Basic Strategies for Newcomers to Split Hold’em
George | May 23, 2018
When you play Texas Hold’em regularly with your pals, you might want to spice up your home games. If you’ve already mastered your friends’ tells and habits, you might seek a different challenge. Playing a different, more innovative game could be the answer. That contemporary version you’re looking for could be Split Hold’em. The game looks and sounds similar to Texas Hold’em. However, there is one significant twist in the tale.
Thanks to double winning opportunities, Split Hold’em offers heaps of action. This excitement follows the introduction of two community boards and pots. With two flops, turns, and rivers, the prospect of bad beats increases due to the number of cards dealt per hand. You’ll need to learn to control your emotions and avoid tilting if a strong starting hand is outdrawn by someone chasing a card. Split Hold’em, a No-Limit version like Texas Hold’em, plays out identically to its predecessor. Players each receive two cards from the dealer, and small and big blinds are paid out to the left of the dealer button.
However, it’s the postflop action where Split Hold’em stands out. Instead of dealing one community board of five cards, the dealer must deal an additional community board. The hand then progresses similarly, with players allowed to wager on the flop, turn, and river. They bid to win either half of the pot — one of the community boards — or both pots if they feel their hand can win on both boards. In beginner strategies for Split Hold’em, it’s important to note that smaller pocket pairs are not as powerful as a preflop hand. The likelihood of hitting the flop and bagging three-of-a-kind decreases with the addition of another community board. On the flip side, marginal hands like Ace of Any ColorKing of Any Color or Ace of Any ColorQueen of Any Color might be more useful to play, as you’ll have double the chance of spiking an ace, king, or queen on either flop.
Learning when to pick your battles at the tables
As you gain experience and knowledge about the nuances of Split Hold’em, you’ll realize you won’t win as many pots as in Texas Hold’em. You’ll learn to pick your moments to attack and play aggressively for both pots. You’ll also understand when to defend and fold, avoiding the chase for a turn or river card on a single community board. What’s great about Split Hold’em is its appeal to both Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hi-Lo players. These Hi-Lo games have similar split-pot action, giving Omaha players a distinct advantage in Split Hold’em.
Ultimately, focus on keeping your head while others may lose theirs in all the action. It can be good training for Texas Hold’em, helping you to become more aware of pot odds and probabilities. This awareness can make you more selective with the hands you play. It’s uncertain how long Split Hold’em will be available online, as it’s in a beta or trial stage. However, it has received a warm reception from the casual poker community, suggesting it could be profitable for online poker networks.
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