Aces! You’re optimal number of opponents?


A strategic maxim of Big Pair Starting Hand Play in Stud, is that “a reduction of the number of opponents that your hand has to play against tends to increase the profitability of the hand.


This post contains 3 hand confrontation questions : Each question asks your opinion, as to the optimal number of opponents that you would like to play your pair of Aces starting hand against.


But first I would like to quote the opinions of several authors which are related to the topic, as a means of stimulating debate.


1. Mike Caro‘s “Guide to Super Systems” (p34, e14)

“Sometimes you don’t want to eliminate players.... When you start with 10s through Aces, Do you really want to eliminate players ?”


2. Konstantin Othmer “7 Card Stud“ (p71 g.1) A matematical calculation of the number of opponents vs. Percent Returns for playing a pair of Aces.


When Aces are played against a single opponent the amount of return on each dollar invested is $1.45, When played against two players it is $1.80, Three players $1.95, Four opponents $2.00, Five opponents $2.05, Six opponents $2.08.


3. Konstantine Othmer “7 Card Stud“(p70 pg 4.) “Since big pairs lose value as more opponents enter the pot, the strategy, with large pairs is to play aggressively to limit the field.”


4. Sklansky, Malmuth, and Zee Seven-Card Stud for advanced player’s 21-century edition Chapter “loose games” “Playing large Pairs” pgs 151- 152. If you don’t already know this one, you should look it up.


5. Roy West: Lesson 7 High Pair Play (p30.pg3). The more players drawing against your high pair, the higher the chances of your pair being out drawn.


6. Mohammed Mohammed : “The Science of Poker” (Section 7 card Stud, subsection Big pairs) the relative strength of all big pairs is related to the strength of their kickers with the exception of Aces.


Questions no 1


1. You are playing in a LPMCS (loose passive multiple calling stations game) $4/$8 stud game with a 50-cent ante, The game has been averaging 6 callers per hand. You are in an early position with a (As Ac) 10s as your starting hand. Your spades are entirely live, your Aces are live, and there is one King, and one Jack in the doors of your opponents. If you could choose any number of opponents to play this hand against.(between 0 and 7). You would choose?......


Question no 2


2. You are playing in a tight aggressive $9/$18 Stud game. (Ante $1) There has been an average of 3 callers per hand. 80% of the time the players have been completing the third street bring in. And 10% of the time there have been re-raises on Third Street.


Your hand is (As 8c) Ad and there is one Ace out behind you. Your position is two players from the bring in. The door King on your right has completed the bring in. If you could play this hand against any number of opponents, (from 0 to 7) you would choose to play it against.....No of opponents?


.

Question no 3


3. In the future if you could choose the number of opponents that you will always play against. But it can only be ONE number. And it will always be the same number, each time that you have a pair of Aces in your starting hand from now on. (No matter what the playing conditions are) You would choose which number of opponents? From 0 to 7 it would be?.......


Most Sincerely,

Doc AZ