Badugi poker is sometimes referred to as Padooki poker and is one of the hottest games of poker currently making its way around the poker community. Basically, Badugi poker is a variant of triple draw lowball poker that uses a traditional betting format although the hand rankings differ than that of similarly played poker games. Badugi can be a very profitable game of poker among players that practice its concepts and know the rules and guidelines of the game well enough to navigate through a good strategy when playing.

 Understanding The Badugi Poker Rules

Knowing the rules of Badugi poker is a very important Badugi tip. Although many of the rules are similar to the traditional triple draw games that you may have become accustomed to, Badugi has some specific rules that some players find difficult to get used to. Always keep in mind that Badugi is a lowball game, which means that the ultimate goal when playing Badugi poker is to come up with the lowest legal hand. The best Badugi hand is a four card hand made up of four – three – two – ace (different suits). Understanding all the rules is very important in Badugi poker.

Determining Hand Values In Badugi

Lots of players find that calculating which hand is the lowest in Badugi poker is difficult. The best way to decide which hand is better is to convert the hand into an actual number. In the best Badugi hand as mentioned above, four – three – two – ace, for instance, a conversion can be made to the number 4,321. Thus, when comparing hands, a hand that is made up of five – four – three – two (5,432) is higher than a hand made up of five – four – three – ace (5,431) so the latter would win. This is the easiest way to determine the winner in Badugi. Interestingly, this same system works well when playing other games (Omaha 8, for instance).

Knowing if Badugi is the Right Game for You

Although there is a good potential to make money playing Badugi poker, it is one of the most frustrating games out there, which means that if you lack patience or if you tilt easily, Badugi is not the right game for you to be playing. As an example, you might go into the last drawing round needed just one card to make a good four card Badugi hand. There is a slim chance that you will get the card that you need – but it’s these very types of chances that make Badugi so profitable. If you scare easily, or if you have a very limited bankroll, Badugi may be too risky for you.

Taking Advantage of Position In Badugi

All serious poker players are constantly aware of positioning in the games that they play, and Badugi poker is no different. Take full advantage of your position at the table. For instance, if you are in the late position in the betting rounds, you have a bird’s eye view of what your opponents are feeling regarding their hands. Using this information, you will know whether to fold or bet.

Avoiding the Urge to Bluff

Badugi is not a bluffer’s game, although those who use bluffing as a strategy might find some appeal to standing pat with a less-than-stellar hand to drive away competition (but this also shrinks the pot). Bluffing is generally a bad idea in any six player game.