Unimproved Buried A's.

[Graham]

Or should I title this "Hand Hardly Worth Talking About"... [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Online $4/8 on Ladbrokes. Very loose game (approx 60% to 4th St), generally passive. Don't know my opponent here.

I get AhAd/Js two to left of the bring-in (BI), who's showing the 2c, and raise after two folds. Amazingly - for this game - everyone else folds and I get heads-up with the bring-in. He reraises. I call. Can't remember the folded cards on 3rd now, but I know I was completely live.

4th: I check AhAd/JsTc, BI bets XX/2c5h, I call.

5th: I check AhAd/JsTc2d, BI bets XX/2c5hTd, I check-raise, he calls.

6th I bet AhAd/JsTc2d8s, BI calls XX/2c5hTdJh.

River: I get no help with the 9s and bet. Opponent calls.

I feel I could have played every street a bit differently. Any suggestions or am I looking reasonable.

G

[Andy B]

I think you played it just fine.

[Wombat6]

I would of reraised on 3rd. I would of lead or check raised on forth as well. I probably might have tried for a free card and/or check raised on 6 th and check called on the river.

my guess is he had 2T)2 to start and picked up two pair
or has 2A)2 and has you on a steal or a big pair in the hole maybe QQ or KK.

did the bring bet the full bet or just the bring in?
have you been stealing much with the second high up card?
have you been aggressivly manipulating the pot/players?
were there any/many higher up cards behind you?
is your opponent the kind of player to resteal with a random hand?

[Andy B]

Boy you ask a lot of questions. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Re-raising on third tends to annouce the hand. I think I prefer a check-raise on fourth, but waiting until fifth is fine. When someone limps and re-raises, split Deuces is about the last thing I put him on.

[Graham]

The bring-in just brung-in, he didn't complete the bet. I completed the bet on 3rd from EP, so it shouldn't have looked like a steal. Hence he likely has a good hand. My J was the highest card showing when I completed. I hadn't been playing long and didn't have notes on this guy, but they wouldn't have much on me either (if they were taking notes, that is...).

I was planning to C-R 5th even before I caught my 2, hoping he was tied to the pot by then with a big pair. I can see check-raising 6th instead, tho' was concerned he'd slow down by then if he hadn't double paired. The fact we caught a lot of each others cards could only help me, assuming he isn't rolled. I suspected likely K's or Q's, obviously, esp when I catch the 2. I think he made a mistake to reraise 3rd, instead of waiting, although against the loosies it might be a valid play just to get more $ in the pot when best; they'll play anyway and not use the information.

G

[Wombat6]

In stud, where the best hand is less likely to hold up as opposed to other games such as hold em, I like to be as aggressive with big pairs as possible early . because opponents will rarly let go for a reraise early & I can sometimes get it heads up on the later streets And some dead money in the pot. I deny the lower hands and draws implied pot odds. and because of the image it gives me and it makes it easy to drive better hands off on the later streets on the later hands. I do like the call(3rd) and then check raise (4th)/ bet or free card play (5th)though. Its just one example of programed betting in 7 stud high.

as far as split 2's with a suited A in a loosely structured game or a tight game ( most online games are of loose structures) I submit Pg. 165 of 7CSFAP as exhibit "A.1" and Pg. 164 as exhibit "A.2"

However I feel it is far more likely he has KK, QQ or two hi suited connected in the hole.

I dont think rolled ups is much of a threat here. they are just not common enough to fear all that much. and his late street play doesnt suggest them.

Of course us marsupials have never been credited with being that smart.

Wombat6

[MRBAA]

I think you overplayed your hand here. The bring in almost certainly does not think you're stealing, as you suggest, because of your early postion. If he is a competent player, his reraise strongly suggests kings, queens or the other two aces in the hole. I think he'd be less likely to reraise his only caller if rolled. If he is an overly loose aggressive type, I'd say split deuces with an ace or king is also possible. Many bad players do play this way. The point is, in stud you often wind up in situations where just calling is the right play. I think your raise on fifth is okay as you are probably winning, but once he calls I'd check sixth and seventh if unimproved. I just can't be that confident about what my opponent has to bet these streets, and once he calls my raise on fifth, I doubt he's folding.
What happened?

[Graham]

Sorry, forgot I hadn't put the result. I must be slightly below wombats on the intelligence scale. I was going to originally, though usually don't 'cos I think I'm less likely to get results-biased feedback.

Anyway my AhAd/JsTc2d8s/9s wins by one pip of the third kicker vs AcAs/2c5hTdJh/8d.

I think your comments are spot on...except for checking 6th and 7th.
On 6th I'm still ahead vs a buried big pair (even if he has the other A's). He hasn't caught an A, K or Q to possibly give him a reasonable two pair, plus we're both also catching relatively dead cards - improving my chances of holding onto the lead. I liked cathing the 2 on 5th.

On 7th I almost checked, but realised it's that situation where I have to act first and it's better to bet. If 2nd and checked to, I'd just show down my A's (but I'd still have thought about a bet in this instance). If I check first, he will quite likely bet two pair and check a lesser hand than mine. I gain when he calls with a smaller pair (or smaller same hand in this case). He's not too likely to raise 2 pair by now. Here, with his likely starting hand and his catching dead cards, the chances are I'm simply going to get a call from a hand I can beat. At least that was my reasoning.

G

[Andy B]

I agree that checking sixth would be a serious mistake. Your opponent has done nothing to suggest that you're not still boss.

I like your thinking on the river.

[MRBAA]

Well played and well thought out. In the 5-10 at Mohegan Sun or FW, you could end up looking at something like deuces and fives here, hence my feeling of being more cautious. I agree that no reasonable opponent would have that hand, though.