Badeucy

Overview

Badeucy is a hybrid poker game typically played in mixed-game rotations, such as in high-stakes cash games or tournaments featuring rotation formats like the WSOP's Mix-Max or 8-Game. The name is a portmanteau of "Badugi" and "Deuce-to-Seven" ("Deucy" refers to 2-7). It is a split-pot game where the pot is divided equally between the best Badugi hand and the best Deuce-to-Seven (lowball) hand.

Rules

Hand Rankings

• Badugi: A four-card lowball hand with all four cards of different suits and no paired ranks. The best hand is A-2-3-4 of four different suits (a "wheel"). Hands are ranked by the highest unmatched card, then the next, etc. (e.g., A-2-3-4 beats A-2-3-5).
• Deuce-to-Seven (2-7): A five-card lowball hand where straights and flushes count against the hand, and Aces are high. The best hand is 2-3-4-5-7 of mixed suits (a "wheel" in 2-7). The worst hand is K-K-K-K-K (but such hands are rarely made).

Gameplay

Each player is dealt five cards. The game features three drawing rounds (like 2-7 Triple Draw), but players may discard and draw up to five cards each round. After the final betting round, players must declare which half of the pot they are contesting: the Badugi half (using exactly four cards) or the 2-7 half (using five cards). A player may go for both halves if they have a qualifying hand for each; a player may also "scoop" the entire pot by winning both halves.

A key rule: A player must use exactly four cards for Badugi and exactly five cards for 2-7. If a player's best four-card Badugi hand uses a card that also helps their 2-7 hand, that is allowed. However, a player cannot use the same card in both hands; the hands are independent sets of cards from the same seven cards (if they keep all five, they choose four for Badugi and keep five for 2-7, but the cards may overlap).

Betting Structure

Badeucy is usually played as a fixed-limit or pot-limit game. The betting rounds occur before the first draw, after each draw (three draws total), and after the final draw. Typically, there is a limit on raises (e.g., three raises per round in fixed-limit).

Strategy

Tight-aggressive play is common. Since the pot is split, players often select a primary half to target. Strong starting hands include those that can develop into both a good Badugi and a good 2-7, such as A-2-3-4-5 of mixed suits (but note suits: for Badugi you need four different suits, so a hand like A♠-2♥-3♦-4♣-5♠ is promising). However, such hands are rare. Most players specialize in one half and may discard cards that hurt their primary hand.

Drawing strategy differs: for Badugi, you want to discard any duplicate suit or paired rank; for 2-7, you want to discard high cards and avoid making straights or flushes. Deciding which half to pursue requires evaluating your opponents' tendencies and your own draw potential.

Related Terms

• Badugi: A four-card lowball poker game using different suits and ranks.
• Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw: A lowball variant where the best hand is 2-3-4-5-7, with three drawing rounds.
• Mixed Games: Poker formats where multiple variants are played in rotation, such as H.O.R.S.E. or 8-Game.
• Split Pot: A pot divided among winners of different hand rankings (e.g., high and low in Omaha Hi-Lo).