Chicago

Rozez · #1 09-11-2005, 01:29 PM

Does anyone here play this game? I'm a total beginner and I was thinking if someone could go over the basic stuff like starting hands etc. I would really appreciate it. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Thank you,
Rozez

Burdzthewurd · #2 09-11-2005, 03:33 PM

This would be more appropriate in the Stud section, since it's basically Split Stud (1/2 pot goes to hi hand, 1/2 goes to highest spade in the hole).

SumZero · #3 09-11-2005, 03:57 PM

I've played some of the version where the queen of spades is wild if in the hole (but still just the 3rd highest spade for high spade in the hole), but if it comes face up it is a re-deal amongst everyone still in the pot.

A good dealer's choice type game. Having either the highest spade out down or the queen of spade down in that game is really important. There are playable hands that don't have that, but the real money is in one of those.

Moneyline · #4 09-11-2005, 04:14 PM

I think correct strategy in this game would be to play very tight. I wouldn't leave the gate without a big spade or an absolute monster starting hand, especially in early position. In late position I might be more willing to play hands that contain a mid-high spade that have a reasonable chance at improving to the best hand. I'd play these late position hands as either a steal or for 1 bet multiway if the game was loose. Last to act I would open-raise any spade if it was folded to me... something which you probably won't encounter much in a home game.

As the other poster said, you'll probably get good responses in the stud forum.

randomstumbl · #5 09-11-2005, 06:55 PM

The thing to realize is the probability that someone has the ace of spades in the hole.

8 handed there are 24 cards dealt out on 3rd street. So, there's a 16/44 chance that someone already has a lock on half the pot. Without a high spade, you only want to play in multiway pots.

My home game added a few twists. The card dealt face up after the last queen dealt face up was wild (along with the other 3 cards of that rank). Also, if the queen of spades was dealt face up, everyone who had not folded yet threw in their cards, re-anted and played a new hand with the previous pot as dead money.

There was actually a reason for all the crazy rules. They introduced action to a game that is really boring otherwise. If you play straight Chicago, you can play ridiculiously tight and come out alright (assuming a normal ante structure and typical opponents that call too much).