Explanation of Split
In order to understand the meaning of “split pair” in Stud, a little knowledge of how Stud works can be useful. The first betting round in Stud is referred to as “third street” since all players are dealt three cards. Two of these cards are face down and only visible to the player, while one of these cards is an “upcard” visible to all opponents.
It’s hence possible to be dealt two different types of pairs. “Wired” pairs, where both of the cards formulating the pair are face-down, and “split” pairs where one of the cards formulating the pair is visible to the table.
How to Use Split as Part of Your Poker Strategy
Wired pairs are nearly always better than split pairs due to their deceptive value.
For example, if our upcard is an Ace, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that we will hold a pair of Aces if we have another Ace in the hole. On the other hand, if our upcard is a Two, it’s overall less likely that we hold a big pair.
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