2-10 spread limit stud 8? (repost)

there's what appears to be a juicy semi-wild 7cs 2-10 hi/low game in my area that ive been thinking of learning how to beat. the rake is $4 and the blinds are $2 and $3 i think.


any hints on books to get or ways to beat this sort of game. is this more of a luck game or skill game? can i gain enough of a edge to bear it for a decent hourly rate given that the players are geneally loose chasers, but some play decently, no experts. or should i just stick strictly to mid limit hold em down in LA?


lastly does zee's book mainly cover just stud 8 games with an ante or will it teach me how to beat this game with blinds?

2/10 spread limit stud/8 can be a very profitable game. I've played

it with no ante in two midwest cardrooms, along with a no ante 1/5,

10 on the last card spread limit. The cardroom in Watertown, SD used

to spread a 1/5 stud/8 with a blind, but I haven't been there for years.


The major points in Zee's book are valid regardless of blind, ante,

no ante structure. Skills such as good starting hands, raising to

drive out the other player going your direction, playing for sweep

hands etc. are important regardless of structure, so you need to buy

and study the material.


The important difference between the mid level structured game he details

and a 2/10 spread limit involves getting a feel for how the other players

are betting at the given moment. Sometimes $2 bets and many callers

will allow you to call with less than stellar hands in hope of drawing

a sweeper and popping a $10 raise. Other times players will raise $10 with

big pairs on third street, making you regret that $2 limp with (3,5) 7 offsuit.

If you find players refusing to raise $10 with (A,3) A, then you've found

a good game. One would think extremely tight play is optimal in a no ante

game, but the huge spread in allowable bets calls for looser play with

the right mix of players.


An important question to ask: does the blind merely determine the

forced bring in, or does it control action through the river. If

it's the latter, then position can be determined for all rounds and

taken into account, requiring very strong starting hands in early position.


Good Luck

Like stated in the previous post, Rays's book teaches you how to play the game regardless of antes. Generally speaking, spread limit lets you limp in cheaply alot more than usual. You get to see 4th street cheap unless it gets jammed. Also, you can build the pot when your drawing by making small to medium size bets and get callers because the bets are cheap enough for them to draw too. Knowing where you are at compared to your opponents becomes VERY important.


Where is this game at?


-KeithO