Lowe-Mac Raz — Rules · HomePoker.games

How to Play

Lowe-Mac Raz is the low sibling of Lowe-Mac — the very same seven-card stud game and the same pot-match twist, but the lowest five-card hand wins. The ace plays low and straights and flushes don’t count, so the best possible hand is 5-4-3-2-A (the “wheel”), and a pair counts against you. What makes it Raz is where the match triggers: not on a pair, but the moment your board shows two different low cards.

🃏Stud, low only. Two down, then five up-cards with a betting round after each. The lowest hand showing acts first; the lowest five-card hand at showdown wins it all. Aces are low; straights and flushes don’t count.

💰Two low cards, match the pot. The moment a player’s up-cards show two different cards seven-or-lower, they must match the whole pot — or fold. A pair of low cards doesn’t count; it takes two different low cards. You just pay it in; no bet yet, and you may bet up to what you matched later to run others off.

🔁Next milestone, double up. The next low-card milestone owes double the pot as it then stands — either another player’s second low card, or that same first matcher’s genuinely third different low card, whichever comes first. The first has already paid in, so the double comes off the bigger pot.

📈The stakes jump. Once the first milestone has matched, the table’s max bet for every round after becomes that first-match amount — for everyone, up to it, the rest of the hand. If that first player folds instead, the max stays $1 all hand.

A hand, step by step

Ante & deal. Everyone antes $1. Each player is dealt two cards face-down and one face-up. The lowest card showing opens the betting.

Build to seven. The dealer gives everyone another up-card, followed by a betting round — repeating until each player has five up-cards and two down (seven in all). From the first up-card on, the lowest hand showing acts first.

The low-card match. The moment a player’s up-cards show two different cards seven-or-lower (2-3-4-5-6-7 or an ace), that player must match the pot or fold — paying it in right then, no bet yet. A pair of low cards is a wrecked low and does not count — it takes two different low cards.

The next milestone doubles. The next low-card milestone owes double the pot as it then stands (or folds) — either another player reaching a second low card, or that same first matcher drawing a genuinely third different low card, whichever comes first. They settle in the order they hit — the first matches the pot and pays in, then the second doubles the pot that’s now bigger for it having paid. Once every match is settled the deferred betting round opens: the doubler acts first, then clockwise. On that round it’s per-person — a matcher may bet up to what they put in to run others off, while everyone else is held to $1.

The stakes jump. Once the first milestone has matched (paid it in), the table’s max bet for every round after becomes that first-match amount — for everyone, who may bet or raise any amount up to it, the rest of the hand. But if that first player folds instead of matching, the max stays $1 the whole hand, no matter what the second milestone does.

Only two, ever. There are exactly two match slots a hand: the first low-card milestone and the second — and that’s it. A milestone uses up a slot whether that player matches or folds, so once two have fired, any later low card triggers nothing.

Showdown. Once the seventh card is dealt and the last betting round is done, remaining players show their best five-card low hand. The lowest hand takes the pot; ties split it.

The low-card match, at a glance

Match triggeryour board shows two different cards seven-or-lower (a pair of low cards doesn’t count)

First milestonematch the pot (or fold) — pay it in now, no bet yet

Second milestonedouble the pot as it then stands (or fold) — another player’s second low card, or the first matcher’s third; whichever comes first

Settling orderthey settle in the order they hit: the first matches, then the second doubles the now-bigger pot

Deferred bettingopens once matches are settled — the doubler acts first, then clockwise; on that round only the matchers may bet big (others $1)

Betting unit$1 limit (opening bet + three raises) until the first match

Stakes after 1st matchthe table’s max bet becomes the first-match amount for every round after — everyone may bet or raise any amount up to it, rest of the hand

Unless it foldsif the first milestone folds instead of matching, the max stays $1 all hand — whatever the second does

Two slots onlyjust the first two low-card milestones trigger a match (paid or folded) — any later low card does nothing

Low hand only (ace-to-five) — straights and flushes don’t count, and there is no high half or wild cards. Stacks start at $150.

Watch a Full Hand — step by step

Step through a complete Lowe-Mac Raz hand. Watch two different low cards trigger the match, then a second board owe double — pay in first, bet later — and see why a buried A-2 drawing at the wheel quietly runs away with it. Player 1 (Dana) is “you”; only you can see your own down cards until showdown.

Pre-deal

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Pot $0

Step 1 / 1

🟡 A gold “Match”/“Double” bubble marks the low-card match — the player pays the pot (or double it) in, then bets later. On that street’s round only the matchers may bet big (others $1). And once the first milestone has matched, the table’s max bet jumps to that first-match amount — for everyone — for the rest of the hand. Remember: it takes two different low cards; a pair of low cards doesn’t count.

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