1-5 stud hand

There just aren't enough stud hands posted on this site. I'm going to try to post a couple a week. I'd like to see others putting some up as well.


I was at the Monte Carlo playing 1-5 stud while waiting for my Hold'em seat (maybe that's the problem, too many Hold'em players) and had this hand after just a few minutes of play. Stud hands can be hard to remember. If I don't get all the suits right, you can at least be sure all the important factors are accurate.


It's a full 8-player table. I don't recognize anyone so it's unlikely any locals are at the table.


I'm the low card with (6c,4d) 4c and toss in $1. These four players (in table order) see fourth street and get these cards.


Me (6c,4d) 4c,Jc

A (x,x) Qs,3d

B (x,x) 7s,2h

C (x,x) 9h,Qc


C bets $2. I've got a three-flush to go with my small pair and call. A folds. B calls. I'll almost always call a small bet on 4th street if I've got a live 3-flush especially with a pair to go with it. I assume I'm currently behind C who could have split 9s or a pocket pair bigger than 4s.


4th Street Question: Does anybody want to do something other than call?


Fifth street:


Me (6c,4d) 4c,Jc,6h

B (x,x) 7s,2h,Js

C (x,x) 9h,Qc,8d


I've got two small pair. A good but vulnerable hand. I'm now expecting to see my river card.


C checks. That surprised me. He looked at me and my cards before he did it. I wondered if he didn't like me calling his 4th street bet with a Jack showing on my board.


I bet the full amount- $5 which is my usual practice when I've got a vulnerable hand like two small pair with more cards to come. B calls. C calls. Neither one seemed a bit reluctant to call the $5 bet. B could be four cards to a Spade flush.


5th Street Question: Should I be betting the full amount or making a different play?


Sixth street:


Me (6c,4d) 4c,Jc,6h,As

B (x,x) 7s,2h,Js,5c

C (x,x) 9h,Qc,8d,8h


My flush draw just died and C now has an open pair on his board bigger than either my 6s or 4s. But I now have an Ace kicker so any Ace, 6, or 4 is likely to give me the winner on the river. And all these cards are live.


C checks his open pair. This is really weak and I wonder if he's on some type of draw. Heart flush? Straigh draw? If he has either one of those, his board suggests he'll call any bet. If he's not betting a hand like 9s and 8s, then he needs to become more aggressive.


After C checks, I decide to bet the full $5 again. B calls. C calls.


6th Street Question: Should I bet here when someone else has an open pair bigger than either of my pairs? What's my best play?


My river card and results of the showdown later.

I like the way you played your hand up till 6th street. I would have taken a free card. Even if he has just a draw with his pair, he has enough outs to beat you. Plus it is 2 small pair in a multiway pot in a small limit game with players that aren't going anywhere ( especially on 6th street ) .


If he bets the river, call even if you don't improve. Raise if you fill up.


Later,


CJ


P.S. - I agree, not enough stud hands are posted.

1. On fourth street what did you think C held to bet $2? With another Queen dead I might have raised here to represent that the J hit me hoping that he would throw away a smaller pair than J but higher than my 4's. He likely does not have J's beat. But if he is a calling station then the call is the best play; raising is just something else to think about here.


2. Fifth street fine.


3. Sixth street is a clear bet especially if you think there is the chance that all he has is a draw and not two pair. Even if you did not have the best hand you should still bet since if you do not improve it wil likely let you check the river if you are not best and if you catch an A you can bet again. He could also have a straight draw or could be slowplaying a made straight.


Pat

I like your 4th and 5th street plays but I would have taken the free card on 6th street (I am assuming that you were last to act)It is unlikely that you will lose either player by betting here. If he has 9s and 8s you are in trouble. Even just 8's and a flush door you are not in great shape. I would take the free card and see what happens on the river.


Jason

small pairs with no kicker are a loser, and a three flush after four cards isn't a good enough reason to stay in. fold or raise on fourth street. get out or get it heads up, or maybe steal a small pot with a pair of fours...


but what do i know, i eat shoots and leaves and leave little square droppings...

I've got B on a four flush and

C on two pair better than yours.

I hate your spot on 6th street and

would definitely take the free card.

Why bet here? They won't fold and

you're almost certainly not winning.

I'll be interested to see what

the river actually delivered.

Dear Dynasty,


I would have checked and called 6St.;

;with no improvement,

I would have folded 7th. St. in this 3-way action.


Larry"Sitting Bull"Duplessis

I agree with WOMBAT you should have folded on 4th street. A three flush? A very very weak 3 flush and a pair of 4's wow that's an invitation to get beat. That said, once you get to sixth street you HAVE to bet. You have been carrying the action. You see many folds on 6th at these limits. Since you have been the lead bettor these guys are probably in fear of you. The Kount has a rule for low limits: Always bet on sixth street. It is based on the fact that you should have a good hand by then (you don't) and the fact that you see a lot of folds on sixth and seventh street at these levels.

First, I'd like to respond to a few of the comments made.


Calling on 4th street with (6c,4d) 4c,Jc is correct. While a three-flush and small pair is nothing to get excited about, it's definitely good enough to call a small $2 bet. There are too many ways to improve on 5th street to automatically fold this type of hand. If I don't improve on 5th street, then it's an easy fold.


On 6th street, I suspected I was behind C's two pair but wasn't sure. I bet so that I would be checked to on the river and I could get a free showdown. C was playing the hand so timidly that there was no chance he was going to bet into me on the river unless he had something better than two pair. If I didn't improve on the river, I believe the action would have went C checks, I check, B acts. If B checked, he missed his flush draw. If B bet and C called then C has better than just the 8s showing on his board and I can safely fold. Still, I can see the arguement for just checking on 6th street and taking the free card but I think betting is better.


Now the results.


The boards were:


Me (6c,4d) 4c,Jc,6h,As

B (x,x) 7s,2h,Js,5c

C (x,x) 9h,Qc,8d,8h


On the river, I caught the 4h to make 4s full of 6s. A lucky catch to be sure but an excellent example of why you play live cards in Stud. There wasn't a 4 or 6 or Ace on anybody's board (except mine) throughout the entire hand.


As expected, C checked. I bet my full-house. B folded. B had to have either a Spade flush draw or an unimproved 1 pair. C called. I turned over my full-house and C mucked his cards. I never saw what he had. I'm reasonably confident he had two-pair.


Thanks for all the responses.


And, PLEASE, let's post some more stud hands here. The Hold'em forums are loaded with hands but we hardly get any stud hands to talk about.

I agree it is hard to post stud hands, you need to write a lot more than the hold'em folks do.


I like your logic and my only question is: would you have called a full bet on 4th?

I probably would have folded to a $5 bet on 4th street. If someone makes the full bet on 4th street, it usually mean something really good even if his board isn't threatening. I saw my 5th street card not just because my hand had the ability to improve but also because my opponent kept it so cheap to do so.

nm