Calling versus Folding on Seventh Street

If you are deciding between calling and folding on Seventh Street, it means that you do not like your holdings. One of the toughest decisions in Stud-Eight is whether to call on the end with a hand that finished “one-way,” meaning that the hand can only take half the pot. By Seventh Street, the pot can be very large, so losing even half the pot to an incorrect fold can be costly. In many cases, weak one-way hands can hold up for half the pot, if the action came from players vying for the other half. Here are some of the more uncomfortable circumstances to be in at the end.

A weak low versus a potential low: This situation arises with hands such as (5, 6) 7, A, K, 9 (8). By picking up an 8 on the end you are saddled with one of the worse possible low-hands and a terrible high-hand. Some one showing (X, X) 7, 4, 2, A (X) can easily have you beat. However, as a general rule, if you have a qualifying low-hand, and there is a large pot at the end, you should call because it never certain that four scary looking low-cards in an opponent’s hand are part of a qualified low-hand. An exception can be made, if it is a multi-way pot with a lot of raising, in which case it is not a bad play to fold. Good hand reading ability is vital in making the decision because there are times when the player with the low cards has a wired high-pair and little chance completing a low-hand. In heads-up play don’t fold if your opponent appears to be playing for low and you can beat the board for high. In the example above, the A, K might hold up for the high-pot if the other hand hasn’t paired. If the other hand has paired, it will be less likely to qualify for the low-pot.

Two pair versus a potential straight: If the straight cards are high and the player holding them bets or raises into a threatening board, you can confidently muck the two pair. Some one checking and calling with (X, X) J, 10, 9, K, (X) who suddenly bets on the end into a possible low-hand, made the straight. A more difficult situation is when the straight cards are low. For example, you have (A, 2) A, 3, 6, 2 (J) against a player with (X, X) 4, 5, 6, 2 (X), who bets out on the end without having made any prior raises. You lost your chance for a low-hand when the Jack hit, and there is a good chance your Aces-up are no longer good for high. Generally you should call here, unless it is a multi-way pot with a lot of jamming on the end, in which case your hand is clearly no good for high. Again, in making this decision, watch for the 4s and 5s and the connectedness of the cards. For example, your chances are much better for taking the high-pot if you have (A, 4) A, 4, 5, 6 (J) and your opponent has (X, X) 2, 3, 7, 9 (X), than in first example in which all your opponent needs is a hidden 3 to scoop.


One small pair versus a potential low: This is often an apparently hopeless situation, but surprisingly it might not be and you can give up a lot of equity by routinely folding. Suppose you have (3, 4) 5, 6, J, 9, (5) versus (X, X) 7, 3, 2, K (X) and your opponent bets. You missed both the straight draw and the low-hand draw and have nothing but a pair of 5s for a high-hand. However, if your opponent played only for low he might not have any paired cards, which means that your 5s are good for high. In fact, I’ve been in hands in which calling with the 5s scooped for me because the bet was a semi-bluff from an opponent who also missed the low-hand and had an even lower pair.

Trips or less versus another hand betting into a low-hand: A frustrating occurrence is to start with rolled trips or two small pair that do not fill up or make a low-hand. Finishing with (3, 3) 3, 4, 5, J (K) or (A, A) 2, 2, 5, 6, (Q) are frequent outcomes from promising starting cards. These kinds of hands are still strong, but qualify only for the high-pot which limits your implied pot odds on the end. In a heads-up pot, you would simply call. The difficult decision arises in multi-way pots in which a player bets into a potential low-hand, who either raises or might raise when her turn comes. What to do depends on your judgment of whether the player making the bet is representing a high-hand or a low-hand.

If the bettor is representing a high-hand, she has you beat because she wouldn’t bet unless she has better than a low straight. There are exceptions, such as players who bet two pair aggressively in this situation anticipating that for this board you and the other player each have low-hands. However, if you played your early cards aggressively, which you should have, that usually dissuades most players from betting into you on the end unless they hit a monster hand. As painful as it might be, it is better to fold in this situation rather than get jammed by the low-hand.

An extremely uncomfortable situation arises if the bettor is representing a better low-hand than the other player’s low-hand. If each opponent thinks that his or her low-hand is the best, each will want to cap the raising. In that case you will have to go along and hope that neither holds a low straight. Again your aggressive play early in the hand because of the strength of your starting cards means that the pot prior to Seventh Street betting is already large.

Betting versus Checking on Seventh Street

The usual rationale for checking on the end is that in many circumstances, it risks money for no gain. If you believe that your opponents are on a draw against you, they will fold if they miss, or raise if they hit. In high-only poker variants, players check on the end for this reason. But, in high-low games, a hit draw might be for only half the pot. In these cases a raise does not necessary mean you lose everything. This is why having a good read on the end is so important. It is always dangerous to bet with a high-only hand into a made low-hand because your opponent has nothing to loose by raising and could have you beat. However, not every hand that shows low cards on the board represents a qualified low-hand. Many times these are high-only hands that will still call your bet when you have them beat. Here are some cues for reading hands.

Suited cards: Obviously, an opponent showing four, or even three suited cards on the board is a threat to make a flush on the end. However, two suited cards can be threat if one of them includes a high door card, especially if that high door card was either dead, or an under-card after the deal. For example, a person playing a Queen, when other Queens are exposed and/or higher cards such as Aces or Kings are exposed, is almost always playing three suited cards. Even though, in most instances this is a bad play, three suited cards is an irresistible starting hand for most players. If a second card with a suit matching the door card appears, that person will stay to the end looking to complete the flush. Pay attention to how live your opponent's flush draw remains when deciding if you want to bet into this kind of hand at the end.

Sequential cards: Opponents showing sequential mid-range cards, such as 8, 9, 10, or even cards with a gap, such as 7, 9, 10, are usually on a straight draw because that is one of the principal reasons for continuing with mid-range cards that have little value for a low-hand and are often dominated for high hand. Often the straight-draw is backed into from a hand that started as a potential low-hand. Many times these straight-draws can be live and open-ended, so proceed with caution on the end if you do not finish with a qualified low-hand, and cannot beat a mid-range straight.


The exposure of 4s and 5s: As pointed out in a previous post, the completion of a straight that simultaneously qualifies as a low-hand requires 4s and 5s. If you do not see any of the 4s or 5s, any two exposed low-cards in an opponent's hand can be a threat to make a low straight on the end, because most likely the straight-draw is live.


Paired door cards that prompt raising: A hand such as (X, X) 5, 7, K, 5 (X) in which the player suddenly started raising on Sixth Street when the second 5 appeared, has usually made trip 5s. The hand cannot qualify for low on Sixth Street and if there are trips 5s it will not qualify for low. Unless you can beat 5s-full you should probably check to this hand on the river.


Paired door cards that are high in a hand that did not raise on prior streets: Consider a hand such as (X, X) K, K, 7, 5 (X). When a high door card such as this is paired, the possibility of trips must be considered, but usually the player will begin raising immediately. If a raise does not occur when the card is paired, that is often sign of a wired pair, and the player now has two pair. Players with two pair are often aggressive when there are no potential low-hands, but if there are one or more potential low-hands, two pair is a vulnerable holding and many players check and call while hoping to fill-up. What this means is that if you finish with two pair, you need to be able to beat a hand with two pair that includes the pair on the board.

Paired door cards that are low in a hand that did not raise on prior streets: A hand such as (X, X) 4, 4, J, 10 (X) that checked and called all the way, most likely went to the river as a pair 4s with hopes of making two-pair or trips on the end. Most likely this hand started as three small cards but never improved for low. If you can beat two small pair you should bet because this player will call with any two pair, no matter how small, and might even call with the pair of 4s if the 4s beat the board.

Paired cards for Fourth Street and later: For hands such as (X, X) 3, 4, J, J (X) or (X, X) 3, 4, Q, 4 (X) it is unlikely that the player had anything better than the single pair going to the river. The player is hoping to make two pair, or trips on the end, or complete a low-hand. If you have a two pair that can beat the pair on the board it is usually worth it to bet.

Low door cards that remain in the hand after picking up high cards: A player with a hand such as (X, X) 5, J, Q, K, almost always started with a low pair, either split or wired, because if the starting hand had been 4, 5, 6, it would have been abandoned. This player is hoping make two pair, or trips on the end. You should not have to worry about the straight. If you are heads-up against this kind of hand and have two small pair, you should check. This is the kind of hand that will often fold to a bet unless it makes Jacks-up or better, in which case you are beat.

Any two exposed wheel cards, especially on early streets: A player with (X, X), 5, 4, J, Q (X) is going to the river looking to complete a low-hand at the minimum, and possibly a low straight. You should check to this hand unless you have a high hand that can beat a low straight because you have nothing to gain from a bet. The player will fold to any bet unless he completed a low-hand.

Four exposed low-cards in a hand that did not raise on prior streets: Hand such as (X, X) 2, 5, 6, 7 (X) that did not raise earlier have not qualified for the low-pot before the river. Clearly the hand could be a qualified low-hand after the river, but frequently the last card is a brick, especially if many of the low cards are dead. If the hand is not already a qualified low-hand before the river, it is because low hole cards paired, resulting in two small pair, or there was a wired pair to begin with that did not make trips. Often in these situations the wired pair is high, which meant the player never expected to get a low-hand. If you have a hand with a reasonably high two pair or better, you should bet because often you will scoop in this situation, even with all the scary looking low-cards.

Low Hands in Seven-Card Stud High-Low Eight-or-Better

I often see a great deal of confusion about the ranking of low-hands in Seven-Card Stud High-Low (Stud-Eight). This post is meant to explain the rankings.

When ranking low-hands, an Ace is always ranked as the lowest card. In Stud-Eight, a low hand must "qualify" to win the low pot. In contrast, the game of Razz awards the entire pot to the lowest hand with no conditions attached. To qualify for the low-pot, a low-hand must contain five cards with none paired, and none ranked higher than an 8. For example: 8, 5 4, 2, A and 7, 6, 4, 3, 2 are qualifying low hands. A hand such as 9, 4, 3, 2, A does not qualify for low. When comparing low hands, the high cards are compared first. Therefore 8, 4, 3, 2, A would loose to 7, 6, 4, 3, 2. When high cards match the second highest cards are compared and so on until there is a discrepancy. For example 8, 7, 4, 3, 2 would loose to 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 8, 6, 4, 3, A would beat 8, 6, 4, 3, 2. If all cards in two or more qualifying low hands match, the players split the low pot.

Straights and flushes do not disqualify a hand from low. As a result, the best possible low hand is 5, 4, 3, 2, A, a hand that could also compete for the high pot as a 5-high straight. A hand such as A, 2, 4, 5, 7 all in spades, could compete as an Ace-high flush for the high pot, and 7-high low for the low pot. In high-only poker, the dream hand is the "royal flush" (Ace-high straight flush) because it out-ranks all other hands. In high-low games, the dream hand is the "steel wheel" which is an A, 2, 3, 4, 5, all in the same suit. Simultaneously it serves as the best possible low hand, and as a 5-high straight flush. Even thought it is the lowest-ranked straight flush, it would win high against any player with four-of-a-kind.

There are a total of 56 qualified low hands in Stud-Eight. Ranked from best (lowest), to worse (highest), the low hands can be categorized by the highest card in the group. Here is a listing of the low-hands in order of rank, with the total number of each kind of hand in parenthesis.
.

5-high hands (1)

5, 4, 3, 2, A

6-high hands (5)

6, 4, 3, 2, A

6, 5, 3, 2, A
6, 5, 4, 2, A
6, 5, 4, 3, A
6, 5, 4, 3, 2

7-high hands (15)

7, 4, 3, 2, A

7, 5, 3, 2, A
7, 5, 4, 2, A
7, 5, 4, 3, A
7, 5, 4, 3, 2

7, 6, 3, 2, A
7, 6, 4, 2, A
7, 6, 4, 3, A
7, 6, 4, 3, 2
7, 6, 5, 2, A
7, 6, 5, 3, A
7, 6, 5, 3, 2
7, 6, 5, 4, A
7, 6, 5, 4, 2
7, 6, 5, 4, 3


8-high hands (35)

8, 4, 3, 2, A

8, 5, 3, 2, A
8, 5, 4, 2, A
8, 5, 4, 3, A
8, 5, 4, 3, 2

8, 6, 3, 2, A
8, 6, 4, 2, A
8, 6, 4, 3, A
8, 6, 4, 3, 2
8, 6, 5, 2, A
8, 6, 5, 3, A
8, 6, 5, 3, 2
8, 6, 5, 4, A
8, 6, 5, 4, 2
8, 6, 5, 4, 3

8, 7, 3, 2, A
8, 7, 4, 2, A
8, 7, 4, 3, A
8, 7, 4, 3, 2
8, 7, 5, 2, A
8, 7, 5, 3, A
8, 7, 5, 3, 2
8, 7, 5, 4, A
8, 7, 5, 4, 2
8, 7, 5, 4, 3

8, 7, 6, 2, A
8, 7, 6, 3, A
8, 7, 6, 3, 2
8, 7, 6, 4, A
8, 7, 6, 4, 2
8, 7, 6, 4, 3
8, 7, 6, 5, A
8, 7, 6, 5, 2
8, 7, 6, 5, 3
8, 7, 6, 5, 4

Notice that in each grouping, the low-hand that also competes for the high-pot as a straight is the worse low-hand that you can have. An 8-high straight loses the low pot to all other 8-high low-hands, a 7-high straight loses the low-pot to all other 7-high low-hands, and a 6-high straight loses the low-pot to all other 6-high low-hands. Also notice how common an 8-7 high low-hand is compared to the other low-hands. Of the 56 possible low-hands, 20 are 8-7 high low-hands, which is more than all the 7-high low-hands combined (15 total).

Note for Omaha High-Low players:

Low-hands are ranked the same in Omaha High-Low and in Stud-Eight, but I've seen players become confused in determining the rank of their low-hands. In Omaha High-Low, you must use three community cards combined with two in your hand. That means that if the community cards include an 8, 7, 6, and you hold an A, 2, your hand is the best possible low-hand. It is still an 8-high low-hand, but no one can make a better low given the community cards. That rule makes an A, 2 a powerful holding in Omaha High-Low. But in Stud-Eight, if you have an 8, 7, 6, A, 2, you lose the low-pot to a player with a 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. You have an 8-high low-hand and your opponent has a 7-high low-hand. The 7-high bests the 8-high for the low-pot. The fact that you have A, 2, for your lowest cards, does not matter because it is the high card in the hand that counts.

It is also worth noting, that in contrast to Omaha High-Low, being "quartered" in Stud-Eight is a rare event. In Omaha High-Low, it is common for two players to each have the best possible low-hand and split the low-pot (each receive one-quarter of the total pot). For example if two players each have an A, 2, and the community cards included 8, 7, 6, each player has the same low-hand. But, in Stud-Eight there are no community cards, which means that to split a low-pot all five cards in the players' low-hands must match. A single un-matched card will decide the low-pot. For example, a player with 7, 6, 5, 3, 2 would lose the low-pot to a 7, 6, 5, 3, A, because the Ace beats the 2 for low.