Short-handed 7 Card Stud vs. Bad Loose Players

[PokrLikeItsProse]

I do okay in a full ring by playing rather tight; I have no problem with folding small pairs. I am unsure how much I should loosen up, if at all, when playing shorthanded. It feels like I lose too much in antes and bring ins and hands I have to give up on fourth to make up with the good hands that I push aggressively and extract value from. Perhaps I need to defend my bring ins more often

I'm talking about games with four or fewer players who are unbluffable and chase too much, but who might be inclined to bet with little or nothing if you don't.

Is there any advice for these sorts of games which seem like they should be profitable if played right? Are there any books which cover these sorts of games?

[CarlosChadha]

Hi PokrLikeItsProse.

Just like playing short handed in any game hand values change significantly: drawing hands good down made hands go up. 3 str8s and 3 F with no high cards are now not even worth a full bet and any pair can now be playable if you are the aggressor. You should rarely open limp because there is a much great chance of stealing the antes.

The interesting thing about short handed, and especially heads up, stud is that there is very little starting money in the pot. So while it is okay to steal a lot on 3rd, often with as little as the highest doorcard and rags in the hole (although v. the loose opponents you mention it would be better to have atleast 2 overcards, a gut shot, or a 2 flush when on a steal), you should be willing to fold a lot when someone else has opened the pot with a raise or if you get reraised on a steal (if there is a lot of limping, you should still be limping behind others with many hads). Don't be afraid to fold 10 hands in a row on 3rd, even if you are playing heads up...the amount of starting money in the pot is very small (this is the opposite from holdem where you need to call a lot because the blinds stay constant).

I recommend watching some of the 30/60 games on pokerstars, which are always short handed. You'll notice that when 2 good players are playing heads up hands go past 3rd only maybe 20% of the time.

There is pretty much nothing written on short handed stud, besides a couple paragraphs in 7CSFAP.

Regards,
Carlos

[Andy B]

When hold'em games get short-handed, you have to get looser and more aggressive, as the overhead is much higher. In stud, you don't have to loosen up nearly as much, because the cost per hand is essentially the same. You're the bring-in a little more often, but the ante is the same whether it's eight-handed or heads-up. So you don't have to go overboard when it comes to loosening up your starting hand requirements.

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I'm talking about games with four or fewer players who are unbluffable and chase too much, but who might be inclined to bet with little or nothing if you don't.

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You can sit around and wait for decent pairs and then do the old broken wing act. At least, that's what I do a fair amount in short-handed hold'em.