Badugi (also known as Badougi or Padooki) is a draw poker variant believed to have originated in Asia and now taking the live poker world as well as online gambling by storm. The game in itself is similar to tri card draw, but with hand values different from traditional poker. The overall play of the game is identical to a standard poker game, but unlike traditional poker which involves a minimum of five cards, players’ hands contain only four cards at any one time. The object of Badugi is to win pots by forming the best badugi hand. Pot is the share of money put in by oneself and one’s opponents during the hand. At the conclusion of the play (also known as showdown) the player with the combination of the highest value (badugi hand), who has not folded, appears to be the winner.

Low hand wins the game; with four cards each of a different suit and rank a player holds the best possible badugi hand that may be long enough to give him a victorious turn.

How the game commences and the dealing is started? Well…

Each player is dealt 4 cards in a clockwise direction starting from the player on the Small Blind (required bet). Cards are dealt to each player one card at a time. Once everyone has their 4 cards the game commences with the player to the left of the Big Blind and then continues around the table in a clockwise direction.