is one) is
   compared. If the ranks of all the cards in the badugi hand are the same
   the two hands tie. As with standard poker games, suits are irrelevant
   in comparison of two hands.

   Here are a few examples:
     * 2♠4♣5♦6♥ beats A♠2♣3♦7♥ (both are four card hands) since the
       highest card is compared first and the 6♥ is smaller than 7♥.
     * 4♠5♣6♦K♥ beats 2♠3♠4♦7♥ the former is a four card hand and the
       second is a three card hand (the 3♠ must be discarded making the
       hand 2♠4♦7♥).
     * 2♠3♠4♦7♥ beats 4♠5♠6♦K♥ both are three card hands, the highest in
       the first is the 7♥ while the highest in the second is the K♥.
     * 5♦7♣K♣K♥ beats 2♠3♦K♠K♦ the former is a three card hand (made by
       discarding the K♣) the later is a two card hand (made by discarding
       the two Kings which must both be discarded because they are the
       same suits as the other two cards).

   If one can construct two (or more) different badugi hands with the same
   four cards (as in the final example), the better badugi hand is
   evaluated against the other hands. This occurs when there are at least
   two card of the same suit one of which is paired. Here removing the
   paired, suited card generates a better hand than removing the two other
   cards.

Example hand

   The blinds for this example hand
   Enlarge
   The blinds for this example hand

   Here is a sample deal involving our four players. The players'
   individual hands will not be revealed until the showdown, to give a
   better sense of what happens during play:

   Compulsory bets: Alice is the dealer. Bob, to Alice's left, posts a
   small blind of $1, and Carol posts a big blind of $2.

   First betting round: Alice deals four cards face down to each player,
   beginning with Bob and ending with herself. Ted must act first because
   he is the first player after the big blind. He cannot check, since the
   $2 big blind plays as a bet, so he folds. Alice calls the $2. Bob adds
   an additional $1 to his $1 small blind to call the $2 total. Carol's
   blind is "live" (see blind), so she has the option to raise here, but
   she checks instead, ending the first betting round. The pot now
   contains $6, $2 from each of three players.

   First draw: Each player may now opt to draw up to four cards in an
   attempt to improve their hands. Bob, who is to the dealers immediate
   left, is given the first chance to draw. Bob discards two cards and
   receives two replacement cards from the top of the deck. Bob's
   discarded cards are not added to the deck, but removed from play. Carol
   now chooses to also draw two. Finally, Alice chooses to draw one.

   Second betting round: Since there are no forced bets in later betting
   rounds, Bob is now first to act. He chooses to check, remaining in the
   hand without betting. Carol bets, adding $2 to the pot. Alice and Bob
   both call, each adding $2 to the pot. The pot now contains $12.

   Second draw: Bob draws one. Carol opts not to draw any cards, keeping
   the four she has (known as standing pat). Alice draws one.

   Third betting round: Bob checks again and Carol bets $4. Alice, this
   round, raises making the total bet $8. Bob folds and Carol calls the
   additional $4. The pot now contains $28.

   Third draw: Since Bob has folded Carol is now first to act, she opts to
   draw one. Alice stands pat (does not draw).

   Last betting round: Carol checks and Alice bets $4. Carol calls.

   Showdown: Alice shows 2♠4♣6♦9♥ for a nine-high badugi (or four card
   hand). Carol has 3♠5♦7♣8♥, an eight-high badugi. Carol wins the $36
   pot.

Betting structures

   In casino play, it is common to use a fixed limit and two blinds. The
   limit for the first two rounds of betting is called a small bet, while
   the limit for the third and fourth betting rounds is called a big bet
   and is generally double the small bet. The small blind is usually equal
   to half of a small bet, and the big blind is equal to a full small bet.

   This game is also played pot-limit, half-pot-limit, and no-limit. These
   structures allow for more range in the amounts bet.

Strategy

   Badugi shares many strategic similarities with other forms of draw
   poker, and many of the strategic concepts used in draw apply to badugi
   as well. In general, drawing on the last round against an opponent who
   has not drawn is considered a mistake, unless special circumstances
   warrant this maneuver.

   Like other games with a fixed order of play, position can be an
   important component in badugi strategy. Players who are last to act
   often have an opportunity to bluff since they are able to observe the
   actions of other players before they act. In addition, players in late
   position are able to determine the strength of their hand more
   accurately by observing the actions of other players.

   Another aspect of the strategy of badugi involves the number of people
   at the table. The more people there are at the table, the more likely
   there is to be a 4 card badugi. Bluffing with a 2 or 3 card hand is not
   usually advisable when playing at a 6 player table. However, when you
   are playing with fewer than 4 people, a 3 card hand can often win with
   a good bluff.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badugi"
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