Crazy Pineapple 8b discards

[Buzz]

Hi Yads - I responded to Mark with regard to one of your questions. I'll take a shot at a couple of others here.

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Let's say you raise PF with AQ2 rainbow (is this even a good play?)

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I don't know.

I don't think of AQ2 rainbow as a particularly good hand in this game. I might or might not raise with it. (I'd probably limp with it).

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what if your Q2 is suited and you flop a 4 flush with the same board?

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Let's make your hand
A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and the flop 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].

You can see immediately how much stronger your hand would be if your ace was suited rather than your queen. A good draw here would be for the nut low and also the nut flush. Alas, that's not the case.

And since it isn't the case, you don't have a great fit with this flop. (The name of the game here is "scoop" just like it is in Omaha-8, or any other high/low split game. However, if there are enough opponents who will call a post-flop bet, I think you're good enough to continue.

But how to continue? Do we draw, trying to hit one of sixteen cards, for the nut low or do we draw, trying to hit one of nine cards, for the third nut flush? Well... it isn't just nine cards, because we also have TPTK. 2 queens, 2 non-club aces..... Okay, do we draw trying to hit one of thirteen cards for a non-nut high?

I like aces in this game, and I hate to give them up. I'd give up the ace after this flop if I held two queens along with the ace - but that's not the case here.

Interesting. Since you don't have to correct for getting counterfeited, I think there are actually more two-card combinations that get you a club flush, or two pair or better than make you the nut low. After a cursory look, I think it's close. (But you still have to keep in mind that two running clubs opens the door for anyone with a bare ace or king of clubs and a board pair could be a disaster if you do make the club flush).
Even if you do make the club flush, you're vulnerable to a better flush or, if the board pairs, a full house.

The foregoing considered, I prefer drawing for the nut low rather than the club flush. Therefore I'd keep the ace and the deuce.

I think anyone who chooses to keep the queen and the deuce is giving more value to top-pair-on-the-flop than I would.

Just my opinion.

Buzz