Mixed games rules

Key points

• Mix is a format that cycles through different games in a set order. When the game changes, the deal, the betting and the way to win change with it.
• There are 16 games in four families: Hold’em, Omaha, Stud and Draw.
• Each game uses one of three kinds of betting: No-Limit, Pot-Limit or Fixed limit.
• The forced bets paid before you see your cards depend on the game: blinds, antes, and a bring-in in the Stud games.
• Lows (where the lowest hand wins) are counted A-5 or 2-7 depending on the game. Badugi is counted its own way.

How to read this

• Hold’em family: the base is NLHE. Also LHE (Limit Hold’em), Short Deck
• Omaha family: the base is PLO. Also PLO8, O8 (Omaha Hi⁠-⁠Lo), Big O, PLO5, PLO6
• Stud family: the base is Stud. Also Stud 8, Razz
• Draw family: the base is 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw. Also A⁠-⁠5 Triple Draw, 2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw, Badugi

Read the base game first. Every other game is written as “base + differences” (Mix rules: the games). In this page, first come three things all games share: betting, forced bets, and how lows are counted. Stacks and all-ins come in the last section.

Three kinds of betting

There are three betting structures (Limit / PL / NL). Each game uses exactly one.

• No-Limit: NLHE, 2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw
• Pot-Limit: PLO, PLO5, PLO6, PLO8, Big O
• Fixed limit: LHE, O8, Stud, Stud 8, Razz, 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw, A⁠-⁠5 Triple Draw, Badugi

No-Limit

No-Limit lets you bet any amount up to the chips in front of you. The minimum bet is the BB, and the minimum raise repeats the previous increase (the min-raise).

Example. At 1/2 the flop pot is 20 and you have 200. You can bet anything from 2 up to 200 (an all-in).

Pot-Limit

Pot-Limit caps you at a raise by the size of the pot after your call (pot limit). The minimum is the same as No-Limit.

Example. The flop pot is 20. If nobody has bet, the largest bet is the pot, 20.

If the opponent bets 10, count the largest raise (a pot raise) like this:

1. First pretend you call 10. The pot becomes 20 + 10 + 10 = 40
2. You may add that 40 on top. You can raise to 10 + 40 = 50 in total

Fixed limit

Fixed limit moves in fixed steps. Early rounds use the small bet, later rounds the big bet (twice the small bet).

• Up to 4 bets per round: 1 bet + 3 raises (the cap)
• If only 2 players are in at the start of the round, there is no cap. This is a cash-game custom. In tournaments, Rule 48 of the standard rulebook (TDA) keeps the cap until 2 players remain.
• You cannot bet more, so the only way to push people out is how many times you bet

Example. At 10/20, a small-bet round goes bet 10 → raise to 20 → 30 → 40, capped. A big-bet round goes 20 → 40 → 60 → 80, capped.

The big-bet rounds

Where the big bet starts depends on the family.

Three kinds of forced bets

Money that goes in before anyone looks at their cards comes in three forms. The Hold’em (except Short Deck), Omaha and Draw families use blinds; the Stud family uses antes and a bring-in. Short Deck has no blinds, only antes (Short Deck).

• Blinds: only the SB and BB pay. In NL and PL at 1/2, SB 1 and BB 2. In Fixed limit the SB is half the small bet and the BB equals the small bet (5 and 10 at 10/20)

• In Fixed limit, the BB counts as the first bet preflop. At 10/20 the raises go 20, 30, 40, capped

• Antes: everyone pays the same amount. The Stud family has no blinds

• Bring-in: on 3rd street in the Stud family, one player chosen by the door card (the first face-up card) pays a small amount. That player may instead go up to the small bet (a Complete). A Complete does not count as a raise

• 2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw is the only game with blinds plus an ante from everyone

• Stud: antes 1 × 6 = 6, plus the bring-in 3 makes 9

• 2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw: SB 2 + BB 5 + antes 1 × 6 = 13

Example. In Stud, the bring-in pays 3 on 3rd street. The next player can Fold, Call 3, or Complete 10. After a Complete there are still 3 Raises (20, 30, 40).

How lows are counted

In a low, the weakest five cards win. There are two ways to count, and each game uses one.

Rules both share:

• Compare from the highest card down; the lower card wins. If equal, compare the next card
• A hand with a pair always loses to a hand without one (only in 2-7 do straights and flushes also count as bad hands; see the 2-7 part below). In games where you pick five of seven cards (Razz, Stud 8), pick five different ranks. A pair goes in only when there are fewer than five different ranks

Example. 8-6-4-3-2 against 8-7-5-4-2 (the five ranks written from highest to lowest). Both top out at 8. The next cards are 6 and 7, so 8-6-4-3-2 wins.

A-5 (ace-to-five)

Used by Razz and A⁠-⁠5 Triple Draw, and by the low half of Stud 8, PLO8, O8 and Big O.

• The A counts as 1, the lowest card
• Straights and flushes are ignored
• The best hand is 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel). 6-5-4-3-2 is a strong “6 low”

Example. 7-5-4-3-2 all in ♥ is a “7 low” in A-5. It is neither a flush nor a straight.

2-7 (deuce-to-seven)

Used by 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw and 2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw.

• The A is the highest card. A-5-4-3-2 is not a straight but “A high”, worse than K high
• Straights and flushes count as hands. Making one makes your hand bad
• The best hand is 7-5-4-3-2 (number one). The worst hand with no pair is A-K-Q-J-9

Example. 7-6-5-4-3 is a “7 low” in A-5, but in 2-7 it is a straight, so it loses even to a one-pair hand.

8-or-better

In the Hi-Lo games (Stud 8, PLO8, O8, Big O) the low has a qualifier (8-or-better).

• Counted A-5 style, with five different ranks and the highest card 8 or lower
• The best is 5-4-3-2-A; the worst that qualifies is 8-7-6-5-4
• If nobody qualifies, the high takes the whole pot

Example. 9-4-3-2-A has a 9, so it is not a low. 8-7-6-5-4 just qualifies.

Badugi

Badugi uses four cards and first counts how many have different ranks and different suits. The A is low. The counting is in the Badugi section.

NLHE (base)

• You win by making the best five-card hand at showdown, or by making everyone else fold.
• Betting is No-Limit: you can bet up to all of your chips.

This assumes you know the NLHE rules; here are just the key points (details in NLHE rules).

• Two hole cards + a shared five-card board. Best five of seven
• Blinds (SB, BB); the button moves one seat left every hand
• Four betting rounds: preflop, flop, turn, river
• No-Limit

The Hold’em and Omaha families share NLHE’s seats, blinds and four betting rounds.

PLO (base)

• The same way to win as NLHE, with four hole cards. Your hand uses exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards.
• The most you can bet or raise is the size of the pot (Pot-Limit).

The full PLO (Pot⁠-⁠Limit Omaha) rules are in the PLO rules chapter.

Differences from NLHE:

• Four hole cards
• Your hand uses exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards
• Pot-Limit betting.

Seats, blinds, the four betting rounds and hand rankings are the same as NLHE.

Example. Board K♥ 9♥ 6♥ 3♥ 2♣, hand A♥ Q♠ Q♦ 7♣. Only one ♥ is in your hand, and you may use just three board cards. That makes four ♥, not a flush. Your hand is a pair of queens: Q♠ Q♦ + K 9 6.

Stud (base)

• There is no shared board: you make the best five of your own seven cards.
• There are no blinds; play starts with antes and a bring-in, and betting is Fixed limit.

Stud (Seven-Card Stud) has no shared board: you make your best five cards from your own seven. Four of the seven are dealt face up, where everyone can see them.

Dealing:

• A live table seats up to 8. No blinds; everyone pays an ante
• The button only marks where dealing starts. The cards decide who acts
• First to act on 3rd street: the lowest door card pays the bring-in (the A is high). Ties go by suit, ♣ < ♦ < ♥ < ♠, and the lower suit pays
• That player pays just the Bring-in (a small amount) or puts in a full small bet right away (Complete)
• Players after that, clockwise from the bring-in’s left: Fold / Call the bring-in / Complete. After a Complete: Fold / Call / Raise. A Complete doesn’t count as a raise, so three Raises can still follow it (cap)
• 4th street on: the strongest face-up board acts first. A pair beats high cards. On a tie, the player closest to the dealer’s left goes first. The order can change every street
• Fixed limit. On 4th street, if anyone shows a pair, the first bet may be a big bet (an open pair)
• At showdown, use any five of your seven

Example. A 6-handed table at 10/20, ante 1, bring-in 3. Door cards: 3♣, 3♠, 5♦, 9♣, Q♠, A♥.

1. The lowest rank is 3. There are two: 3♣ and 3♠
2. Same rank, so the suit decides. ♣ < ♦ < ♥ < ♠, so 3♣ is lower
3. The 3♣ player pays the bring-in of 3. The pot is antes 1 × 6 = 6 plus 3, 9

Example. On 4th street one player shows 9♣ 9♦. Nobody else shows a pair.

• A pair beats high cards, so this player acts first
• With a pair showing (an open pair), the player may bet either the small bet of 10 or the big bet of 20

Example. Same 10/20, bring-in 3. Facing the bring-in of 3, the next player chooses Fold, Call 3 or Complete 10. After Complete 10, the Raises go 20 → 30 → 40 and the betting is capped.

Note. At an 8-handed table with everyone still in on 7th street, 8 × 7 = 56 cards are needed, more than 52. When the deck has fewer cards than players left, one card goes face up in the middle as everyone’s seventh card (a community card). It can’t happen 6-handed.

2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw (base)

• You draw up to three times to make the weakest five-card hand. The A is high, and straights and flushes count against you.
• Betting is Fixed limit.

2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw (2⁠-⁠7 TD) has no board and no face-up cards: you draw to five cards up to three times to make the weakest hand.

• Up to 6 players. Blinds (SB, BB). Seats and button as in NLHE
• Each player gets five cards, all face down
• Three draws. Discard 0 to 5 cards and take the same number from the deck. Drawing 0 is standing pat. Everyone sees how many you draw
• Four betting rounds: before the first draw → after the 1st draw → after the 2nd → after the 3rd
• Fixed limit. Small bet before the first draw and after the 1st draw, big bet after the 2nd and 3rd
• The first betting round starts with UTG (the BB is last). Draws and later rounds start with the SB and go clockwise (the button is last)
• The hand is a 2-7 low. The A is high; straights and flushes are bad
• If the deck runs out, the discards are shuffled and play continues

Example. Three players’ five cards at showdown, ranks written from highest to lowest. The suits are mixed (no flush).

• X: 8-6-4-3-2
• Y: 8-7-5-4-2
• Z: 7-6-5-4-3

1. Look for hands. Z runs 7 down to 3, a straight. In 2-7 a straight is a bad hand, so Z is worst
2. X and Y have no hand. Their top cards are 8 and 8, a tie
3. The next cards are 6 for X and 7 for Y. 6 is lower, so X wins

Limit Hold’em

• The same two hole cards and five-card board as NLHE, with Fixed limit betting.
• Bets and raises go up in fixed steps, and each round caps at 4 bets.

Base: NLHE

Limit Hold’em (LHE) is NLHE with Fixed limit betting.

Differences from NLHE:

• Bets and raises move one unit at a time. At 10/20, preflop and flop are 10, turn and river are 20
• Blinds are SB 5 and BB 10 (the SB is half the small bet, the BB equals the small bet)
• Each round caps at 4 bets (counting is in Three kinds of betting). Preflop the BB 10 counts as the first, then 20, 30, 40
• You cannot bet big to push people out. With 3 or more players in, the most one player can put in a hand is 40 + 40 + 80 + 80 = 240

Dealing, hand rankings and showdown are the same as NLHE.

Example. At 10/20, UTG raises to 20, BTN 3-bets to 30, UTG calls. SB and BB fold.

The two put in 30 + 10 + 20 + 20 = 80 each, and with the blinds’ 15 the pot is 175.

Short Deck

• NLHE played with a 36-card deck (the 2s through 5s removed).
• A flush beats a full house, and everyone pays an ante instead of blinds.

Base: NLHE

Short Deck (6+ Hold’em) is played with the NLHE deck minus the 2s through 5s: 36 cards.

Differences from NLHE:

• The deck is 36 cards (6 to A). You still make the best five from 2 hole cards and 5 board cards
• A flush beats a full house. A straight beats three of a kind (same as NLHE)
• The lowest straight is A-6-7-8-9 (the A plays as a 5)
• No blinds. Everyone antes 1 and the button antes 1 more (Button ante). The button’s extra ante is the preflop bet
• Preflop and on every later street, action starts left of the button and the button acts last
• You may enter by limping (calling the button’s 1 ante)

Example. Six players, ante 10. The pot at the deal is 10 × 6 + 10 = 70. UTG limps for 10, or raises to, for example, 60.

Hand rankings differ at some tables. Check before you sit.

PLO8

• The pot of PLO is split in half between the high hand (the strongest) and the low hand (the weakest: five different ranks of 8 or lower).
• If nobody can make a low, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Base: PLO

PLO8 (Pot⁠-⁠Limit Omaha Hi-Lo) is PLO with the pot split in half between the high and the low.

Differences from PLO:

• Half the pot goes to the best hand (high), half to the lowest hand (low)
• The low is 8-or-better (counted A-5 style, five different ranks of 8 or lower)
• The low also uses exactly two hole cards + three board cards. Without three different ranks of 8 or lower on the board, nobody can make a low (low possible)
• High and low may use different pairs of hole cards (cards speak)
• With no low, the high takes it all. A tie on one half splits that half (quarter). An odd chip goes to the high

Betting, four hole cards and seats are the same as PLO.

Example. Board 2♣ 5♦ 7♠ K♥ Q♣, pot 120.

• X: K♦ K♣ 9♠ 9♥. High is three kings. No cards of 8 or lower, so no low
• Y: A♠ 3♥ J♦ T♣. Low is A♠ 3♥ + 2 5 7 = 7-5-3-2-A. High is only A-K-Q-J-7
• X wins high, Y wins low. 60 each

Winning both halves takes everything (a scoop).

Omaha 8 / O8

• PLO8 with Fixed limit betting.
• The pot is split between the high and an 8-or-better low; with no low, the high takes it all.

Base: PLO8

Omaha 8 (Limit Omaha Hi⁠-⁠Lo, O8) is PLO8 with Fixed limit betting. The O in HORSE.

A summary you can read without PLO8:

• Your hand uses exactly two of your four hole cards and exactly three of the five board cards
• The pot is split between the high and an 8-or-better low. With no low, the high takes it all
• Fixed limit betting

Differences from PLO8:

• Bets and raises move one unit at a time. Small bet preflop and on the flop, big bet on the turn and river
• The SB is half the small bet, the BB equals the small bet
• Each round caps at 4 bets

Four hole cards, two + three, and the high/low split are the same as PLO8.

Example. At 10/20 the flop pot is 60 and the opponent bets 10. In PLO8 you add the pot after your call, 80, so the largest raise is to 90 in total. In O8 you can raise only to 20.

Stud 8

• The pot of Stud is split in half between the high and an 8-or-better low.
• If nobody can make a low, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Base: Stud

Stud 8 (Stud Hi-Lo) is Stud with the pot split in half between high and low.

Differences from Stud:

• Half the pot goes to the high, half to an 8-or-better low. With no low, the high takes it all
• The A is high for the high hand and 1 for the low
• High and low may use different five cards out of your seven
• An open pair on 4th street does not allow a big bet
• An odd chip goes to the high

The bring-in (lowest door card), Complete, and the order from 4th street on (the strongest high board first) are the same as Stud.

Example. Cards in ( ) are down cards. Pot 200.

• X’s seven cards: (A♠ 2♦) 3♣ 5♥ 9♠ K♦ (7♣)
• Y’s seven cards: (K♠ K♥) Q♦ Q♣ 4♥ J♦ (8♠)

1. Compare the highs. X has ace-high with no pair (A-K-9-7-5); Y has two pair, kings and queens. Y wins high
2. Make the lows: pick five cards of different ranks, all 8 or lower
   • X: A, 2, 3, 5, 7 → 7-5-3-2-A
   • Y: only two cards of 8 or lower, 4 and 8 → no low
   • X wins low
3. The 200 splits in half: Y (high) and X (low) take 100 each

Razz

• The low version of Stud: the lowest hand takes the whole pot.
• The A is 1, straights and flushes are ignored, and pairs hurt.

Base: Stud

Razz is Stud played for low only.

Differences from Stud:

• The lowest hand takes the whole pot. Counted A-5 style (A is 1, straights and flushes ignored, pairs are bad)
• There is no 8-or-better qualifier. A 9 low or a K low wins if it is the lowest
• The bring-in is the highest door card. The A is low, so the K is highest. On ties ♠ is highest
• From 4th street on, the best low board acts first
• An open pair on 4th street does not allow a big bet

Dealing, antes, Complete and Fixed limit are the same as Stud.

Example. Cards in ( ) are down cards.

• X’s seven cards: (A♣ 4♦) 6♠ 2♥ K♣ 6♦ (9♥)
• Y’s seven cards: (3♠ 5♣) 7♦ 8♥ Q♠ 2♣ (T♦)

1. Pick the five lowest cards that all have different ranks. Use only one card of each rank (a pair goes in only when the seven cards have fewer than five different ranks)
   • X: A, 2, 4, 6, 9 (only one 6) → the top card is 9, a “9 low”
   • Y: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 → the top card is 8, an “8 low”
2. Compare the top cards of the two fives; the lower one wins. If tied, compare the next card
   • 8 is lower than 9, so Y wins. X’s ace is the last card compared, so it doesn’t matter here

A⁠-⁠5 Triple Draw

• 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw counted A-5 style.
• The A is 1, straights and flushes are ignored, and the best hand is 5-4-3-2-A.

Base: 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw

A⁠-⁠5 Triple Draw is 2⁠-⁠7 TD counted A-5 style.

Differences from 2⁠-⁠7 TD:

• The A is 1, the lowest card
• Straights and flushes are ignored
• The best hand is 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel). 7-5-4-3-2, number one in 2-7, is 11th here (after one 5 low, five 6 lows and four 7 lows)
• Low hands are easier to make, because the A counts as 1 and straights and flushes don’t hurt. The same 8 low wins in fewer spots than in 2-7

Dealing, three draws, four betting rounds, blinds and Fixed limit are the same as 2⁠-⁠7 TD.

Example. X has 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ 4♥ 3♥, Y has 8♠ 5♦ 4♣ 3♠ 2♠. In 2⁠-⁠7 TD, X has a straight flush, the worst possible, and Y wins. In A⁠-⁠5 TD, X has a “7 low” and Y an “8 low”, so X wins.

Badugi

• With four cards, you try to hold as many cards as possible with no shared rank or suit.
• The hand with more such cards wins; if tied, the lower hand wins.

Base: 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw

Badugi is 2⁠-⁠7 TD with four cards and a different way of counting.

Differences from 2⁠-⁠7 TD:

• Four cards. Draw 0 to 4
• First count the cards with no shared rank or suit: 4 (a badugi) > 3 (a tri) > 2 > 1
• With two of a suit, only the lower counts; with two of a rank, only one counts
• With the same count, compare from the highest card down; lower wins
• The A is lowest. There are no straights. The best hand is A-2-3-4 in four suits

Three draws, four betting rounds, blinds and Fixed limit are the same as 2⁠-⁠7 TD.

Example. The counted ranks are written from highest to lowest.

• X: K♠ Q♥ J♦ 8♣
• Y: A♠ 2♥ 3♦ 3♣
• Z: 8♠ 5♣ 4♣ 3♦

1. Count the cards that play
   • X: every rank and suit differs → four cards, a badugi (K-Q-J-8)
   • Y: two 3s, so only one counts → three cards, a tri (3-2-A)
   • Z: two ♣, so only the lower 4♣ counts → three cards, a tri (8-4-3)
2. X has the most cards and wins. Even with a K, four cards beat three
3. Y and Z both have three. The highest card is 3 for Y and 8 for Z. Y is lower, so Y ranks higher

Big O

• PLO8 with five hole cards.
• Your hand still uses exactly two hole cards and three board cards, and the pot is split between high and low.

Base: PLO8

Big O is PLO8 with five hole cards.

Differences from PLO8:

• Five hole cards. There are 10 ways to pick two of them (6 with four cards)
• You still use exactly two hole cards + three board cards
• More combinations make everyone’s high and low hands stronger

Pot-Limit, Hi-Lo (8-or-better) and blinds are the same as PLO8.

Example. Board K♥ 9♥ 6♥ 3♦ 2♣, pot 100.

• X: A♥ 4♥ 5♠ 7♣ Q♦
  • High: A♥ 4♥ + K♥ 9♥ 6♥, an ace-high flush
  • Low: A♥ 4♥ + 6 3 2 = 6-4-3-2-A
  • The same two of the five cards (A♥ 4♥) make both
• Y: K♠ K♦ 9♠ 8♣ Q♣
  • High: K♠ K♦ + K♥ 9♥ 6♥, three kings
  • The only hole card of 8 or lower is 8♣, so no low
• X wins both high and low and takes the whole pot of 100

PLO5 / PLO6

• PLO with five (PLO5) or six (PLO6) hole cards.
• Your hand uses exactly two hole cards and three board cards, and only the high hand wins the pot.

Base: PLO

PLO5 and PLO6 are PLO with five or six hole cards.

Differences from PLO:

• Five hole cards (PLO5) or six (PLO6)
• 10 or 15 ways to pick two of them
• More combinations mean it takes a stronger hand to win

Two + three, Pot-Limit and high only are the same as PLO. The five-card Hi-Lo game is Big O.

Example. PLO6, board J♠ T♦ 4♣ 8♥ 2♠, hand A♠ K♠ Q♦ 9♣ 6♥ 6♦. Of the 15 pairs, Q♦ 9♣ + J T 8 makes a queen-high straight. A♠ K♠ is not a flush: the board has only two ♠, so you reach four.

2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw

• 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw with one draw instead of three, and No-Limit betting.
• There are two betting rounds, before and after the draw.

Base: 2⁠-⁠7 Triple Draw

2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw (NL 2⁠-⁠7 Single Draw, 2⁠-⁠7 SD) is 2⁠-⁠7 TD with one draw and No-Limit betting.

Differences from 2⁠-⁠7 TD:

• One draw. Two betting rounds (before and after the draw)
• No-Limit betting. The limit is all the chips in front of you
• Blinds plus an ante from everyone
• The first player in must raise (no open-limping)

Five cards and the 2-7 low are the same as 2⁠-⁠7 TD.

Example. At the Mix amounts, 6 players, SB 2, BB 5, ante 1. Before the deal the pot is 2 + 5 + 1 × 6 = 13.

Sources

• Poker TDA Rules (2024 version: Rules 47 and 48; short all-in raises and the number of raises)
• Robert Ciaffone, “Robert’s Rules of Poker” (the half-bet rule in limit)
• PokerNews and Wikipedia rules pages for each game