All right, I got another response from the Absolute support staff! I think you'll all be interested to know their unique rules for the game of Razz. Hold onto your hats!
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Thank you for your email.
It seems we have a little misunderstanding here; in Razz games, players need to form their hands out of five cards.
As you know flushes and straights have no effect deciding the out come of the games, but pairs do not help you get a better game as well.
We took the time to check the records of the hand in question [Hand #744577709] and this is what we found:
FLESHBOT - Shows [Ac 9s 7c 3s Ad 3h 9h] (9,7,3,A,A)
PEGGY456 - Shows [4s 2h 7s 5d 4d 5s 4c] (7,5,4,4,2)
Player named PEGGY456 did have a pair of fours however, that is not the reason the hand was awarded to this player.
This player won the hand due to his highest lowest card, he had a Seven and you had a Nine which is the reason you lost the hand in question.
Finally, just for the record, pairs do not count to decide the outcome of a Razz game. The only thing the game considers is the value of the cards not if they are paired.
Thanks for playing at Absolute Poker! If there is anything else we can help you with, please let us know. We are here for you!
Sincerely,
Percy
Team Absolute ~ Customer Support
"To Continue to be the Best and Most Trusted"
Support@AbsolutePoker.Com
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And my response:
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Thank you so much for clarifying your position that pairs do not count in your Razz game. I still see three problems:
1) Your rules site does not state this.
2) No other Razz game spread anywhere has this rule.
3) Your own site does not follow this rule (example below).
(1) I had no idea that pairs did not count in Razz, since as your rules site states "Razz is 7 Card Stud where the best low hand wins" and "Aces are always low, and straights and flushes have no effect on the low value of a hand". As you know, pairs DO count in 7 Card Stud, so if pairs do not count in Razz, that is a major exception and must be spelled out clearly. Not to mention it is hardly 7 Card Stud any more if only low cards count. What poker hands are left?
(2) I've played on Full Tilt and Poker Stars, with professional players, and neither site has the rule that pairs do not count. I've also played in Las Vegas, including at the 2007 World Series of Poker Razz Championship, and they do not have this rule. Again, if your game has an extraordinary exception, you must spell it out!
(3) Unfortunately I was unable to find another example in my hand history of two pairs going to showdown, but I did find one pair at showdown that lost to a King. According to you, pairs do not count, so the King should have lost. You cannot have it both ways (hand 748378077):
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($11.20:$5.20,$6) | Rake ($0.50:$0.24,$0.26)
Seat 3: Player 1 Folded on the 3rd STREET
Seat 4: Player 2 won Total ($5.74) with 8,7,7,4,3 [7s 8s 4d 7c 8h 3s 7h - B:3s,B:4d,B:7c,B:7h,B:8h]
Seat 5: Player 3 Folded on the RIVER
Seat 6: Player 4 Folded on the 3rd STREET
Seat 8: Player 5 won Total ($4.96) All-In with K,6,4,2,A [6d 2c Ac Kd 6s 4s As - B:Ac,P:2c,B:4s,P:6d,B:Kd]
It's a little confusing as Player 5 was all-in before showdown, but if truly pairs do not count, then the 8 should have beat the King. And by the way, if pairs do not count, why in the world would the software play five cards with a King anyway? Surely 6,4,2,A,A has a lower high card! Your own software contradicts your explanation.
Look, I know you are nice and helpful people in support, and mean no ill will towards you, but you clearly do not know anything about the game of Razz. Please ask someone who does.