7 Stud Hi/Lo 8-or-better (cards speak)

I've fallen in love with this game. It seems like I am just better at it than hold'em or even omaha hi/lo8. Every time I've played it I've managed to run over the table I was at (usually 3/6 stakes).

To me it comes down to 2 main things:

Having good starting hands and making solid plays based on the analysis of the board. I'll extend Fnord's remarks a bit to include the low hands I typically play and how I play them.

Great starting low hands:
A23, A24, A34, A25, 234

Good starting hands:
Any other 2 low cards + an ace
Any 3 card 8 or better combination with a flush and/or straight draw

poor starting hands:
2 low cards with a 3rd 9 or higher
3 low cards but 2 of them are a pair (unless with an ace)
367, 368, 378, 468 etc.

3rd street (great hands): These can be played in any position. If you're in late position (to the right of the bring-in) then put in a raise. If you're in early position, just call and be ready to re-raise to a raiser on your left if there are many callers. The goal at this point is to keep as many players in as possible but get as much into the pot as possible.

3rd street (good hands): If you're suited you should raise in late position but call in early. If no other coordination to the hand you should call in middle or late positions. In early position consider the players behind you and whether they'd raise on 3rd street or not. (you might occasionally check-raise with great starting hands on 3rd street to keep players from getting too aggressive against you when you've got mediocre holdings)

3rd street (poor hands): Only play these in late position, unraised pots. You may want to go ahead and call a raise if it's mostly high cards showing and a high card (non-ace) did the raising.

4th street: If you catch another low card, analyze the boards of your opponents and determine if you have the best low or the best low draw. Bet for value; put in a re-raise if you're raised on your left and get other callers. This is the time to build the pot and drive out players that got bricked.

If you get bricked (high card or paired card), it's a judgement call as to whether to play through it or not. Most of the time you don't want to, but if there are mostly high cards showing, then go on and play through it. But don't call 2 or more bets cold, have something else to go with your low draw.

Also if you have an open pair of aces you definitely should play and should bet. In early position bet for value and to drive players out (you wanna play aces heads up). If there's a bet to your right, just call at this point. You want the player on the right to remain the aggressor on 5th street, especially if you don't improve.

5th street:
If you've made your low it should be obvious to most people (excluding most of the loose-passives I play with). You should consider whether it is the BEST low and adjust your betting accordingly. If it is the best low but there are better draws, bet and raise to get them to fold or charge them dearly to make their better lows. Also keep in mind that you can improve as well.

If there are 3 of you left and it's obvious that you're going low and the other 2 in the hand are going high, bet and raise as much as possible. Charge them both the max to make their hands.

If you get bricked it's a judgement call again. If others in the hand appear to be going high, stay in as cheaply as possible. (Check or call one bet)

6th street: By this time you should have made your low, or else had some other draw that's working out (flush draw, straight, 2 pr or trips if you were bricked on 4th or 5th street). Again, bet and raise for value at this point, unless only one other in the hand and he's obviously going high. If you DO have a flush possibility, you may NOT want to drive players out at this point, so if there are still multiple players left, you want to just call or put in a bet in late position.

7th street: You should obviously have the best low by now, or else have gotten out. Bet/raise for value.
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As with any hi/lo game:

- you want to build the pot early when people are still chasing with inferior cards.
- you would prefer a hand that can scoop a pot to one that just gives you half

Are hands like KKQ or KQJ suited playable from any position? How about AA-(9 or higher)? I assume AA-(8 or lower) is a raise/reraise from any position?

I tried 7-stud Hi/Lo for the first time today. And I must admit it was fun. I do like it better than omaha. I definitely was winning my fair share on the lower end of the spectrum. Cool game.

Originally Posted by twosevoff

Are hands like KKQ or KQJ suited playable from any position? How about AA-(9 or higher)? I assume AA-(8 or lower) is a raise/reraise from any position?

Of course. I should have mentioned that I was more or less limiting my comments to playing for the low hand.

Where do you draw the line as far as what high hands to play? In Super System's section on hi-lo, Sklansky writes that any hand with paint (10 or higher) in it except rolled up trips is unplayable, but the stud hi-lo he is talking about is without the 8 or better qualifier, so the high hand can't scoop like it can in stud 8 when there is no qualifying low, which would make high pairs and hands like 10JQ much more valuable.