The best possible starting hand in 08B is A-A-2-3, with the A-2 and the A-3 pairs each of the same suit. So 0-[2~[9~[9 is as good as it gets in 08B for a starting hand. Any A-A-2-3 with just one suited pair is the next-best possible hand, followed by A-A-2-3 with no suits. Why is this hand so strong? First, you're starting with the best possible pair (A-A); second, you have the nut-flush possibility when you're suited to the ace; and, third, you already have three wheel cards that offer the best possible low combination (A-2), the second-best possible low combination (A-3), and the third-best possible low combination (2-3). So this is an incredibly powerful hand, because you have so many great low possibilities and high possibilities at the same time. This is a hand that's easy to scoop the pot with, and hands that have strong scooping potential are highly prized in high-low-split games.

The next-best possible starting hand in my book is A-A-2-4, followed by A-A-2-5, and so on, all the way down to A-A-2-K. The reason why A-A-2-x is such a big hand is that you will often make the best possible low hand with it, and the A-A can hold up for high as well, especially when there is another pair on the board, like 10-4-5-7-7. After A-A-2-x, I prefer A-A-3-x, but some other pros like A-2-3-4. The argument for A-A-3-x is that you have the best possible pair, the second-best possible low card combination, and, if you're suited, the best possible flush draw. The argument for the A-2-3-4 is that you have all the low draws covered. In most cases where the board qualifies for low, you will have the nut low. What you think is more important—having all the lows covered or having high features—will determine which of these hands you like better. But there are good arguments either way. In any case, they are both very powerful starting hands in 08B.

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