Razz Fourth Street Play: Mastering Critical Decision Points in Lowball Poker

Razz Fourth Street Play represents the strategic heart of this lowball poker variant where seemingly small decisions can dramatically impact your bankroll. When players receive their fourth face-up card, the game transforms from speculative early play into concrete strategic maneuvers that separate winners from losers. Unlike Texas Hold’em where river decisions carry maximum weight, razz fourth street often determines whether you’ll contest the pot or fold – approximately 47% of razz hands conclude before fifth street according to professional tracking data. This crucial juncture forces players to evaluate not just their current four-card hand strength, but how visible cards interact with opponents’ boards while calculating dead card percentages. The combination of fixed-limit betting structure and transparent information creates decision trees where proper fourth street play accounts for up to 38% of long-term profit variance among serious razz players. Understanding when to bet with paired hole cards, how to manipulate pot size against specific opponent types, and when to fold marginal hands despite significant investment separates professionals from hobbyists in this deceptively complex stud variant.

• Critical Transition Point: Fourth street transforms razz from speculative hand selection to concrete low hand construction
• Decision Complexity: Players must simultaneously track visible cards, dead card percentages, and opponent tendencies
• Profit Impact: Proper fourth street play accounts for 35-40% of long-term razz profit variance
• Common Mistake: Overplaying three-card hands that become marginal four-card combinations
• Strategic Focus: Manipulating pot size to induce specific fifth street errors from opponents
• Mathematical Reality: Approximately 47% of razz hands conclude before fifth street near showdown

Table of Contents

1. What Is Razz Poker?
2. Razz Poker Hand Rankings Explained
3. Streets at the Card Table: The Razz Timeline
4. Third Street: Establishing Positional Advantage
5. Razz Fourth Street Play: The Make-or-Break Moment
   • Case Analysis: Fourth Street Scenarios
   • Betting Strategies for Fourth Street
   • Dead Card Tracking: Your Invisible Advantage
   • Positional Impact on Fourth Street Decisions
6. Fifth Street and Third Betting Round: Capitalizing on Fourth Street Plays
7. Common Beginner Mistakes in Razz Fourth Street Play
8. Advanced Fourth Street Concepts for Profitable Play
9. Stealing the Ante and Bring-In: Fourth Street Applications
10. How to Deal with Bad Fourth Street Cards
11. The Showdown and Finding a Winner
12. Razz in H.O.R.S.E. Poker: Contextual Importance
13. What Experts Say About Razz Fourth Street Play
14. Frequently Asked Questions About Razz Fourth Street Play

What Is Razz Poker?

Razz poker is the purest lowball poker variant within the stud poker family, where the lowest possible five-card hand wins the pot. Unlike traditional poker variants where players chase high combinations, razz rewards those who skillfully construct the weakest possible hand using seven dealt cards. The game follows standard seven-card stud structure but completely inverts hand rankings – straights and flushes don’t count against you, and aces always play low. In razz, the mythical “wheel” hand (A-2-3-4-5) represents the pinnacle of hand strength rather than the weakest straight in high poker variants.

The game begins with antes from all players, followed by three initial cards: two face-down (hole cards) and one face-up (door card). The player showing the highest door card must post the bring-in bet, creating the initial pot structure. This reversal of action triggers – highest card initiates betting instead of lowest – creates immediate strategic tension as players consider how visible cards will impact their position throughout the hand. Razz’s fixed-limit betting structure (typically $10/$20 in live games) emphasizes precise decision-making over stack manipulation, making fourth street particularly crucial as players transition from early speculative play to concrete low hand construction.

Razz Poker Hand Rankings Explained

Understanding hand rankings forms the foundation of effective fourth street play. Razz uses A-to-5 lowball hand evaluation where the objective is minimizing card values while avoiding pairs. When comparing hands, players determine the winner by examining the highest card first, then proceeding downward if necessary. For example, 7-5-4-3-2 beats 8-5-4-3-2 because seven is lower than eight – the subsequent cards become irrelevant once a difference appears. This “high card determines” principle governs all razz hand comparisons and directly impacts fourth street decisions.

Critical nuances affect hand rankings: pairs severely weaken hands (a pair of deuces creates an 8-high hand if your other cards are 8-7-4), straights and flushes don’t impact low value, and suit values only matter for breaking bring-in ties. The importance of dead cards (visible cards already eliminated from the deck) becomes exponentially more critical by fourth street as your ability to complete specific low hands narrows dramatically. For instance, holding A-2-3 with two fours visible gives you only two remaining paths to a wheel hand rather than four, fundamentally altering your fourth street strategy compared to a board with all fours still live.

Streets at the Card Table: The Razz Timeline

The rhythm of razz unfolds across seven distinct streets with betting occurring on five of them. Understanding this timeline creates context for why fourth street represents the strategic fulcrum:

1. Ante Phase: All players contribute small forced bets (typically 10-25% of small bet)
2. Third Street: Initial deal of two hole cards plus door card – bring-in bet required
3. Fourth Street: First face-up card dealt to all remaining players – small bet limit applies
4. Fifth Street: Additional face-up card – betting limit increases to big bet size
5. Sixth Street: Penultimate face-up card – big bet limit continues
6. Seventh Street: Final face-down card – big bet limit remains
7. Showdown: Remaining players reveal hands; lowest five-card combination wins

Fixed-limit betting structure creates predictable escalation: in a $10/$20 razz game, third and fourth streets use $10 increments while fifth through seventh streets jump to $20. This structure dramatically impacts fourth street psychology as players consider how current decisions affect future betting rounds. Unlike no-limit formats where early folds conserve stack equity, razz’s fixed structure means fourth street mistakes cost immediate, predetermined amounts while creating long-term positional disadvantages.

Third Street: Establishing Positional Advantage

Before examining fourth street dynamics, understanding third street foundations proves essential. Third street establishes the hand’s initial framework through three critical elements:

• Starting Hand Selection: Three unpaired cards 8 or lower create viable starting positions, with A-2-3 representing the mathematical pinnacle
• Bring-In Mechanics: Highest door card must post bring-in (typically half the small bet), though players may complete to full small bet
• Opponent Assessment: Visible cards provide initial data on dead cards and potential hand strengths

The presence of live low cards (particularly aces through fives) significantly impacts starting hand strength. Holding A-3-5 becomes substantially weaker if three fives already appear among opponents’ door cards. Third street decisions should consider fourth street possibilities – for example, entering with 7-4-2 becomes questionable if multiple threes and fives already appear exposed. Skilled players analyze not just their own hand but how opponent door cards might complete strong low hands by fourth street.

Razz Fourth Street Play: The Make-or-Break Moment

Fourth street separates serious razz players from casual participants. When players receive their fourth face-up card, the transition from speculative three-card hands to defined four-card combinations creates concrete strategic opportunities. The combination of visible information, fixed betting structure, and transparent hand evaluation creates fascinating decision points that significantly impact long-term profitability. Unlike later streets where hand strengths become clearer, fourth street maintains sufficient ambiguity to allow skilled players to manipulate opponents into costly fifth street errors.

Several critical dynamics define fourth street play:

• Information Explosion: Each player now shows four cards, dramatically increasing visible information (32 cards in an 8-handed game)
• Dead Card Critical Mass: Card counting becomes essential as players determine remaining outs for specific low hands
• Strategic Imperative: Most fourth street decisions focus on manipulating pot size for specific fifth street outcomes
• Positional Awareness: Acting last with a strong board creates substantial advantage for inducing opponent errors
• Paired Hole Card Impact: Secretly paired hands create unique strategic opportunities compared to exposed paired boards

Case Analysis: Fourth Street Scenarios

Fourth street decisions follow predictable patterns based on card outcomes. Professional razz players categorize situations into four primary cases when evaluating fourth street action:

These scenarios assume both players started with strong three-card hands (below 8-high). Each case requires different strategic approaches that extend beyond immediate hand strength to consider how the action will influence fifth street decisions. Skilled players recognize that fourth street decisions should primarily aim to create situations where opponents make costly mistakes on subsequent streets.

Betting Strategies for Fourth Street

Fourth street betting strategy revolves around manipulating pot size to induce specific fifth street errors from opponents. The fundamental principle separates novice and expert play: you should structure fourth street action to maximize opponent mistakes on fifth street rather than simply representing current hand strength.

When holding strong four-card hands (particularly those with live wheel potential), checking and calling becomes the optimal strategy against most opponents. This approach serves multiple strategic purposes:

1. Allows opponents to continue with weaker three-card hands that would have folded to a bet
2. Creates ambiguity about your hand strength (particularly if secretly paired)
3. Induces opponents to make fifth street calls with marginal three-card hands
4. Maximizes value from opponents who would correctly fold to fourth street bets

Conversely, when you catch a strong card while your opponent catches weakly (Case 2), immediate betting proves essential. Consider a situation where you hold 6-4-2 (hole)-3 showing, and your opponent shows K-7-5. When you catch an ace on fourth street while your opponent catches a queen, your hand transforms from competitive to dominant. Betting at this point serves several purposes:

• Builds immediate pot equity for your strong hand
• Creates pot odds that induce fifth street errors from opponents
• Protects against opponents catching miraculous lows on subsequent streets
• Establishes betting pattern consistency for future hands

Dead Card Tracking: Your Invisible Advantage

Fourth street represents the tipping point where dead card tracking transitions from interesting observation to essential strategic tool. With 32 visible cards in an 8-handed game (4 per player), the remaining deck contains only 20 cards – meaning nearly two-thirds of the deck becomes known information. Professional razz players maintain mental tallies of critical dead cards, particularly aces through sixes, which directly impacts fourth street decision-making.

Consider a player holding A-3-4-2 with the following visible board:

• Opponent 1: K-7-5-8
• Opponent 2: Q-9-6-J
• Opponent 3: 10-4-2-3

The dead cards include multiple critical lows: two aces (if assuming one in your hole cards), three deuces, two threes. This dramatically reduces the probability of completing a wheel hand. Whereas a hand with all wheel cards live has approximately 14% chance of improving to five-card low by seventh street, the same hand with multiple wheel cards dead drops to under 6%. Fourth street decisions must incorporate this mathematical reality – chasing with marginal hands becomes increasingly unprofitable as critical low cards disappear from the deck.

Effective dead card tracking requires focusing on specific card ranges:

Positional Impact on Fourth Street Decisions

Positional considerations significantly impact fourth street strategies. In razz, the player showing the lowest hand acts first – a crucial structural difference from high stud variants where high hands act first. This reversal creates unique positional dynamics that skilled players exploit at fourth street:

• Acting First with Strong Board: When holding the lowest four-card hand, immediate betting protects against opponents catching miraculous lows on fifth street while creating commitment for marginal hands
• Acting Last with Weak Board: Players acting last should frequently check-raise with strong hands to maximize value and confuse opponents about true hand strength
• Middle Position Nuances: Players between strong and weak boards must consider how their action impacts later-position players – often checking to induce action between opponents
• Paired Hole Card Advantage: Secretly paired hands gain substantial value when acting last, as players can call fourth street bets then evaluate fifth street action before committing further

Consider a three-way pot where Player A shows 7-5-4-3, Player B shows K-8-6-9, and Player C shows Q-7-5-2. Player C acts first with the lowest board (2-5-7-Q). If Player C bets, Player A should usually fold despite having a strong drawing hand, as the paired seven creates significant weaknesses against what appears to be an unpaired three-low. Player B in last position gains substantial advantage by observing both opponents’ actions before deciding whether to continue.

Fifth Street and Third Betting Round: Capitalizing on Fourth Street Plays

Effective fourth street play directly enables profitable fifth street decisions. The increased betting limits at fifth street (jumping from small to big bets) magnify the strategic value of fourth street positioning. Players who properly structured fourth street action find themselves in advantageous fifth street situations where opponents face difficult decisions with marginal hands.

The most profitable fifth street scenarios emerge from specific fourth street setups:

1. Fourth Street Check-Call Creating Dead Money: When you check-called fourth street with a strong hand, opponents continue with marginal three-card hands that become drawing dead on fifth street
2. Fourth Street Bet Inducing Misplaced Confidence: Betting with marginal hands on fourth street creates pot odds that entice opponents to chase with weak starting hands
3. Dead Card Positioning: Fourth street play that accounts for dead cards creates fifth street situations where opponents incorrectly believe they have live drawing chances
4. Paired Hole Card Deception: Players who check-called fourth street with secretly paired hands create confusion about true hand strength on fifth street

A common profitable sequence: You hold A-2-4 (hole)-3 against an opponent showing K-7-5. You check fourth street when both catch babies (you a 2, he a 6). Your opponent bets fifth street with what he believes is a strong four-card six (K-7-5-6), but your secretly paired deuce creates a significantly stronger four-card three. This situation arises exclusively from proper fourth street deception that induced the opponent to continue with a weaker hand.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Razz Fourth Street Play

New razz players consistently commit these fourth street errors that erode their bankroll:

• Overvaluing Paired Boards: Continuing with exposed pairs on fourth street against unpaired opponents (a four-card eight-pair loses to nearly all unpaired eight-lows)
• Ignoring Dead Cards: Chasing wheel draws with multiple critical cards already exposed
• Calling with Marginal Hands: Continuing with four-card nines or worse against strong low boards
• Misapplying Positional Strategy: Betting out of turn sequence or misunderstanding acting order dynamics
• Overbetting Strong Hands: Betting strong hands that induce immediate folds rather than check-calling to build bigger pots

Perhaps the most costly beginner mistake involves continuing with three-card hands that become marginal four-card combinations. A strong starting hand like 7-4-2 becomes problematic when it catches a nine on fourth street, transforming into a marginal four-card nine. Beginners often continue based on initial hand strength rather than current four-card reality, creating long-term negative expectation situations. Professional players fold approximately 38% of hands at fourth street that beginners continue with, representing the single largest profit disparity between skill levels.

Advanced Fourth Street Concepts for Profitable Play

Mastering razz fourth street play requires understanding several advanced concepts that separate break-even players from consistent winners:

The Pot Manipulation Principle

Fourth street represents the optimal opportunity to structure pot size for specific fifth street outcomes. When facing opponents who chase with weak boards, check-calling creates larger effective stacks for fifth street decisions. Consider a player who consistently calls fifth street with three-card eights against four-card sevens. By check-calling fourth street with your strong four-card six, you create a pot size that makes fifth street calls profitable for your opponent when they shouldn’t be. This deliberate pot manipulation extracts maximum value when opponents continue with drawing dead hands.

The Hidden Pair Strategy

Secretly paired hole cards create unique fourth street opportunities. When you pair a low card in the hole (e.g., holding A-2-2-3), check-calling fourth street serves multiple strategic purposes:

• Maintains ambiguity about true hand strength
• Induces opponents to continue with marginal three-card hands
• Creates check-raise opportunities on fifth street if opponents bet
• Allows fold equity if you catch bad on fifth street while opponent catches good

This strategy proves particularly effective against observant players who adjust to your betting patterns. By occasionally check-calling with strong unpaired hands while check-calling with secretly paired hands, you create uncertainty that pays dividends throughout the session.

Fourth Street Stealing Dynamics

While stealing antes and bring-ins typically occurs on third street, fourth street presents specialized stealing opportunities when:

1. Multiple players fold between strong low boards
2. Opponents show visible pairing with high cards
3. Key low cards appear dead among folded hands
4. Positional advantage allows pot control through seventh street

A profitable fourth street steal might involve holding Q-8-7-9 against two opponents showing K-9-6-J and A-10-5-8. Despite your weak four-card nine, the dead nines and visible high cards create stealing opportunities as opponents likely hold marginal hands.

Stealing the Ante and Bring-In: Fourth Street Applications

While ante and bring-in stealing typically occurs on earlier streets, fourth street creates specialized stealing opportunities that many players overlook. These situations emerge when:

• Multiple players fold between strong low boards, creating heads-up opportunities
• Opponents show visible pairing while holding marginal three-card starts
• Key low cards become confirmed dead through folding action
• Positional advantage allows controlling pot size through seventh street

Consider a three-handed pot where Player A shows 7-5-4-3, Player B folds, and Player C shows Q-8-6-9. Player A bets fourth street, Player C calls. If Player B folded holding exposed high cards (K-Q-J), the dead high cards significantly improve Player C’s stealing prospects. With multiple high cards confirmed dead, Player C’s apparent four-card nine becomes stronger than it appears – particularly if key cards like tens and jacks have folded.

Fourth street stealing requires understanding not just visible boards but folded card impact:

How to Deal with Bad Fourth Street Cards

Receiving a bad fourth street card (10+, exposed pair, or high kicker) creates challenging decisions that significantly impact long-term profitability. Professional players employ these strategies when fourth street disappoints:

1. Assess True Hand Strength: Determine whether your hand remains viable based on dead cards and opponent boards rather than absolute value
2. Positional Consideration: Players acting last should frequently continue with marginal hands against aggressive opponents
3. Opponent Profiling: Continue against opponents who consistently overplay marginal hands while folding against tight players
4. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Factor existing investment against probability of improvement and expected showdown value

When both you and your opponent catch bad cards (Case 4), the player with the lower board should typically bet. For instance, holding 8-5-4-A against an opponent showing K-7-6-9 creates a profitable betting opportunity despite your relatively weak four-card eight. The key factor becomes relative hand strength rather than absolute value. As long as your board shows lower than opponents, continued aggression often proves profitable as both players likely hold marginal hands.

The Showdown and Finding a Winner

Despite fourth street’s strategic importance, understanding showdown dynamics provides essential context for optimal fourth street play. Razz showdowns follow specific procedures that impact how players construct their hands:

• Hand Construction: Players use any five of seven cards to create lowest possible hand
• Comparison Method: Hands compared high card first, then descending until difference appears
• Tie Resolution: Suits determine bring-in positions but don’t affect hand strength rankings
• Automatic Wins: Low hand showing with no competition automatically wins without showdown

Fourth street decisions directly influence showdown outcomes through strategic hand construction choices. Players who check-called with secretly paired hands create showdown advantages as opponents must commit to fifth street action without knowing true hand strength. Understanding that wheel hands beat all other lows creates specific fourth street dynamics, particularly around drawing to A-2-3 combinations when critical cards remain live.

Razz in H.O.R.S.E. Poker: Contextual Importance

Razz represents the “R” in H.O.R.S.E. mixed games, where its strategic uniqueness creates significant profit opportunities. Players who master razz fourth street play gain substantial advantages in mixed games:

• Skill Disparity: Many H.O.R.S.E. players neglect razz study, creating exploitable weaknesses
• Game Rotation Impact: Strong razz play creates bankroll cushion for tougher games like 2-7 triple draw
• Mindset Transition: Switching from high to low mindset creates cognitive load for unprepared players
• Strategic Overlap: Dead card tracking skills transfer to other stud variants within mixed games

The fixed-limit structure of razz within H.O.R.S.E. games makes fourth street play particularly crucial, as effective hand selection and street-by-street strategy create consistent profit despite no-stack-shoving opportunities. Players who understand razz fourth street dynamics can exploit opponents struggling with the lowball mindset transition, particularly at the critical fourth street juncture where hand directions become concrete.

What Experts Say About Razz Fourth Street Play

Professional poker players with extensive razz experience consistently emphasize fourth street’s strategic importance. Their insights reveal why this juncture separates profitable players from losing participants:

Daniel Colman’s Perspective

The high-stakes mixed-game specialist explains: “Fourth street is where razz gets real. Before fourth street, it’s all speculation about potential; after fourth street, you’re dealing with concrete hand strengths. The players who excel in razz understand that fourth street isn’t about winning today’s pot – it’s about setting up specific fifth street mistakes from opponents. Check-calling with monsters to induce continuation bets from drawing-dead hands generates more long-term profit than straightforward value betting.”

Barry Greenstein’s Analysis

The poker legend and author notes: “What most players miss about fourth street is the mathematical paradox that emerges in multi-way pots. When you catch a baby against multiple opponents showing high cards, immediate betting becomes essential – not necessarily because you have the best hand, but because you want to isolate and create pot odds that induce specific calling mistakes on fifth street. The profit in razz comes from structuring the hand so opponents pay maximum price for maximum mistakes.”

Jennifer Harman’s Insight

The two-time WSOP bracelet winner observes: “Position trumps raw hand strength at fourth street more than any other point in razz. Being last to act with a medium-strength board allows you to extract maximum value while minimizing risk. I’ve made more money check-calling fourth street with secretly paired hands than I have betting obvious monsters. The key is understanding your opponents’ thought processes – if they’ll continue with any three-card eight against your four-card seven, checking creates the perfect trap for fifth street exploitation.”

Frequently Asked Questions About Razz Fourth Street Play

What constitutes a “good” fourth street card in razz?

A good fourth street card completes or significantly improves your low drawing potential, typically an unpaired card 5 or lower that creates a strong four-card low (preferably below 8-high). Critical factors include: whether the card creates a live draw (key low cards still available), if it improves relative board strength against opponents, and whether it maintains hand concealment (avoiding obvious monster hands that induce folds).

How often should I fold at fourth street in razz?

Professional players fold approximately 35-40% of hands at fourth street, significantly higher than recreational players who continue with 70-80% of hands. Fold frequency depends on starting hand strength, dead cards, opponent boards, and positional considerations. Strong starting hands (A-2-3) might continue with weaker fourth street outcomes than marginal starters (8-5-3).

When should I check-call instead of betting with a strong fourth street hand?

You should check-call with strong fourth street hands when: facing opponents who will continue with drawing-dead three-card hands, when secretly paired (to maintain hand ambiguity), against opponents who consistently overplay marginal hands, and in multi-way pots where betting would isolate you against stronger draws. The goal is maximizing fifth street value by allowing opponents to continue with incorrect expectations.

How do dead cards impact fourth street decisions?

Dead cards dramatically impact fourth street hand viability by reducing potential outs for completing strong lows. For instance, holding A-2-3-4 with two fives already exposed reduces your wheel draw outs from four to two, halving your improvement probability. Professional players track critical dead cards (aces through sixes) to determine whether marginal fourth street hands remain playable based on remaining outs rather than absolute hand strength.

What’s the biggest mistake players make at fourth street?

The single largest mistake involves continuing with hands that have become marginal after fourth street based on initial hand strength rather than current reality. Players holding strong starting hands (A-2-3) often continue with four-card nines against strong low boards, creating negative expectation situations. Top players fold approximately 40% of hands at fourth street that beginners continue with, representing the largest profit disparity between skill levels.

How does position affect fourth street strategy?

Position significantly impacts fourth street decisions as the player showing the lowest board acts first. Players acting last gain substantial advantages by observing opponents’ actions before deciding. Last position allows: check-raising strong hands for value, continuing with marginal hands against weak bets, and folding to aggression while minimizing investment. Acting first with strong boards requires immediate betting to protect against opponents catching miraculous lows on fifth street.

When is fourth street a good opportunity to steal pots?

Fourth street provides stealing opportunities when: multiple players fold between strong low boards creating heads-up dynamics, opponents show visible pairing with marginal three-card starts, key low cards become confirmed dead through folding action, or positional advantage allows controlling pot size through seventh street. Fourth street steals differ from third street by incorporating additional visible card information into steal probability calculations.

How should I play a secretly paired hand at fourth street?

Secretly paired hands (paired hole cards with unpaired board) create unique fourth street opportunities. Check-calling becomes optimal to maintain hand ambiguity, induce continuation bets from drawing-dead opponents, and create fifth street check-raise opportunities. This strategy proves particularly effective against observant players who adjust to betting patterns, as mixing strong unpaired and secretly paired hands creates confusion that pays long-term dividends.

What’s the mathematical impact of fourth street decisions on long-term profit?

Proper fourth street play accounts for approximately 38% of long-term razz profit variance according to tracking data from professional players. This disproportionate impact stems from fourth street’s position as the transition point between speculative hand selection and concrete low hand construction. Most hands conclude before fifth street, making fourth street the final opportunity to extract value from drawing-dead opponents or minimize losses with marginal hands.

How does fourth street strategy differ between limit and pot-limit razz?

While razz is almost exclusively played as a fixed-limit game, theoretical pot-limit considerations highlight fourth street’s importance. In fixed-limit razz, fourth street focuses on manipulating pot size for specific fifth street outcomes within predetermined bet sizes. The fixed structure makes relative hand strength and opponent mistake induction more critical than absolute hand strength, as future betting amounts remain predictable and constrained by the limit structure.