Rules of the Game
Archie is a triple draw high/ low split pot game. The pot is split between the best high hand and the best ace to five low, however, in order to take any part of the pot a hand must first qualify. The majority of the time the rules specify that a qualifying hand on the high side is a pair of nines or better, however, in some rooms a pair of sixes is the qualifier. On the low side an eight low or better has always been the requirement.
This means that a low hand can scoop the pot if no qualifying high hand is made. When there are two qualifying low hands at showdown and no high hand the better low will take the pot. If no one ends up qualifying, most rules dictate that the pot is split amongst all players who remain at showdown, however sometimes it is specified that the best non qualifying hand will win it all.
The game is played with blinds and is typically capped at six players otherwise you would run out of cards too often.
Basic Strategy
Similar to other split pot games, initial hand selection is very important to success in Archie. In most high/low split games optimal strategy revolves around playing the low oriented hands, hope to secure the low, and then free-roll for the entire pot.
Archie is a draw game so it doesn’t work that way. For example, when you have the 2♥ 3♥ 4♣ 6♠ and draw the 7♣ you must decide whether or not to keep the low or break it continue to try and improve. As far as low hands it is way better than average in that it has four to a very good low along with a gut shot straight draw. However, heads-up against a measly pair of nines it only has around 46% equity assuming it keeps any qualifying low. Many players are so used to targeting the low hands in high/low split that they overlook all of this and thus overvalue these hands.
The 2♥ 3♥ 4♣ 6♠ is still quite a good starting hand and is playable in virtually all situations even though it is not as powerful as it might be in other games. The main takeaway from this should be that you should rarely voluntarily enter the pot with a mediocre three card low such as 2♥ 3♥ 6♠. It can only really played in stealing situations or if you can limp behind other limpers on the button. Low hands with no ace or draw with it (e.g. 2♠ 4♥ 6♦ 7♦) have little place in this game outside of a potential blind steal.
High hands are highly playable in Archie. The first order of business is to obtain a hand that can qualify and that is much more easily done on the high side. The probability of being dealt a pair of nines or greater is around 27% while the chances of being dealt a qualifying eight or lower low hand is approximately 2%. And there are high hands that have a plethora of qualifying outs. For example the K♣ Q♣ T♣ 9♣ can use any club, jack, king, queen, ten, or nine.
When you are going high you would like to limit the field regardless of whether you hold a straight flush or a pair of nines. You want to prevent low hands from coming into the post; or at least make it very costly for them to do so in an attempt to take half of the pot. Aces are strong heads-up against a low hand. A one card draw needs to make a straight to beat you for high and you are often blocking their straight or low outs.
High flush draws are strong hands in both shorthanded and multiway pots. Heads-up against a low hand they have many flush and pair outs upon which to qualify. In multi-way pots they have a lot of value against players holding low draws and possibly inferior flush draws. Be very careful not to play mediocre flush draws multi-way; they are trap hands.
Many players overrate the low hands. You would play the 2♥ 3♥ 4♣ 6♠ in virtually all situations even though it is not as powerful of a start as it might be in other games. The takeaway from this should be that you should rarely voluntarily enter the pot with a hand like 2♥ 3♥ 6♠. It can only really played in stealing situations or if you can limp behind other limpers on the button. Low hands with no ace or draw with it (e.g. 2♠ 4♥ 6♦ 7♦) have little place in this game outside of a potential blind steal.
Starting Hand Standards
Archie starting hand standards are very subjective. No one has a million hands in PokerTracker to point to in order to make a case that some hands are playable from a certain position and others are not. The following are what we consider to be reasonable opening standards for players that are new to the game.
Early Position:
High Hands
• Two Pair (Jacks Up) or better made hand
• Pair of Aces (In tighter games)
• Ace High Flush Draw
• Straight Flush Draws (e.g. Q♠ J♠ T♠ 9♠, K♦ Q♦ T♦ 9♦)
Low Hands
• 75 or better made low (Should be broken to draw to wheel)
• Four to Wheel
• Four to Six (Always has an ace or a straight draw)
Two Way Hands
• Flush Draws with four low cards (e.g. 2♥ 3♥ 6♥ 7♥)
Middle Position:
High Hands
• Two Pair (All) or better made hands
• Pair of Aces
• Pair of Kings (In tighter games)
• Queen High or better Flush Draws
Low Hands
• 75 or better made low (Should be broken to draw to wheel)
• Four to Wheel
• Four to Six (Always has an ace or a straight draw)
Two Way Hands
• Flush Draws with three low cards (e.g. 2♥ 3♥ 5♥)
Late Position:
High Hands
• Two Pair (All) or better made hands
• Pair of QQ+ or better
• Pair of 99-JJ (Judgement territory)
• All Flush Draws
• Four Broadway Cards (e.g. A♠ Q♠ J♥ T♣)
Low Hands
• 75 or better made low (Should be broken to draw to wheel)
• Four to Wheel
• Four to Six (Always has an ace or a straight draw)
Two Way Hands
• Three to a Wheel (e.g. 2♥ 3♦ 5♣)
Further Learning
Archie is a new game and no books currently have any material on it. The articles written for countingouts.com all assume that a pair of nines is the qualifying high and that the pot is split if no player at showdown possesses a qualifying hand.