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Paprika · Full House Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 194

I've been playing stud hi lo online for a while now and it is one of my better games, fun and one of the games that there is a lot of potential for making money, live & online. I thiught I'd throw in my 2 cents since I am always asking for advice on the forums. Here is what I saw in the course of a 2 hour session playing live stud hi lo $3-6 with a kill yesterday:

A general mixed bag of play at this level. I played for 2 hours and went in with a plan to play tight agg. The players were very cordial. I found that at least half the table was either playing weak lows and or weak highs most of the time. I was folding a lot of hands as happens when one plays tightly in any game. There were at least 2 who lost well over $100 just playing every hand and merely chasing a low with no high potential at all(not recommended). Obviously a lot of the players at the table had never read a book, forum thread or article on the game but were just playing the way that they thought that it should be played. Not that one has to read anything to be a good player but I think it can help anyone's game no matter what level you are at. You can always learn or re-learn something. Books have helped my game a ton.

Hands of note: I got really lucky in a 2 hour span and got rolled 3times! First time I got rolled 3's and made the mistake of slow-playing them a bit. in Stud hi slow-playing rolled hands is generally a pretty good idea most of the time, in stud hi-lo it is not that great an idea cause someone is going to be in there chasing down a low and you may either split with them or they may make a str8 etc. Some lady went runner runner and made her heart flush and won a large pot on me. My mistake for letting her see some free cards. I slowly made a bit back with really good lows that had some high potential as well. One hand I got A2(5) and ended up getting another Ace but only got half with my lock low. The guy who stayed in had K's up. Saw many people playing small and medium pairs which can be a bad way to play this game as well, especdailly when there are several going low. Other 2 times I got rolled J's which filled up on the river to scoop, and the other I got rolled K's which took a fair sized high. It is unusual to get rolled just once in a 2 hour time period but 3 is unheard of. Oh well, I'll take it.

Other thing I saw is that most at the table were not really keeping track of others up cards:suits and ranks at all. I was as much as I could. One hand I had a 6 as my upcard, paired it on 4th street but there was another 6 in someone else's 4th st card as well. I checked it and got weird looks from several and they said"Why you no bet that?" I just smilled when the 4th 6 came out on 5th street in yet anothers hand. They just didn't get it that Iwas drawing dead and with a weak pair at that point. The .50 antes can really put a dent in your chips when you fold a lot of hands though. Tips and rake can eat a lot into it as well. I ended up finishing up ahead a whopping $8 for the session but it was my very first live stud hi lo session so I considered it a good session.

Bottom line: Have fun, be courteous and be patient cause you will get some good starting hands. The fact that I was being a very conservative just doesn't occur to people and they will still play their "normal loose chasing the low" style. Dont' get suckered into playing hands that may be good in stud hi like 3 to a medium str8, big pairs other than K's(if they are buried wiht a low upcard) and A's. Medium and small pairs are asking for trouble in this game. Even high flushes you have to be careful with. 8 lows aren't worth much unless it is obvious that there are many in the pot who are all going high. Even then it is at times better to toss them when you can only get half. Scooping is the rule like in any split pot game.

A few more things-I believe(read it here somewhere)that carrying a beginners image isn't that bad of a thing. People dont give much credit for a big hand and will call you and or raise you.

Lastly-Be aware of what the jackpots are. Most semi-experienced players will check two big potential jackpot hands down with you. The dealers are into it too cause they know that they will hopefully getting a large tip when they hit and they do hit from time to time. Just ask them. Teh 3-6 jackpot was more than twice what the 1- and 2-4 was.

That is all. Hope this may help someone out just a little who has never played stud hi lo live before. Any comments, tips or critique are welcomed

DevilfishFan · Royal Flush Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 906

Right on. I wish I could find a live stud 8 game somewhere.

Paprika · Full House Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 194

It was a lot of fun. I may go back there next week. The .50 antes weren't that out of line but they sure do put a crimp in your profits. If you fold 30 hands that is $15 right there. I may play a few more hands next time, if there is no complete and I am to the right of the bring in.

Too bad more people don't play games like stud 8 or O8 cause they are a really refreshing change from various forms of HE. I love HE but I like mixed games a lot. Funny that you never ever see a Omaha hi game any where except online and the WSOP. At one of the other casinos near here they always have a spread 1-5 stud hi lo on the board but there is never more than 1 person who shows any interest at all. Same for O8, you wait and wait and finally you are forced to play either limit or NLHE instead.

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