Chicago NL Hold 'Em Variant?

[Matt Ruff]

In the Chicago variant of 7-card Stud, the high hand splits the pot with either the highest spade in the hole ("High Chicago") or the lowest spade in the hole ("Low Chicago").

I'm curious what people think would happen if you imported this rule to No-limit Hold 'Em. Would the resulting game -- let's call it "Lubbock" -- be interesting to play, or just stupid? If the former, would you prefer High Lubbock or Low Lubbock? What about limiting the number of players to six, to reduce the odds on any given hand that someone must be holding the nut spade?

And finally, any thoughts on strategy?

-- M. Ruff

[archmagi]

I sometimes play in a 5-Card-Draw home game, where if 2 or more players show down a straight of equal value (ie if both are Ace high), the one with the highest spade wins the pot (doesn't share). In this case there is no real need for a change in strategy, since it happens so infrequently.
What you described is somewhat different though, so it might require a change.

[Rasputin]

It sounds kind of stupid to me but then so does nascar and people like it.

As for strategy, depending on high or low you obviously would never fold the A or 2 of spades since they guarantee you half the pot. So if you end up with As and anything, you raise knowing you're going to win half the blinds at least.

It should be impossible to push people off draws when they have the nut spade.

Limiting it to six people there's still 12 cards out which is basically a quarter of the deck so there's roughly a 1 in 4 that someone has the ace.

Christ, if I had the nut spade I'd just play fairly normally then push on the river. If they call I at least win half the blinds with a chance of winning it all and sometime's they'll fold.

Am I missing something?

[nuclear500]

Nah, not much. Thats exactly how any smart player would play it. Don't raise at all, either min-bet or check/call and push the river.

Its how I play Omaha when I flop quads. The chance its going to be beat is almost 0.

[EStreet20]

could not work in NL hold'em for the simple reason that the A of spades in high lubbock could always bet low the entire hand then go all-in on the river and guarantee a win of at least half the pot. Maybe it would work in a limit game but it would make playing limit hold'em far less profitable for good players because any good hand would often be split in half unless they also have the high spade.

[emonrad87]

One thing it would do would be increase the % of time pocket aces hold up, because when you have aces youre going to have the A /images/graemlins/spade.gif a fair amount. AK /images/graemlins/spade.gif would also be a VERY valuable hand.

[Grisgra]

Only comment is that Chicago is about as retarded a poker variant as I can imagine. I'd rather play Baseball!

[emonrad87]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd rather play Baseball!

[/ QUOTE ]



Hey, screw you. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Grisgra]

You a Baseball fan? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Our little home-game is Dealer's Choice, but it's annoying that two or three people will sit out if Baseball gets picked. (Or Blind-Man's Bluff. Nothing like O/8 Blind Man's Bluff!)

But they'll play Kings or Draw with wilds or even -- ugh -- Chicago without a second thought. Truly bizarre . . .

I did get some of them to play one game last time. Got 93 in the hole /images/graemlins/smile.gif. Wish that game had gone past 5th street . . .

[ctv1116]

Chicago is just a game for mechanics who give themselves or a friend the Ace of Spades. Didn't Worm do this in Rounders?

[emonrad87]

Wait, baseball is a poker variant? Did not know that. I was referring to the game with bats and balls.

[Matt Ruff]

[ QUOTE ]
Wait, baseball is a poker variant?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep. In the basic version, 3s and 9s are wild, and anyone dealt a 4 immediately gets an extra card. There are, of course, a million variants on this.

-- M. Ruff