Re: Learning stud hi lo
I was pretty sloppy with terminology above. Let me try a few clarifications.
A23sss (all one suit) vs 345sss - they have about the same chance to make a low. A23 will make better lows but that's not as important, imo, as the chance to make a straight for high.
By 3 card 6 I meant any 3 cards 6 or lower
A "rough" low is one where your 2nd card is not much lower than your 1st card, like 862 or 765.
You are correct about the desire to scoop. High hands CAN scoop though, since there is a qualifier for the low, sometimes there isn't one. And even when someone makes a low, it's worth staying in with a high if you have a very good chance of winning the high, because you can usually win 1/2 the pot but not put in 1/2 the chips. Note though that against 2 opponents, where you must split the pot, you are paying 1bb to win .5bb, so you must be VERY sure to win high. Also, heads up with an obvious high hand you can often win the pot on 4th or 5th when your opponent going low bricks.
At any rate, if you can guarantee or nearly gaurantee winning one side, there is no reason to fold, and no reason to try to eliminate opponents (unless eliminating them might make your chances of scooping larger)
Yes, you should play 4 low cards aggressively against multiple opponents especially in a case like that where you have a small chance to make a great high hand also. Without a made hand you'd probably prefer to get the other low draws out and play against the high hands (you want the other low draws out so you can win with 8432A or 7432A. You don't mind the high hands being in, because you don't have that much chance of winning if you make 1 pair, but a great chance of scooping with a wheel. You would try to knock opponents out that are going high if that increases your chances of winning if you catch one pair. Check out roggle's recent thread on collusion in this board - they forced him out when he had AA, which enabled 44 to win the high. And I think his fold was correct, there was too much chance that he'd get screwed.
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