Badugi Poker – The Korean Version of 2-7 Triple Draw.
3 min read
Badugi Poker, a variation of 2-to-7 triple draw, allows players to form improved hands by discarding cards and drawing replacements. At the conclusion of each betting round called Showdown, all hands will be revealed for analysis by players.
Bluffing also works well against the short stack. This technique is particularly effective against opponents who frequently win small games.
Game rules
They are dealt four cards and play a betting game after each draw. The player next to the big blind starts every betting round, wherein players can discard or bring in cards in an effort to bolster their hand. They can also “stand pat” and keep all the cards they have.
It is crucial to know Badugi betting patterns in order to know how the game plays. Look out for your opponents’ initial betting round to make better moves; an opponent who hasn’t made a sound during this first draw means either they’re happy with their hand or they’re playing passive aggression with a very strong hand.
Badugi is a game typically played with a set limit and arranged blinds in order to reduce risk by limiting your bets and providing the chance to make moves. But it is also possible to play Badugi with pot limits that allow larger bets and more variety of play; a few games even have free-to-play variants that allow you to test your skills without risking money.
Betting intervals
Regardless of your level of knowledge in Badugi poker, you should be able to grasp how betting intervals work with this unusual form of poker. That way you can optimize your plan and make better decisions around the table. Also important is learning its rules and getting to know its betting setup and blinds.
All players raise small and big blinds before the first hand and exchange cards to get one (or two) to dump depending on strength of hand (also known as “standing pat” — or feeling pretty sure about your hand).
Three draws and a final round will follow, with one additional optional betting round between each one, where players can choose to discard and draw to strengthen their hand – just make sure you don’t overdo it, too many could weaken it and make it harder to enhance.
Blinds
On the day of Badugi, small and big blinds are placed as opening bets in the creation of the pot. Once submitted, the dealer flips over his cards and hands each player four face-down cards to be kept private and never presented to other players. After that are 3 bet rounds followed by some draws then a showdown round.
Poker players may make bets in any round, but it’s a good idea to begin conservatively early so your opponents don’t see just how good your hand is. Further, one should keep an eye on the positioned opponents and bluffs when making bets.
Badugi cards are four of the same rank and suit, and duplicates of the same suit or rank count against them; two spades would only be Badugi if one of them was the highest value card. Tight betting also might help eliminate weak hands.
Variations
Badugi Poker is a round-by-round, no-limit game where each player takes four cards at a time and either calls the big blind, raises or folds at any stage. Participants bet one by one until the pot is decided on each of four cards, then each player continues to bet until an endgame decision is made about how the pot is to be split among participants.
A thorough knowledge of the strategy and the bet patterns are important to win at Badugi. And also figuring out hand rankings and drawing patterns for maximizing your winning opportunities. Finally, pay attention to where and when your opponent is placing their bets.
For instance, you don’t want to start with two suits because those hand easily get discarded when the table goes on to bet. Rather, attempt to have multiple suits, as that increases the chance of your opponents laying down your raised bets.
