Anyone plays?

I know the word padooki is related to badugi, but I've never heard anyone call it that. Maybe it's a regional thing. If that is indeed what you're talking about, it's a great game that I love playing, although I'm not very good. If you want to find other threads about it on this forum or online, I suggest you search for badugi instead of padooki. And if you post hands for analysis, you'll definitely get responses.

I have heard of several variations on Padooki, have played some, not played others.

Using variations of Badugi, Paducah, Padookah or Padooki, I know the no-limit, pot-limit or half-pot-limit game with badugi hand rankings. I've played that game and it's brutal on the fish. Drawing hands are much bigger underdogs with typical big-bet sizing since incomplete hands have fewer outs to improve than in a lot of other draw games. This also requires a more aggressive and volatile snowing and bluffing strategy than would be correct in the limit game.

I have heard of a variation using one or the other of those spellings, don't remember which, where 4-card badugis are ranked conventionally, but if nobody has a 4-card badugi then lowball hand rankings apply, ie As2s6h7d would beat Ad2h3c3s. I have not played this game.

I have heard that the Commerce mix sometimes has a 4-card Badacey game where the pot is split between the best badugi and the best 4-card lowball hand. I have not played this version either.

Cool
Padooki is mainly played in the UK casinos (usually Pot Limit).
I only played it once so far (not even knowing full rules lol) and I can't decide whether is better than Badugi or not hyhy (I like both really )

For those who don't know, here are some showdown rules for Padooki:

Its like Badugi but you always use ALL of your cards at the showdown

Hand strenghts:

#1 Padooki - all rainbow, no pairs (like a Badugi)
#2 Flush - still no pairs, but two or more (doesn't matter how many or which card is suited) matching suits
#3 Pair - no matching suits but a paired hand
#4 Full House - Flush + Pair

Examples:
A 2 3 4 = Padooki

A 2 3 4 = Flush

A A 3 4 = Pair

A A 3 4 = Full House

Example showdown match ups:
4 5 6 7 (7-Padooki) beats A 2 3 8 (8-Padooki)

T J Q K (K-Padooki) beats A 2 3 4 (4-Flush)

A 2 3 4 (4-Flush) splits with A 2 3 4 (4-Flush)

A 2 3 4 (4-Flush) splits with A 2 3 4 (4-Flush)

A 2 3 5 (5-Flush) beats A 2 3 6 (6-Flush)

A 2 3 9 (9-Flush) beats A 2 3 3 (Pair of 3s)

Trying to understand this as best as I can. Am I missing something? What is the essential different between this and badugi?

At a minimum, it seems like the 4th card actually matters if you have a 3 card badugi and sometimes being suited is actually a good thing? (but not as good as having a badugi)

if noone makes a four card rainbow unpaired hand then:

in Padooki = you have to use all 4 cards anyway
in Badugi = you ignore "unwanted" card and show a 3-card hand

As 2h 3d 8d in Padooki is a 8-high flush
As 2h 3d 8d in Badugi is a "tri" Badugi - A23