🃏 How to Play Badugi: The Lowball Game with a Twist
If you think poker is all about big pairs, full houses, and Broadway straights — Badugi is here to blow your mind. This quirky lowball draw game flips traditional poker upside down. Originating in Korea, Badugi has become a crowd favorite in mixed games across the globe, and yes — it’s part of the CCG Mixed Game Series.
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💡 What Is Badugi?
Badugi is a four-card lowball draw poker game. The goal is simple — make the lowest possible hand with four unique suits and no paired ranks. That’s called a Badugi.
• Aces are always low.
• Straights don’t count against you.
• The best possible hand is A♦ 2♣ 3♥ 4♠ — four suits, four different ranks, the purest Badugi there is.
If you have any duplicate suits or ranks, you only get to use your lowest unique cards.
Example:
You hold A♠ 2♠ 3♥ 4♦ → Two spades! You can only keep one, so your best hand is A♠ 3♥ 4♦, a three-card Badugi.
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💵 How Betting Works
Badugi is most often played as a limit game, especially in mixed game rotations like H.O.R.S.E. or the CCG Mixed Game Series.
Each hand has four betting rounds:
1. Pre-draw: Everyone gets four cards, and the first betting round begins.
2. First draw: Players can discard 0–4 cards (or stand pat). Another round of betting follows.
3. Second draw: Draw and bet again.
4. Third draw: One last chance to draw before the final betting round and showdown.
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🔄 Drawing Decisions
Each draw gives you a new chance to improve your hand.
• Stand pat if your hand is already strong — think smooth 4-card Badugi or a strong 3-card.
• Draw 1-3 if you’re chasing better lows or missing suits.
• Draw 4 if you’re embracing chaos. (We’ve all been there.)
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🏁 The Showdown
When all bets are in, players reveal their hands.
Hands are ranked first by how many cards you can use, then by how low they are:
• A 4-card Badugi always beats a 3-card Badugi.
• Among equal-length Badugis, the hand with the lowest high card wins.
Example:
• 4-card 6♠ 7♦ 9♥ J♣ beats
• 3-card A♠ 2♦ 3♣,
because a four-card Badugi outranks any three-card hand.
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⚡ Quick Strategy Tips for New Players
1. Position matters. Acting last helps you see who’s drawing before you make your decision.
2. Smooth over rough. A-2-3 is often stronger than a rough 9-high Badugi.
3. Know when to fold. If you’re drawing two or three and others are patting, you’re probably behind.
4. Bluff selectively. Standing pat early can make you look strong — but timing is everything.
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🏆 Why Badugi Belongs in Every Mixed Game
Badugi keeps players honest, humble, and sometimes hilariously confused. It rewards patience, discipline, and a little bit of luck — the perfect cocktail for charity poker nights and mixed-game grinders alike.
If you’re looking to mix up your poker routine, grab a seat at the next CCG Mixed Game Series and give Badugi a try. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you might even make the worst hand on purpose — and that’s a win in Badugi.
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♠️ Follow CCG Poker
Stay up to date with upcoming Mixed Game events, Cash is King leaderboards, and charity poker tournaments across Chicagoland:
👉 ccgpoker.com
👉 Facebook / Instagram / Threads: @CCGPoker
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