PokerToast · study tools for mixed-game poker
Razz starting hands: complete, steal or defend?
On 3rd street in Razz the highest card showing must bring in (a quarter of a small bet in these spots) and everyone else chooses between folding, calling the bring-in and completing to a full small bet; the bring-in can then fold, call or re-raise. The decision rests on three things you can see: your own three cards (how many are different ranks of 8 or lower, and how low), the one card the opponent shows, and whether a raise has already gone in. These pages cover the three-card starts people ask about most (wheels, 8s, 9s, a paired start, a steal with bricks underneath) and the bring-in's own decision when someone completes.
The spots, in one table
Heads-up limit Razz; "how often" is the solver's strategy, "worth" is measured from this decision on (fold = 0). Each spot page has the full table, the why and the method.
What the numbers add up to
Across the 13 single-decision spots here, the solver's main play puts more money in (completes, bets or raises) in 7, calls in 5, folds in 1.
A published answer was found for 11 of them; heads-up, the solver agrees with it in 5, partly agrees in 2 and disagrees in 4.
The costliest piece of common advice here, by the measured values: Razz: complete a three-card 9 (9-5-2) against a King bring-in. The advice says fold (0 small bets from here on); the solver's complete measured +0.48, a gap of 0.48 small bets.
Closest calls (two plays worth about the same, so either is fine): Razz: complete 8-6-3 against a King bring-in (complete or call the bring-in); Razz: slowplay A-2-3 or complete against a King bring-in (call the bring-in or complete); Razz: a three-card 9 (9-5-2) against an 8 bring-in. Complete, call or fold (call the bring-in or complete); Razz: a rough three-card 8 (8-7-6) against a 7 bring-in. Complete (call the bring-in or complete); Razz: a paired start (7-3-3) against a King bring-in. Complete (complete or call the bring-in); Razz: steal with a 7 up (K-Q in the hole) against a King bring-in (call the bring-in or complete).
Not settled (the most frequent play is not the one that measured best; treat the gap as uncertain): Razz: defend the bring-in with 8-5 under a King when a 7 completes.
The 3-handed solver measured 9 of these spots often enough to be quoted; with three players its main play changes in 4 (Razz: complete A-2-3 against a low (6) bring-in: just calls the bring-in 88%; Razz: a three-card 9 (9-5-2) against an 8 bring-in. Complete, call or fold: completes 89%; Razz: steal with a 7 up (K-Q in the hole) against a King bring-in: just calls the bring-in 98%; Razz: defend the bring-in with A-2 under a King when a 5 completes: folds 99.9%).
The spots
- In Razz, should I complete 8-6-3 against a King bring-in?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver completes with 8-6-3 against a King bring-in 96% of the time. - In Razz, should I slowplay A-2-3 on third street or complete (against a King bring-in)?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver just calls the bring-in with A-2-3 against a King bring-in 97% of the time. - In Razz, should I complete A-2-3 when the bring-in shows a low card (a 6)?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver completes with A-2-3 against a 6 bring-in 99% of the time. - In Razz, should I complete a three-card 9 (9-5-2) against a King bring-in?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver completes with 9-5-2 against a King bring-in 99% of the time. - In Razz, should I complete a three-card 9 (9-5-2) when the bring-in shows an 8?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver just calls the bring-in with 9-5-2 against an 8 bring-in 58% of the time, and completes 42%. - In Razz, should I complete a rough 8 (8-7-6) when the bring-in shows a 7?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver completes with 8-7-6 against a 7 bring-in 99.4% of the time. - In Razz, should I complete with a pair in my starting hand (7-3-3) against a King bring-in?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver completes with 7-3-3 against a King bring-in 99.6% of the time. - In Razz, should I steal with a 7 up and K-Q in the hole against a King bring-in?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver completes with K-Q under a 7 against a King bring-in 76% of the time, and just calls the bring-in 24%. - In Razz, I completed with 7-4-2 and my opponent (6 up, who brought in) re-raised. Cap, call or fold?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver caps it (re-raises again) with 7-4-2 when the 6 bring-in re-raises your completion 99.9% of the time. - In Razz, should I defend my bring-in (King up, A-2 in the hole) when a 5 completes?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver calls with A-2 under a King when a 5 completes against its bring-in 99.6% of the time. - In Razz, I brought in with a Queen (3-2 in the hole) and an 8 completes. Defend?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver calls with 3-2 under a Queen when an 8 completes against its bring-in 94% of the time. - In Razz, I brought in with a King (8-5 in the hole) and a 7 completes. Call, re-raise or fold?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver folds with 8-5 under a King when a 7 completes against its bring-in 60% of the time, and calls 35%. - In Razz, I brought in with an 8 (6-3 in the hole) and a 7 completes. Call or re-raise?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Razz solver calls with 8-6-3 when a 7 completes against its bring-in 94% of the time.
Numbers from PokerToast's heads-up limit Razz solver, version R-3690500-20261005095629, looked up when this page was built (2026-10-19). Heads-up only; hand groups, not exact cards; EVs are measured estimates against an opponent who plays like the solver.