Anatomy Of A Poker Hand

Hello,Stud Players,

Game: 6-12

Ante 0.50

Bring-in 2


Matt Lessinger of "Poker Digest" requested a constructive criticism

of his play.

************************************************** ************************************************** Loose-passive 8-handed game.


3rd. St.

Seat 1:9c

Seat 2:Qh

Seat 3:6s

Seat 4(folded)

Seat 5:Ks

Seat 6(folded)

Seat 7:(Ad Jd)Ah Matt's hand

Seat 8:2s


************************************************** **************************************************

Seat 8 :2.00 bring-in

Seat 1: call

Seat 2: raise it to 6.00

Seat 3:call

Seat 5:call

Seat 7(Matt)call

Seat 8(folded)

Seat 1:call

************************************************** *************************************************8

4th. St.(5 players)

Seat 1:9c8c

Seat 2:Qh5s

Seat 3:6s8d

Seat 5:Ks6d

Seat 7:(AdJd)AhJh

Matt bets 4th St.

Everyone called.

************************************************** **************************************************


5th. St.

Seat 1: 9c8c8h

Seat 2: Qh5s2h

Seat 3:6s8dQd

Seat 5:Ks6d6h

Seat 7:(AdJd)AhJh5s


Seat 3 bet

Seat 5 raised

Matt called

Seat 1 called

Seat 2 (folded)

Seat 3 called

************************************************** **************************************************


6th St.

Seat 1:9c8c8h5c

Seat 3:6s8dQd3s

Seat5: Ks6d6h4c

Seat 7:(AdJd)AhJh5s2d


Seat 1: check


Seat 3: check


Seat 5 bet


Matt raised


Seat 1 call


Seat 3 (folded)


Seat 5 call

************************************************** **************************************************


7th St.


Seat 1: 9c8c8h5cx


Seat 5: Ks6d6h4cx


Matt's hand:AdJdAhJh5s2d10s

************************************************** ************************************************** * Sitting Bull

I'd lean heavily towards raising third street with my Aces. People expect you to raise with an Ace showing, so why not do it when you actually have Aces? Also, he's got a hand that does well multi-way (that Jack is both a straight and a flush card).


I'd lean towards raising on fifth street as well, as both of my oppenents' hands are slightly dead, and I want people to fold at this point. Raising on sixth is just fine.


The folded cards on third street are relevant. Also, $6/12 stud should have a $1 ante. /images/smile.gif

I think this is a dangerous slowplay. By calling you still have too many opponents. 3rd street should have re-raised. 5th street should have raised. river just check. the two pair won't call you and trips will raise. Even though this is low limit, I still think you need to knock out some opponents.

check out the post times. We wrote our messages at the same time.

No question a raise was in order on 3rd. I'd guess Matt didn't not so much as a slowplay as figuring he won't knock anyone out, just tie them on by making the pot bigger. But the hand is so strong it is worth raising and this will also set up your opponents for folds when you bet/raise on 4th or later.

I like reraising 3rd with this big a hand, because you might drop seat 1. If not, this is a very strong and live hand that can beat a few players.


As for the ante of 50 cents, a $1 ante would probably mean no one would win at this game if the rake was very high, and it might make it burn out. Lower limit games need to be more skill oriented to still let some players win, especially since the losers don't get hurt as badly. Just a thought.


Dan Z.

1. This should be an automatic reraise on third. If this is a variation play to call it is not worth it since your edge by raising is too great.


2. fifth street is screwed up in the post since teh pair of eights should lead. that aside, if seat five raises matt should reraise or fold here, since if seat 5 has trips his chance of a redraw is higher than matts. but it is close. calling here is wrong I think. The sixth street raise is fine if again you dont think the 6's have trips.


pat

Passive game, tells me a 5th street bet by the 6's smells of trips. If a raise was going to happen for Matt, it might be better to raise right here on 5th street. Might reveal more about the 6's. If the 6's calls, (or re-raises) and then come out betting on 6th, I would be very inclined to believe the trips. I would still have to call to the river to find out, however i wouldn't be aggressive now.

Hi Dan,


I play in a $6/12 stud game with a $1 ante. There is a 10% rake capped at $4, a $1 jackpot drop, and I usually tip $1. I beat the game handily. The same room also spreads a $2/4 stud game where the rake is capped at $4.50. I used to beat that game too, but I don't play it much anymore.

Next week? I can't stand the suspense.

I did not mean it was impossible to beat, just that it would be a lot harder, and mediocre "regulars" might have real trouble getting over the "mendoza" line, or to be able to afford the game.


Dan Z.

Hi Bull,


Interesting hand as usual.

Here’s what I would be thinking if I walked in and joined this hand.


“50-cent ante at a 6/12 game. We don’t play that in Phoenix. It’s a dollar ante there. But remember they did use to post a 50-cent ante 6/12 game at the Oaks outside of San Francisco.


“God” what a great game that was. You’d think that it would be tight as hell, but it wasn’t.


It was loose. And since I was only paying $14 dollars an hour in antes, as opposed to my usual $28 dollars, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. All I had to do was sit back and wait for quality starting hands.”


“The Oaks ante 50-cent gave a huge advantage to the quality player.


Deciding to call the different card rooms when I first got to town. And checking on their antes, was the smartest thing I did when I got to San Francisco.”


Well here is the hand that I have been waiting for : Split Aces with a live Jack kicker. Time to go to start "shooting those fish."


Third Street.


“ Ok Doc, so you always say that 80% of the key decisions made while playing stud are made on Third Street.


I have a live split pair of Aces with a live suited tree top connector. Except for being rolled up, this and a live big three straight flush draw are the two strongest starting hands in the deck.”


I am going to get one hand this strong approximatly once every 3 hours. Now what can I do to make the most of this hand.


First how many opponents do I want to play against with this strong three-dimensional hand? Answer: Two or three? I’m glad that we throughly debated that question out in our 2+2 stud forum.


Let’s do the math one more time.


(2 or 3 opponents) Decisions desisions. With the next card I’ve got an 18% chance of getting rank improvement, and a 20% chance of hitting a 3 flush. Since there is a Queen and a King out I also have an 18% chance of having 3 Tree top cards with this next card.


So it really doesn’t matter. If I get 2 opponents I would have a little better profitability probability if I don’t get improvement towards a straight or flush.


And if I do get straight or flush improvement, I would probably make a little more money in my life time if I end up being against 3 opponents.


How would I do, if I let every one in and played the hand against 5 players. “Color me stupid.“ If I played that way I might just as well go and shoot craps.


Decision decisions.


Third street action by early players.


Well look at this, I get a duck bringing it in, then one caller.


Now I get a big break ! The Queen complets the bet. Great !! The raise by this mid position player, should let me manipulate the hand so that I can set my Aces up against the ideal number of opponents.


I get the right hand. In the right position. And with just the right action by my pre action opponents. It doesn’t get much better than this !


Then two other players call the Queen's completion. (a 6 and a King) and now the action is up to me.


Could the King be slow playing split Kings.” Not If he has any basic understanding of the game he wouldn’t.


I would feel a little better if there was only one post completion caller. But rarely in life is there perfection.


Ok so my next action is probably going to be one of the most important moves I make all night.


What I HAVE TO DO is raise here. By raising I am going to force the bring in and the caller after the bring in, to call a $12 dollar bet. Which they probably wont.


So bam bam, I can probably count them out.

“BIG BIG “ improvement in the Winn-ability of my hand.


And if the Queen of hearts is a good player he will probably do one of two things.


If he is an excellent player, and has been watching my game he might drop the hand, especially since he has the over card King behind him.


And if he doesn’t and the King WAS slow playing “The King and I” can make a cheese sandwich out of the split Queens. “It wasn’t that good a movie but should be a great move.”


So if the door Queen folds it’s a big help to me.


Or another good move the Queen could make, would be if he reraises my raise.


If he does that he would there by force the door 6 and door King to call two more bets.


And if he puts in that second raise, he could force either or both the door 6 or door King to fold. (good for me! Dead money and improved odds)


Or the door 6 and King could call the third bet. (better for me, big pot, stuck opponents, and the best starting hand)


Good ! better ! best ! I love stud !


What can I say. And all because the Queen's action moved me into the relatively mid position, with this very strong live three dimensional hand. All because I had the good fortune of having a baby paint raise early.


Of course the other option would be to SLOW PLAY the hand. But that would be stupid. If I am going to play that way, I might as well just throw my wallet into the pot and try to win it back.


And what would my wife Honey think if she found out about that play. Kirby or Wayne couldn’t wait to tell her.


She’d probably say “Maybe POKER just isn’t your game Doc!


"May be lotto would be a better game for you !"


And what if my dog “Baby Trips” found out that I didn't reraise out of mid position with 5 potential callers ! He’d probably bark “ Look at the good side; at least you didn’t fold the hand !”


Or “ I still love you, even if I’m not going to call you master any more.”


Ok so now the action is up to me.


“I CALL !!!” (WELL COLOR ME STUPID)


Most sincerely,

Doc AZ

Sorry, yes I agree with the re-raise on 3rd street.