Urgent Hi-Lo Poker Update

Thanks to the 150 or so people who wrote in about my poker dilemma (Read the original post here for explanation). I'm not only sharing the e-mails that argue my side (my side being the side that says I should have won three-quarters of the pot) but most correspondents thought that since I tied the low hand, I should have won the three-quarters. I've gathered some responses down below, starting with one from my friend and mentor, Seth Lipsky, who naturally ruled against me: "You lost, alas," he wrote."If you swing (i.e., declare both high and low) you can't tie in either direction. It's as old as poker."

Other readers came down on my side. Josh Chrisman: "My poker playing friends and I have encountered the same question.  (One of the benefits of playing poker with engineers is that they insist on having rules for every conceivable outcome, no matter how unlikely.) Our answer is that a tie for high or low is acceptable if you have declared both.  At our table you would receive three quarters of the pot, and the person with the other straight would receive one quarter. I have no official rule to offer you; just the wisdom of one crowd."

David Magilner: "You won the low, so you win half the pot.  You tied the high hand, so you split the other half of the pot with the other straight.  Not sure if this is 'official,' but it's the way we've played for years.  Think if you had just declared "high:"  you would have split the pot with the other straight...

From Andrew Schuering: "I think that if you both had a-5 straights you would treat it as a split pot on the high side.  Meaning in this scenario you would win 3/4s of the pot. I know that is the common practice in online high-low games (admittedly in the ones I have played you don't have declare). I guess I would sum up the reason for this as follows... You do have the best hand.  Sure you may tie the other best hand but that doesn't mean your hand is not also the best."

From Eric Lin: "Easy answer. You get 3/4 pot.  You get the low half, and you split the high half. Of course, home game rules vary, but that's the general rule.  Next time, forget the "declare" -- cards speak."

And this, from Lee Novak: "I had to laugh when I saw your post on seven card high/low poker. I've been watching/playing nickel/dime poker with my dad's family my entire life. And the only people I've ever seen play seven card high/low is my Jewish family. Some of my fondest memories are watching my 90+ year old bubbie (now passed) wearing a green plastic visor and saying, 'Oy, these cards. You should deal in jail.' So I checked with the experts on this (and also asked about the Jewish connection to 7 card high/low). My parents who continue to play weighed in as follows: Mom: "It is a winner take all answer--no ties;. Jewish people use high/low as opposed to drinking!' Dad: "Tie doesn't win! His friends were right."

I'll post more responses later.