Daniel Negreanu Teaches You How To Play Razz

The basic fundamentals of Razz are explained by Daniel Negreanu in his weekly YouTube tips video and it’s a must-watch for players looking to try new poker variants.

KidPoker has cashed in a handful of WSOP Razz events over the years, the first time way back in 2001 when a 4th place finish among 144 entrants of a $1,500 buy-in was good for $12,570. That was 16 years ago - before the poker boom - at a time when the number of players who entered such mixed game events - or any events for that matter - was a fraction of today's total.

In comparison, a $1,500 Razz tournament at the 2016 WSOP drew 461 runners, a testament to both the growth of live poker and mixed games in general. Guess who also finished in 4th place in a Razz event last year? Yup, Mr. Negreanu, who added $42,030 to his bankroll of millions.

The takeaway from that comparison is that great poker players like DNegs will excel no matter how many players enter tournaments. And the thinking is the more the merrier, as the prize pool swells with every buy-in.

Razz According to Daniel

Getting back to the concepts of Razz, Negreanu spells out exactly how the game is played in his video. Straights, flushes and pairs are not in play, as the winning hand is the lowest five-card hand with ace being counted as '1.'

The cards are dealt identical to Seven Card Stud, but the player who must bring in the action is the one with the highest card, as opposed to the lowest in Stud. "Stealing and re-stealing" pots are crucial to being successful at Razz, KidPoker explains, going so far as saying that such thievery "is what Razz is all about."

Planting Seeds

KidPoker does reveal some strategic pointers, but doesn't go much further than basic stuff, telling his viewers that the more advanced aspects of the game must be paid for. He also drops a few names of the best Razz players around, with Huck Seed and David Oppenheim making the short list.

Negreanu is always positioned in the same spot in his home in these tips videos, with a painting of Bob Marley and a bunch of his poker awards used as a backdrop. Perhaps camera positioning and lighting is a factor in that decision, but I'm sure viewers would be interested to see other parts of his house!

For a look at Daniel in action in a Razz tournament, check out the video below compliments of Pokerexpress.net. It's last year's WSOP and the 1st place prize was $142,000.