an 8 or better hand...

hand 1:

xx4h bring-in

xxKc folds

Qh7cQc I raise

xx6d cold calls

xxKd folds

xxTd folds

xxKh cold calls

xxKs cold calls

xx4h calls


I really thought I had an excellent chance of picking up the antes here(I am getting about 1.5:1 to steal here). Getting heads-up with the bring in would have been fine as well. These players were bad, but I couldn't imagine any of the Kings calling. Also I didn't want them to think I would never start with a high only hand.


xx6d-5d

xxKh-Tc

xxKs-3d

xx4h-3h

Qh7cQc-9c


Checked to me, now what? There is one player left to act.

nf,


The calls by the kings on third street are strange considering all four are dead. Hopefully, they are bad players on flush draws rather than players trapping with AA in the hold.


I'm just learning this game but I'd bet. Hopefully you can get head up with one of the lows or two lows, one of whom has probably paired.


If both lows stay and improve on fifth, you may have to get out.


BTW, is much stud eight or better discussed on this forum?


Regards,


Rick

I've won a lot of money playing stud/8 this year, and I'm still learning the game too. You were absolutely correct to raise on third street, unless this was a loose game where you were routinely getting a bunch of callers on third. If you could reasonably anticipate that people would call raises with dead Kings, you should limp in and hope that either fourth street hits you hard, or all of your opponents catch bricks. If they're calling raises with dead Kings, I wouldn't worry about whether they think you're only playing low hands. They probably aren't thinking too hard about what you're playing anyway. I don't think many players consider the possibility that someone might muck a pair of Queens in this game.


One thing I noticed in my umpteenth reading of Ray Zee's book, something that I had somehow missed before, is that when you have a high hand against a couple low hands, and they both catch small cards close in rank to their door cards on fourth street, that is the time to get away from the hand. In this case, one of them was the bring-in. If this was a $4/8 game where he only had to call for an additional $2 after you completed it, I wouldn't be that worried about him. He has caught a very scary card, though. The 6d called a raise on third street and has caught what looks like a perfect card. If he started with a strong three card low, he may have just called to let people come in; I know that's how I'd play it, especially against a bunch of dead Kings. About the worst thing he can have is a three card low with a pair of fives. If that's what he has, his hand isn't much worse than yours, and he has some playing advantages. It's obvious that you have two Queens. His hand is less obvious. He will always act after you unless he improves. If he makes an open pair, that will be moderately scary. If he catches an Ace, that will be very scary. And he can't catch a King. He is going to bet fourth street, so let him. I'd call one bet, especially since I have a three-flush, but if it's bet and raised back to you, forget about it.

Rick,


There is some discussion of stud/8 here. I usually play the game two or three times a week, but I don't post many hands in part because I don't get a lot of responses. If Ray chimed in more often, I'd post more hands. Bill Murphy has contributed some good discussion, but he doesn't check in on this forum very often either. Perhaps if you post some hands, it might get the ball rolling. [img]/images/smile.gif[/img]

[Michael Davis]

No idea what the Ks are doing here, but one of them should show up with pocket As. Anyways, you should check and fold if the last player bets because of the strength caught by the low cards. The three flush does not add enough to the playability of your hand, IMO.

Mike

[Ray Zee]

i think you should be happy they checked to you as you get a free card. if it got bet out at you i would dump it here. against two low hands that are straight flushing you have no chance to make any money as you will be forced out at some later point unless you get hit with a bucket of lightening.