How do you play this hand?
 

Ok, my opponent just sat down at the table and I have never played with him before. Here is my thinking:

3rd: Raising is clear, and now I am forced to call the re-raise since I have a straight flush kicker. Against a bigger pair im only a 60-40 underdog. Sklansky says you should go to 5th and decide what to do there.

4th: Maybe raising is an option here, but I usually like to wait till 5th street to make a raise play like this. If I was sure I could get a free card on 5th I'd do it here but I had a feeling my opponent wasn't going to allow it.

5th: You could make an argument for folding, calling, and raising here. The fact that he is betting into such a scary board does represent strength, but I don't think I can fold here with a 3 straight and a 3 flush along with a pair. It's unlikely my opponent already has 2 pair since I have 2 of the 8s. Given this I figured raising was better than calling, since I'm almost guaranteed a free card on 6th as long as I don't catch an ace or king. Also if I catch another spade, I might win an extra $10 if he folds.

6th: Clear check

7th: I think I'm clearly beaten here so I folded.


All thoughts are greatly appreciated.

7 Card Stud High ($5/$10), Ante $0.50, Bring-In $2 (converter)

3rd Street - (0.60 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___brings-in___folds
Seat 3: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls___folds
Seat 4: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 6: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___completes___calls
Seat 8: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___raises

4th Street - (5.40 SB)

Hero: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 8: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets

5th Street - (3.70 BB)

Hero: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 8: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets___calls

6th Street - (7.70 BB)

Hero: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks
Seat 8: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks

River - (7.70 BB)

Hero: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 8: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] xx___bets

Total pot: (7.70 BB)

Re: How do you play this hand?
 

Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t raise on 4th. Only way you’re getting a free card against most players is if you catch another spade on 5th (or maybe a ten or 7), and in that case you might get one even if you didn’t raise on 4th.

5th street is tricky… I think folding might be better, with one 8 dead. Just put it into two dimes, and you’re about 70-30 against jacks here. And then there’s queens up and trips…
If you decide to play though, I like raising. Sometimes people get it wrong and fold to the raise, after all. And of course the free card and the extra BB, like you said.