I'm new to the game having played limited hours of strictly heads up. I've been playing the variant of drawing 5 cards and setting those 5 first. I've got an outline of my basic strategy that is working vs a few different opponents.

Before I share my thoughts, I have a few questions for you folks dabbling in the new fad.

How many are playing the 5 card variant? Which do you prefer and why? Do you have a basic strategy when setting your initial hand?

Also feel free to post tough spots you've run into to discuss.

What 5 card variant are you speaking about? 5 card draw? or some variant of 5 card draw?

Open faced Chinese - start with and set 5 cards to start the game, then take turns drawing 1 till game over

This is the standard form of the game. Not a variant.

Just curious, how much ofc have you played? I've probably played 50hrs live money games and dealt myself hands for at least that amount of time and find the variance to be so large as to be unsure of lots of marginal but standard situations.

Hero is first to act and is dealt 4c4s8dJcKs. Hero?

I can think of 3 reasonable ways to set this hand (and a few more almost reasonable ways).

Feel free to PM

About 10 hours thus far.
For that hand I would do a few scenarios as well.
44 up top
8mid (or swap spaces with 44)
Jk bottom


Or

None top
8 mid
44kJ bottom = Max draws for 2p/3-kind

Not likely to build two to the flush unless both high cards and I'm not first to act/seeing not many of my flush outs laid down.

I think it's too risky to open with small pairs in the top. In general I think it's a mistake to risk fouling your hand if you aren't chasing a royalty. I'd play the small pair in the middle and the big cards in the back.

When you are on the button, do you get to see all 5 cards that the first guy sets?

I agree with not putting 4s up top.

If you don't see a 4 in the other guy's first five cards (assuming you get to see all 5), I would tend to put the pair in the bottom with the K.

J
K
448

This is why I love open face. 3 responses and 3 different preferred ways to set the hand.

Can you explain Maverick? I probably would do:
8
44
KJ

Never even would've considered your suggestion though.

Also Maverick, if your first draw is a K where do you put it in your set?

This is a very bad way to set it. If you draw a jack or a king, you can't confidently pair them up because you have put pressure on yourself to HAVE to hit a 4 or an 8 in the bacl to not foul. And with 44 being such a low pair, whatever random cards you put in the other two hands, unless it's a 3 or 2, you run into the same problem if you draw a second one, just like the K or J.

Pretty sure best way is 44 in middle, KJ in back, and I think 8 in the middle also. You can't really pair the 8 unless you put it in the back because pairing it in the middle makes you need 2 pair in the back and pairing it up top is really putting the pressure on for the other 2 hands. But putting it in the back wastes a slot for making more hands (including possible straight), but it's not terrible, since you can at least pair it if you pull another since it's bigger than the 44.. So it really boils down to where the best place is to waste the 8.

8
J
44K

or more likely

(none)
J8
44K

A pair of Jacks up top is a 6 point royalty. No gambool no future.

If my 6th street is a K I slam it in the middle and high five the dealer.

I'm considering fantasy land, but still set it this way w/o.

It's pretty easy to improve your back to two pair or better. We can always find a live useless card and find use putting it in the back. I'd much rather use my crappy cards in the back making fours full or x's up than in the middle or front. Yes, the number one rule is don't foul, but if you're playing against people who know that rule, then this hand is going to get scooped legally plenty often playing it any other way, so I'm perfectly willing to take the opportunity to make one of two 6 point royalties and go from there. I wouldn't necessarily slam the J up top on 6th street, but I would consider it.

44 up top is awful. No reward for the risk of not being able to get legal.

44 in mid is sub-optimal because a pair of fours in the middle is not strong and it's very difficult to make twops plus in the middle legally.

Putting any kicker other than the 8 with the fours in the back just makes zero sense to me. You really expect to make 5 pair? 2 pair + 1 pair + 1 pair = 12 point scooper.

For the especially bad runouts, we still have a pair, king high, and jack high.

I'm with Maverick. two pair could come easy enough, and possible boat justifies it.

J
K
448

Devo please stop posting about this game, it will cost us both a lot of money!

**** you for not posting something like your a moran, I was enjoying my lack of responses.

I have only just started playing this game and only against a very good friend, so we don't play with all the bonus'. But i think this is the way i would set it as well.

Devo, do you know how much does a casino charge to play this game and what stakes are offered ?
Thank you!

In Vegas it's $7-$10/player time rake w expected $5/player tip. Sometimes if the floor is friendly they'll offer a break.

I'm assuming it's per half? Is it $5 per point?

Yes. Stakes are whatever people agree to play. Usually $10/pt and up.

I agree with Devo.

ORLY?