Badugi
Badugi is a draw poker variant originating from South Korea, classified as a lowball game where the objective is to form the lowest-ranking four-card hand using cards of all different suits and ranks, with no pairs allowed.[1][2] The name "Badugi" is thought to derive from the Korean term "baduk," referring to a black-and-white pattern, and the game has been played since at least the 1980s, gaining international prominence through online platforms in the late 2000s and feature in mixed-game events at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) since the late 2000s, with dedicated tournaments introduced in 2023 and held annually as of 2025.[1][2] Played with a standard 52-card deck, Badugi is typically a six-handed limit game, though it can accommodate up to nine players. Each player receives four cards face down, followed by three drawing rounds interspersed with betting rounds, allowing players to discard and replace cards to improve their hand. Aces rank low, and unlike traditional poker, straights and flushes do not count against the hand; the strength is determined solely by the numerical value of the cards and their uniqueness in suit and rank.[1][2] The ideal hand, known as a "Badugi," is A-2-3-4 of mixed suits (e.g., ace of spades, deuce of hearts, three of clubs, four of diamonds); if no player achieves a four-card Badugi, the best three-card, two-card, or even one-card hand wins based on similar criteria.[1][2] Badugi's appeal lies in its strategic depth, emphasizing drawing decisions and bluffing in a lowball format distinct from games like Texas Hold'em. It has inspired split-pot variants such as Badeucy (combining Badugi with 2-7 lowball) and Badacey (with A-5 lowball), which are popular in mixed-game rotations at events like the WSOP. The game is available on major online poker sites and in live settings, with dedicated tournaments featuring buy-ins around $1,500 and prize pools exceeding $600,000. It continues to be featured annually in dedicated WSOP tournaments, with the 2025 event attracting a record 534 entries and a prize pool of $708,885.[2][3]History
Origins
Badugi emerged in South Korea during the late 20th century, with the earliest documented play tracing back to the 1960s or 1970s, though the exact origins remain somewhat unclear due to limited historical records.[4][5] The game developed as a lowball draw poker variant, likely played informally in private homes, military settings, and underground gatherings before formalized rules were established.[6] Early iterations were undocumented and varied regionally, reflecting its grassroots evolution among Korean players.[4] The name "Badugi" derives from the Korean term "badugi" or "baduk," which refers to a black-and-white spotted pattern, evoking the desired hand of distinct suits and ranks.[6][5] This linguistic root underscores its cultural ties to Korean aesthetics and gaming traditions. By the 1980s, the game had gained traction in informal South Korean circles, setting the stage for broader dissemination.[6] Badugi's initial spread beyond South Korea occurred through Korean expatriate and military communities in the 1980s and early 2000s, particularly in North America, where it was learned by military personnel such as poker professional Paul "Eskimo" Clark during the Vietnam War era and introduced to the U.S. poker scene around 2004.[4][5] It saw early adoption in places like Winnipeg, Canada, under names such as "Off Suit Lowball," and in U.S. prisons and pool halls.[6] This introduction led to its inclusion in online platforms like PokerStars by 2008 and wider availability by 2010.[6][5] This online adoption marked the game's transition from niche, community-based play to structured, accessible formats.[4]Etymology and Spread
The name "Badugi" derives from the Korean word "baduk" or "badug," which refers to a black and white pattern, evoking the ideal hand's four cards of distinct ranks and suits that create a varied, patterned appearance similar to the game's lowball aesthetic.[6] The term's first notable appearances in English-language poker literature occurred in the early 2000s, aligning with growing interest in Asian poker variants, though precise Korean textual records from that era remain scarce in accessible Western sources.[4] Badugi's global spread accelerated through online poker platforms, beginning with PokerStars introducing cash games and tournaments in 2008, which exposed the game to international audiences beyond its Asian strongholds.[5] By the early 2010s, it integrated into mixed-game formats, such as the 8-Game Mix on sites like PokerStars, where it supplemented traditional HORSE rotations (Hold'em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Stud, Eight-or-Better) as an additional lowball draw variant, appealing to players seeking variety in limit structures.[7] This online proliferation, including its addition to major series like the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) in 2009, fueled initial growth, particularly in Europe and Asia, as players experimented with its unique drawing mechanics.[2] Popularity peaked in the mid-2010s with heightened online traffic and tournament participation, but faced setbacks from global regulatory crackdowns on online poker following events like the 2011 U.S. "Black Friday" shutdowns, which curtailed access in key markets.[8] A resurgence began in live settings by 2023, marked by the World Series of Poker (WSOP) debuting its first dedicated Badugi bracelet event, won by Michael Rodrigues and drawing 516 entrants, signaling renewed institutional support.[9] As of 2025, Badugi maintains a niche yet dedicated following, especially in Asia and on international online platforms, with record-breaking WSOP fields like the 534 entrants in the 2025 $1,500 Badugi event, won by Aloisio Dourado for $138,114, highlighting its enduring appeal among lowball enthusiasts.[3]Rules
Objective and Setup
Badugi is a form of draw poker, in which players receive an initial hand and may subsequently exchange cards for new ones from the deck, distinguishing it from stud poker variants that involve no such drawing mechanism.[10] The primary objective is to construct the lowest possible four-card hand, termed a "badugi," comprising cards of distinct ranks and suits, with aces valued as low cards to prioritize the lowest numerical combinations.[11] If a player fails to form a qualifying four-card badugi due to paired ranks or matching suits, they instead compete with their best three-card badugi, formed by discarding one card from their final hand to eliminate the pair or matching suit.[12] The game accommodates 2 to 9 players and employs a standard 52-card deck, excluding jokers.[10] A dealer button rotates clockwise among participants to determine the dealing order, while the pot is seeded at the outset by small and big blinds posted by the two players to the dealer's left, or alternatively by antes from all players in some formats.[13] Familiarity with foundational poker concepts, such as the dealer button's role in sequencing actions and the blinds' function in compelling participation, is essential prior to engaging in Badugi's drawing rounds.[11] The lowest-ranking badugi ultimately claims the pot at showdown, as governed by the game's hand evaluation criteria.[10]Dealing and Drawing
In Badugi, the game begins with the dealer shuffling a standard 52-card deck and dealing four cards face down to each player, one at a time, starting with the player to the left of the button (dealer position).[1][14] There are no community cards in Badugi, distinguishing it from games like Texas Hold'em, as all action relies on players' individual hands.[13] Following the initial deal and first betting round, players have three drawing opportunities to improve their hands toward forming the lowest possible four-card Badugi (a hand with four cards of different suits and ranks).[1] During each draw, which occurs after the first, second, and third betting rounds, players act in clockwise order starting with the first active player to the left of the button.[14][13] In turn, each player may discard any number of cards from zero to four—face down into the muck—and receive an equal number of replacement cards from the top of the deck, or choose to "stand pat" by drawing none.[1][14] Discarded cards are mucked and removed from play for the remainder of the hand, making strategic decisions about which cards to discard critical, as they cannot be retrieved.[15][14] Although rare due to the deck's size and typical table limits (2-9 players), if the deck becomes depleted during a draw, the mucked cards—excluding those just discarded by the current player—are shuffled together with any remaining cards to form a new deck, allowing the draw to continue.[16][15] After the final draw and betting round, the hand proceeds to showdown.[1]Betting Rounds
Badugi features four distinct betting rounds that structure the wagering throughout a hand, interspersed with drawing opportunities. The game begins with the posting of blinds prior to the deal: the player to the left of the dealer button posts the small blind, and the next player posts the big blind, which initiates the pot. After each player receives four cards face down, the first betting round occurs pre-draw, starting with the under-the-gun player (immediately left of the big blind) and proceeding clockwise. In this round, and all subsequent ones, players may check (if no bet has been made), bet (with a minimum equal to the big blind), call, raise, or fold.[10][1] Following the pre-draw betting, players draw or stand pat, after which the second betting round commences. This round, like the third and fourth, begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer button, again proceeding clockwise with the same action options. The third betting round follows the second draw, and the fourth occurs after the third draw, leading directly to showdown if two or more players remain without further betting. If all players check in the final round, the hand proceeds to showdown immediately. No forced draws influence the betting structure, allowing players full control over their discards between rounds.[17][1] The pot progresses through these rounds via voluntary contributions, with side pots created if a player goes all-in and cannot match subsequent raises. Badugi is commonly played in fixed-limit format, where bet sizes are capped at fixed amounts (typically the big blind for the first two rounds and twice that thereafter), though pot-limit (bets up to the current pot size) and no-limit (unrestricted raises, including all-in) variants exist, with half-pot limit also used in some mixed-game settings.[10][5][18] In live games, betting rounds can extend due to player deliberation, often lasting several minutes per decision, whereas online platforms enforce time limits (typically 15-30 seconds per action) to maintain pace. By 2025, online Badugi has trended toward faster betting with auto-action features, such as pre-setting check or fold options, reducing downtime and enabling higher hand volumes on sites like PokerStars and BetMGM Poker.[19][10]Hand Evaluation
Ranking System
In Badugi, the ranking system is based on forming the lowest possible hand under lowball rules, where the objective is to achieve a "Badugi"—a four-card hand consisting of cards of all different ranks and suits. Aces are always low (ranked as 1), and suits matter only to ensure no duplicates; there are no rankings among suits themselves. The best possible hand is A♠-2♥-3♦-4♣ (or any permutation of these ranks across four distinct suits), as it features the lowest possible distinct ranks without pairs or suited cards. Any four-card Badugi is ranked by its highest card first, with lower being better; for instance, A♠-2♥-3♦-4♣ beats A♠-2♥-3♦-5♣ because 4 < 5.[1][20] If a player cannot form a four-card Badugi due to paired ranks or suits, the hand falls back to the best possible three-card low hand by discarding one card to eliminate the duplicate (typically the highest card that allows the lowest remaining high card). This three-card hand must still consist of distinct ranks and suits among its cards. For example, a hand like A♠-2♠-3♥-4♦ would discard the 2♠ (same suit as A♠), resulting in a three-card A-3-4, which is ranked as the lowest high card among qualifying three-card hands. Three-card hands are always inferior to any four-card Badugi, regardless of the latter's high card.[1][20] Tiebreakers in Badugi follow a sequential comparison starting from the highest card in the hand (with lower ranks preferred), then moving to the second-highest, third-highest, and so on, until a difference is found. There are no considerations for straights or flushes, as these do not affect hand strength; the focus remains solely on achieving the lowest unpaired, unsuited combination. For instance, in comparing two four-card Badugis like 2♠-4♥-6♦-8♣ and 2♠-5♥-6♦-8♣, the hands tie on the 8-high, but the first wins because 4 < 5 in the second position.[1][20]Hand Comparisons
Badugi's hand evaluation system sets it apart from traditional draw poker variants, particularly lowball games like A-5 and 2-7, by mandating suit diversity alongside rank uniqueness. In standard lowball poker, the objective is to form the lowest possible hand using card ranks, with no pairs allowed, but suits generally do not disqualify cards—though in 2-7 lowball, flushes and straights penalize the hand by making it higher. Badugi, however, treats any duplicate suits as invalid for the hand, reducing it to a three-card, two-card, or one-card equivalent if suits match, thereby prioritizing "rainbow" formations (all different suits) over mere low ranks. This stricter rule inverts the dynamics of standard poker, where suited cards enhance flush potential, making suit matching detrimental in Badugi.[6][21][11] Compared to other lowball variants, Badugi imposes a unique disqualification for same-suit cards, absent in A-5 or 2-7 lowball, where hands remain five-card evaluations focused on sequential low ranks (A-5-4-3-2 as the wheel in A-5, or 2-3-4-5-7 in 2-7 to avoid straights). In Badugi, the wheel—A-2-3-4 of four different suits—remains the strongest hand, but any suited pair within it would demote it to a weaker three-card hand, emphasizing suit separation as a core criterion not found in those games. This results in a more constrained hand space, where players must balance low ranks with suit variety from the outset.[1][10][21] Badugi also differs from Triple Draw poker, which typically employs 2-7 lowball rankings over five cards with three drawing opportunities, by using a four-card structure and enforcing no-pair/no-same-suit rules that can shorten hands mid-evaluation. While both share the triple-draw mechanic for improving lows, Triple Draw allows suited cards without penalty (beyond flush drawbacks in 2-7), whereas Badugi's suit rule creates higher stakes for early draws and discards. The basic ranking hierarchy in Badugi prioritizes four-card hands over fewer cards, with ties resolved by comparing the highest card downward.[22][6] In mixed-game rotations, such as extensions of H.O.R.S.E. that incorporate Badugi alongside variants like Omaha, the game's draw-based progression adds variance through repeated player choices on discards and new cards, contrasting with Omaha's reliance on community boards that standardize outcomes for all players. This draw mechanic heightens unpredictability, as individual decisions directly shape hand potential without shared exposure.[23][24]Examples
Sample Hand Rankings
In Badugi, hand rankings prioritize the number of cards first—four-card badugis beat three-card hands, which beat two-card and one-card hands—followed by the highest card in the hand (with lower being better), then the second-highest, and so on, using aces as low cards. The strongest possible hand is a four-card badugi: four cards of distinct ranks and suits, ideally the lowest possible ranks like A♠-2♥-3♦-4♣, forming a 4-high badugi.[1][10] Weaker four-card badugis feature higher-ranking cards while maintaining distinct suits and ranks; for example, 2♠-3♥-5♦-7♣ is a 7-high badugi that ranks below A-2-3-4 due to its higher top card.[1][17] When a four-card badugi cannot be formed due to duplicate ranks or suits, players fall back to the best possible three-card hand by discarding the offending card(s) to achieve distinct ranks and suits. For duplicate ranks, such as in A♠-2♥-2♦-K♣, one 2 is discarded, yielding a three-card badugi of A♠-2♥-K♣ (K-high).[1] For duplicate suits in a four-card holding like A♠-2♠-3♥-4♦, the A♠ is discarded (keeping the lowest spade 2♠) to form 2♠-3♥-4♦, a three-card 4-high badugi.[24][10] Edge cases include hands with all four cards in the same suit, such as A♠-3♠-5♠-7♠, which reduces to a one-card hand of A♠ since no two cards can share a suit; or hands with two pairs like A♠-A♥-3♦-3♣, which discard one A and one 3 to form a two-card A♠-3♦ (3-high), representing one of the weakest playable hands.[1][25] The following table illustrates a progression of sample hands ranked from best to worst, showing effective hand types with example card combinations (suits indicated where relevant for distinction; assume standard deck). These examples highlight rank progression within categories and the impact of fallbacks.| Rank | Hand Type | Example Effective Hand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Four-card Badugi | A♠-2♥-3♦-4♣ | Best possible; 4-high, all distinct ranks/suits. |
| 2 | Four-card Badugi | 2♠-3♥-4♦-5♣ | Strong but 5-high; beats higher-topped fours. |
| 3 | Four-card Badugi | 5♠-6♥-7♦-8♣ | Mid-range four-card; 8-high, weaker progression. |
| 4 | Three-card Badugi | A♠-2♥-3♦ (from A♠-2♥-3♦-3♣) | Best three-card via rank discard; 3-high. |
| 5 | Three-card Badugi | 2♠-3♥-4♦ (from A♠-2♠-3♥-4♦) | Best three-card via suit discard (keep lowest spade); 4-high. |
| 6 | Two-card Badugi | A♠-2♥ (from A♠-2♥-2♦-5♠) | From multiple duplicates; 2-high, very weak. |
| 7 | One-card Badugi | A♠ (from A♠-3♠-5♠-7♠) | All same suit; weakest, no pairs possible. |