new to 7card stud hi/lo split, need help starting out

[kaidoy]

Just read the super system ( 1 ) section on split but it doesnt take into account a qualification for low, how does this effect my strategy (starting hands?,paint rule?!)... for what I noticed after one hour of play (at party 1/2$.. good place to start?) hands like KKx aren't all that terrible cause the low draws often 'bust out', is this a right assumption?

also super system is written for the high card to bring it in, how does the low card bring-in affect my stealing strategy?

thanks for any help

[arcticfox]

First at party 1/2 there is no point stealing as its populated with calling stations. Secondly buy Ray Zee's book, Super System will not help you with stud/8 due to no qualifier. Big pairs in stud/8 play best heads up, many low draws can end up with 2 pair in trying to get the low by the river so you don't want many opponents with a high pair. Basic strategy is you want to play hands with scooping potential like 3/4/5 where-as a hand like 2/5/8 is really not worth playing as you are only playing for half the pot. Rolled up trips are obviously always worth playing.

Super System 2 has a good stud hhi-lo chapter by Todd Brunson.

[buffbrad54]

Ray Zee's book is very good, however several of the plays will be too advanced to use at the lower levels. Todd Brunson's section of SS2 is good also. And when playing KKx i play very carefully. If anyone of the low hands catch an ace on board, remind youself they could have started with something like (A2)6 and then caught an ace to beat your lone pair of kings.

[theben]

huge change. rolled up hands go way up. single pairs without low potential become stronger. KKX against one person as long as its not an ace up player looks quite good

[stud7champ]

SS1 Chaper on stud 8 is a waste of time the game is totally different now. Invest in SSII thats got the best chapter on Stud8.

[TomBrooks]

[ QUOTE ]
Basic strategy is you want to play hands with scooping potential like 3/4/5 where-as a hand like 2/5/8 is really not worth playing as you are only playing for half the pot.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm playing Stud 8 right now for the first time (Stars .04/.08 /images/graemlins/grin.gif) I will order Ray Zee's book right now, but in the meantime as far as starting hands go...

1. So any hand that with all three cards less than 8 is not automatically good enough to be playable?

2. Is any hand with even one card above an 8 an automatic muck (aside from rolled up trips?)

3. How about 3 suited cards with a King?

3. In a nano-limit game like I'm in, muck any high pocket pairs?

4. Do you muck any paint on the fourth card? I just had 345suited, then a Q. I continued to play.

5. I just had QxQ and it was HU with low card showing so I continued to play. GooT?

[Wu36]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Basic strategy is you want to play hands with scooping potential like 3/4/5 where-as a hand like 2/5/8 is really not worth playing as you are only playing for half the pot.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm playing Stud 8 right now for the first time (Stars .04/.08 /images/graemlins/grin.gif) I will order Ray Zee's book right now, but in the meantime as far as starting hands go...

1. So any hand that with all three cards less than 8 is not automatically good enough to be playable?

2. Is any hand with even one card above an 8 an automatic muck (aside from rolled up trips?)

3. How about 3 suited cards with a King?

3. In a nano-limit game like I'm in, muck any high pocket pairs?

4. Do you muck any paint on the fourth card? I just had 345suited, then a Q. I continued to play.

5. I just had QxQ and it was HU with low card showing so I continued to play. GooT?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Most 8 lows are close to useless, unless you have straight or flush potential.
2. Pretty much, straight flushes are an exception.
3. I always muck here
4. Kings and sometimes queens can still be played, just try not to build a big multiway pot with them.
4. Situational, look at what everyone else caught. 345s is usually worth peeling one on fourth.
5. Yes.

[Quicksilvre]

The best thing to remember is always always play to scoop a pot. Unless you have something like (AA)7AA, you don't want to be caught going for half the pot, since lots of players going low are also shooting for straights and flushes.

[Ray Zee]

the time you spend while playing a losing game would be better spent reading and getting a handle on the basics at least so you will lose slower.

[dibbs]

I wouldnt try and steal too much in this game, but its my new hobby and only have bout 2k hands logged so I dont know much.

SS2 has a stud8 section in it.

Zee's book is better IMO however, and diving into this game without solid basics is financial suicide, I tried it.

Good Luck.

[sexdrugsmoney]

[ QUOTE ]
the time you spend while playing a losing game would be better spent reading and getting a handle on the basics at least so you will lose slower.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd hearken to this advice.

I feel comfortable with lo games I feel, and therefore tried my hand at S8/B at 1/2 and got hammered!

With so many players chasing straights (because busted straights can be the winning lo) I was finding out pumping up the pot with my premimum hands mean't only two outcomes:

1) Some Yahoo splits MY pot with his crappy lo.
2) Some Yahoo Scoops MY pot with his crappy straight.

Both scenarios displease SDM. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif