Archive for May, 2009
Strategy For Seven-card Stud: High-low Poker
Author: admin
The splitting of the pot into two halves, one for the best high hand and one for the best low, makes seven-card stud an action-packed and exciting game. An astute player can win healthy sums against loose opponents.
Though there are more ways to win at high-low stud, you must not let the increased opportunities of winning pots tempt you into looser playing habits. The same winning principles apply—enter the betting only with good starting cards, ones which hold possibilities of winning either the high or low end of the pot.
Straddling the middle with hands that hold both high and low possibilities but are mediocre in both directions is a costly and weak strategy. You can work only with the cards that you're dealt. If the hand is not strong as either a high or low hand, then the cards should be folded. Save your bets and play only with cards that can make you a winner.
Enter the betting with the same starting cards you would play in either high seven-card stud for the high pot or in Razz for the low pot. If your cards develop into potential two-way winners, that's even better. For now, though, concentrate on winning at least one way.
Here are the minimum starting cards needed to play for the low pot:
Seven-Card High-Low Stud • Minimum Low-End Starting Cards
Three card 7-high or lower
Three card 8-high containing two cards 5 or less Three card 9-high, with the two back-up cards being an ace, 2 or 3 With three promising low cards, play till fourth street, but if you don't receive a fourth low card, fold. You have to face three more betting rounds, and with heavy betting and raising, trying to catch two more low cards is an expensive proposition, especially with only half a pot as the prize. However, if other low hand possibilities haven't improved either, and it seems your hand is still a competitor for the low pot, fifth street could be worth a play.
Low hands with flush or straight possibilities, such as the 7 5 2 of hearts or 5 4 3 of mixed suits, are ideal high-low hands. They provide the double threat of taking the high and low pots, and, if the cards pan out, of winning the high-low pot outright.
Seven-Card High-Low Stud • Minimum High-End Starting Cards
Three-of-a-kind
Three-card straight flush
Three-card flush
Three-card straight
Pair of 10s or higher
Low-middle pair with ace or king kicker
Concealed pair with face card kicker
Three high cards with two-straight or flush
You can also play a concealed low pair, 7s or lower, with a low open card, 6 or lower, until fourth street. If the hand doesn't improve there, that hand should be folded. Though you'll go in with a lot of hands, you'll also be quick to fold many of them if there is no improvement on fourth street.
Three-card flushes and straights should be ditched if the fourth card isn't bought, unless fourth street position leaves you with a combination three-flush or straight and three-card 7-high low hand. In that case, take the hand to fifth street, and stay there only if you improve to a four-card low or four-card flush or straight. Otherwise, fold the hand.
Low or medium pairs that don't improve should be thrown away. With only half a pot to win, the odds don't justify playing these marginal cards. Similarly, the three high-card hand, two-straight, and two-flush hands should be thrown away if they don't improve.
The nature of high-low stud calls for more aggressive play. When you have a lock on either the high or low end of the pot, bet forcefully. You want to create big pots and make the winnings that much sweeter.
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Tags: Strategy For Seven-card Stud: Low Poker
Author: admin
In seven-card low stud, players use their best five cards out of the seven dealt to form the lowest hand possible, as opposed to high stud, where players look to form their highest totals. (See the section on lowball in the draw poker chapter for ranking hands in low poker.) Strategic thinking in razz is different than in high poker. Good lowball hands always start out as drawing hands, hands which need advantageous draws to develop into winners.
Your first four cards may be A 2 3 4, a golden start, but if the following three cards you receive are a pair of jacks and a king, then your hand melts into nothing. On the other hand, seven-card high stud presents situations where you're dealt lock hands for starters, such as the starting hand K K K. Regardless of future draws, these trip kings are heavily favored to win. Subsequent draws cannot diminish the inherent strength of those cards. In contrast, lowball hands which don't pan out die on the vine and become worthless.
To be competitive in seven-card lowball, you must, nonetheless, enter the betting with strong starting cards, ones that can go all the way. Following are the minimum opening or calling hands that should be played in Razz.
Seven-Card Low Stud • Minimum Starting Cards
Three-card 7-high or better (lower) Three-card 8-high with two cards valued 5 or lower Three-card 9-high with the other card as ace, 2, or 3 An ace plus a 5 or a lower card, and an odd card.
If you don't hold one of the above combinations, you must fold. You don't want to play underdog cards and contribute to other players' pots. If you can get a free ride into fourth street, take it, but hands of less than the above-mentioned caliber can-the blind, and no raises occur behind your position, you're already in-take the free card on fourth street.
Relatively low supporting cards in low poker are called smooth hands, such as the trey (3) and deuce (2) in the starting hand of 7 3 2, or the 4, 3, 2, and ace in the hand 8 4 3 2 A, a smooth eight. Hands where the supporting cards are relatively high are called rough, such as the 6 and 4 in the starting cards 7 6 4, called a rough seven, or the 7, 5, 4, and 3 in the hand 8 7 5 4 3, a rough eight. Smooth hands have greater possibilities than their rough counterparts.
You should play them more aggressively.
If you make an 8-high hand or a smooth 9 on fifth street, you're in a strong position. You can play forcefully against players still holding drawing hands. You should raise their drawing hands. You're the favorite, and you either want to force them out of the pot or make them pay for every card they try to buy. Play aggressively against weak players. They'll stay in too long with inferior hands. When you've got the goods, why not make your winning pot that much larger?
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