Arrrgh.

[jedi]

Okay, so I'm playing stud Hi, and there's got to be something that I can't figure out here.

I have Aces down and a 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] up. I complete the bring in, and get raised by a T [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. At this point, I figure him for Kings down (or queens or even Tens). It gets heads up on 4rd street when he checks to me and I lead out and the guy in between folds. From here on out, I lead out on every street (except the river), seeing that nothing he has can scare me, assuming that he does have a buried pair.

So, I check the river, and he checks behind and it turns out that his river card gives him 2 pair while my Aces stood unimproved.

Is this how Stud is played? I felt I had a read, and it was just slightly incorrect, but I was ahead the entire time. I check the river because he might have improved somehow, saving myself a bet if he did, and giving him the chance to bluff if he didn't. i lose the hand and several bets with it. What the heck am I not understanding here? Is it just dumb luck or am I overplaying these 1-pair hands?

[AdamK]

This sounds familiar...
Don't think you're misunderstanding anything, seems to be a common 7-card situation. And youre certainly not overplaying your hand,in fact betting unimproved on the river may be correct. You can value bet your big pair.
I always find it problematical on the river, whether to bet, check, check-raise...
But, I dont think you're doing much wrong.
Guess it's just dumb luck - 7card can be quite frustrating sometimes.

[MRBAA]

If he doesn't make an open pair, doesn't make a three str8 or flush on board and doesn't ever raise, then you played it perfect. Just like HE, get your money in with the best of it and you will be a long-term winner. Now, in multiway pots with three or more opponents, top pair doesn't hold up nearly as often as in HE, so you'll often be folding those aces unimproved on fifth street when others are betting and raising.

[timmer]

Look at it this way. He put in 4 or so bets as likely a pretty big percentage underdog and you put in one as a 100% underdog. (but only in this instance as it stands relected against the backdrop of poker time. as next time you will likely improve.) You Likely gained in equity here although you lost the pot.

Losing one pot means nothing just as losing one session means nothing. Dont fret over infinitesimal things keep playing those Aces strongly and heads up or 3 or so way. You will do well in the grand scheme.

Just my few cents

timmer

[timmer]

BMWOT Against a player who calls (or check calls)the entire way with just a weakish pair, especially against a non scary board, is a good candidate to value bet rivers against with a pair of A's and very likely Ks. He has shown to be a perponderate candidate for following (flat calling or checking or check calling) with most hands on the river.

beat or not this is what you want.

a working knowledge with the game theory of river play in poker will improve your play in these situations. the advanced poker series ( and many others) from 2+2 covers these concepts as they apply to poker in a fairly consise manner



Just my few cents

timmer

[timmer]

[ QUOTE ]
If he doesn't make an open pair, doesn't make a three str8 or flush on board and doesn't ever raise, then you played it perfect. Just like HE, get your money in with the best of it and you will be a long-term winner. Now, in multiway pots with three or more opponents, top pair doesn't hold up nearly as often as in HE, so you'll <font color="red"> often </font> be folding those aces unimproved on fifth street when others are betting and raising.

[/ QUOTE ]

Id replace often with "sometimes" or "in a number of cases"
otherwise I agree.

I agee that such adjectives are "usually" [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] lacking in succintness and their over use in popular poker media is "oftentimes" frustrating and can lead to confusion on the subject.

[MVicuna]

Hi,

Welcome to Stud. Where your big pairs get busted half the time heads up and even more multi-way. You get used to it. The nice thing is they'll give YOU a free showdown a lot more then you give them one, so you make money in the long run.

The upside is they pay of the most obvious hands they are drawing dead against.

Thanks,
MarkV.

[dogmeat]

Happens all the time. Get used to it. The good part is, that 65% of the time you will win.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[Andy B]

Sounds like you played it right and got a little unlucky. Yeah, this happens all the time in stud. The flip side is that you get to draw out on the other guy sometimes.

[Michael Davis]

Bet the river.

-Michael