If you have a made low on Fifth Street and no one else does, it is often advantageous to keep players in the hand contributing to the pot. If the high hand is willing to bet, calling might be a more profitable option because you do not want to just get your money back if it becomes a heads-up contest with the high hand. However, there are situations where raising with the intent of driving others out of hand is preferable. Some examples:
-- Your low is vulnerable to another player with a low draw. Suppose you have (2, 4) A, 7, 8 and another player has an exposed 6, 3, 3. The pair means a low has not been made, but she could have a draw to a better low and she holds three cards that would improve your low. Your low hand is very vulnerable to becoming second best later in the hand. If the high bets you should raise and attempt to force her out.
-- You can freeroll your low for a powerful high hand and do not want other hands to compete against it for high. Suppose you have (2, 5) 3, 4, 7 in a multi-way pot in which one of the players appears to be on a flush draw. Another player with an exposed pair of 8s bets. You should raise to force out the flush draw. If you make your straight, you want it to hold up for high.
-- The high hand appears weak and possibly the result of a busted low. Suppose you have (6, 3) A, 5, 7 against a player with an exposed 2, 2, J. The pair of 2s might be the only thing he has going for him and pairing any one of your cards could lead to a better high. Aggressive raising might win the pot outright. He could judge that it is too risky to pursue the hand for high.
-- You have a lock on low in a multi-way pot in which raising will not drive the others out. There could be several powerful high hands that have developed or are developing in such a way that your opponents will pay any price to stay in the hand. Obviously in that situation, raising will maximize the amount in the pot and comes with no risk, even if you are drawing dead to high.
Showing posts with label possible hands in Seven-Card Stud High-Low. Show all posts
Showing posts with label possible hands in Seven-Card Stud High-Low. Show all posts
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, October 5, 2009
The Possible and the Impossible in Seven-Card Stud High-Low Poker
Every variation of poker has conditions on the kinds of hands possible, given the exposed cards (the board) and rules of the game. For example, in Hold'em full houses and quads are possible only if the board is paired. Knowledge of the possible is vital throughout the hand, when deciding to place or call bets. Here is a summary of what is possible and impossible in Seven-Card Stud High-Low.
High Hands
It is possible for a player to have a full house or quads without an exposed pair. The three hidden cards can combine with any one or two of the four exposed cards to make these kinds of hands.
If just two of the four exposed cards have matching suits, a flush is possible.
It is impossible for a player to have a flush when all four exposed cards are in different suits.
It is always possible for a player to have a straight, because the four exposed cards can never be arranged in such a way, that the three hidden cards couldn't fill a gap.
It is impossible for two players to have trips of the same rank. As a result, kickers never play when trips are compared. (The same is true for quads.)
It is possible for two players to have two-pair of identical ranks. In that case, the kickers decide the hand.
Exposed Hands
The following kinds of hands require all five cards and can never be completely exposed on the board:
Full houses
Flushes (including straight-flushes)
Straights
Qualified lows (low hands that meet the eight-or-better condition)
The following kinds of hands require less than five cards and can be exposed on the board:
Quads
Trips
Two-pair
One-pair
Low Hands
It is impossible for a player with three exposed high cards to have a qualified low.
It is impossible to have a qualified low and a full house or quads
It is impossible to have a qualified low with an exposed low-pair and two high cards. For example, a player with 5, 5, J, K, cannot make low.
For the same reason, it is impossible to have a qualified low with an exposed two-pair, when one of the pairs is high. For example, a player with J, J, 8, 8, cannot make low.
A player with an exposed high-pair and two low cards can have a qualified low-hand. However, the low-hand cannot be better than the highest exposed low card. For example, 9, 9, 7, 3 cannot be better than a 7-high low-hand.
A player with an exposed two-pair, with both pairs low, can have qualified low-hand, but it cannot be better than the rank of the highest pair. For example, 3, 3, 8, 8, cannot make a low-hand better than an 8-high.
It is always possible for a player with two exposed wheel cards to make a wheel. For example, a player with J, J, 2, 5, could have an A, 3, 4 hidden.
Similarly it is impossible to have a low hand better than the two lowest exposed low-cards. For example a player with 8, 7, 6, J exposed, can have at best a 7-6-high low.
High Hands
It is possible for a player to have a full house or quads without an exposed pair. The three hidden cards can combine with any one or two of the four exposed cards to make these kinds of hands.
If just two of the four exposed cards have matching suits, a flush is possible.
It is impossible for a player to have a flush when all four exposed cards are in different suits.
It is always possible for a player to have a straight, because the four exposed cards can never be arranged in such a way, that the three hidden cards couldn't fill a gap.
It is impossible for two players to have trips of the same rank. As a result, kickers never play when trips are compared. (The same is true for quads.)
It is possible for two players to have two-pair of identical ranks. In that case, the kickers decide the hand.
Exposed Hands
The following kinds of hands require all five cards and can never be completely exposed on the board:
Full houses
Flushes (including straight-flushes)
Straights
Qualified lows (low hands that meet the eight-or-better condition)
The following kinds of hands require less than five cards and can be exposed on the board:
Quads
Trips
Two-pair
One-pair
Low Hands
It is impossible for a player with three exposed high cards to have a qualified low.
It is impossible to have a qualified low and a full house or quads
It is impossible to have a qualified low with an exposed low-pair and two high cards. For example, a player with 5, 5, J, K, cannot make low.
For the same reason, it is impossible to have a qualified low with an exposed two-pair, when one of the pairs is high. For example, a player with J, J, 8, 8, cannot make low.
A player with an exposed high-pair and two low cards can have a qualified low-hand. However, the low-hand cannot be better than the highest exposed low card. For example, 9, 9, 7, 3 cannot be better than a 7-high low-hand.
A player with an exposed two-pair, with both pairs low, can have qualified low-hand, but it cannot be better than the rank of the highest pair. For example, 3, 3, 8, 8, cannot make a low-hand better than an 8-high.
It is always possible for a player with two exposed wheel cards to make a wheel. For example, a player with J, J, 2, 5, could have an A, 3, 4 hidden.
Similarly it is impossible to have a low hand better than the two lowest exposed low-cards. For example a player with 8, 7, 6, J exposed, can have at best a 7-6-high low.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
