Micro-Limit Stud
 

Hello,

I have switched from PokerStars to PacificPoker for purposes of playing $.5/$1 stud. I am having difficulty winning in this low-limit stud game. I have played according to the principles of Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players by Mr. Sklansky, but I still face trouble. Please offer advice regarding winning strategy in this loose type of stud game.

I thank you.

Regards,
Spade_K

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

Re-read the section on loose games, but a big point they make in these types of games is that you shouldn't raise with a big pair till a later street since your opponents are staying in anyways, wait till they miss their draws before raising or get out cheap.

Use drawing hands with big implied odds to your advantage. The idea of winning these games is that your big wins will be bigger than theirs, and your losses when you miss will be less than theirs.

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

7CS4AP is worth reading a few times. Post some hands. I'm pretty sure that the converter doesn't support Pacific, so you'll have to do something by hand. If you just post a raw hand history, it is likely to be met with derision.

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

[ QUOTE ]
Re-read the section on loose games, but a big point they make in these types of games is that you shouldn't raise with a big pair till a later street since your opponents are staying in anyways, wait till they miss their draws before raising or get out cheap.


[/ QUOTE ]

So we shouldn't raise for value? To protect our hand? To make the draws pay, and hopefully give them bad pot odds? So if a 3 brings-in, and I'm next with AKA, I should just call and sit and pray that none of the draws hit?

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

It's confusing, seems like backwards logic, and it gets really frustrating but it makes sense.

Say you're 2nd to act after the bring-in with AKA, the first guy calls, you raise (which is usually only double the bring in at lower limits, and maybe 4x the ante), and you get 3 callers, as well as the bring-in and first limper.

You now have a 6 way pot where all you have is a pair, and most likely 4 or 5 will also see a 5th street. Your hand is almost always best on 3rd, sometimes best on 4th if nobody hits a 2nd pair and/or if you pair your kicker/door card.

If you bet out again you aren't losing anybody, and they are actually CORRECT to call you with any sort of reasonable hand such as a gutshot, a low pair, a 4 maybe even 3 flush, since the pot is twice as big as it would be if you had of limped.

Now instead throw yourself in the same situation, but the pot is limped instead. First off, they are less likely to think you have aces which will help you down the line. Secondly, they may now not be correct to call a small bet, giving you an edge.

Ideally you get a raise in on 5th when the betting doubles, and that raise has a very good chance of getting players out.

Re-read the section on loose games ... you are making it sound like you have to raise with this hand, but you have to think "what am I trying to accomplish with a raise?" You want to get hands like AKA heads up, but this isn't happening in a low limit game. Raising builds pots, so instead of raising with your big pairs, raise with your live ace high 3 flushes, live 3 straights with overcards, etc.

Also slowplaying rolled up hands is not as recommended in these games since you want these guys in there calling you, and they will be.

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

Perhaps this quote will prove useful.

"The right strategy to beat loose games ... is not to immiedately punish someone because you happen to have an edge. It is often correct to wait till a later round where your edge might be bigger to make your move. On the other hand, you may discover that your advantage has disappeared and you will be happy that you did not put in those extra bets earlier."
-Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players

The biggest problem that I am having on Pacific Poker is that I am unable to eliminate players from a pot. The high percentage of post-flop players, 60%-80%, demonstrates my problem.

Regards,
Spade_K

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

The truth is that you are going to have to look at each situation individually and then make an informed decision. Always raising is just as incorrect as always calling. I think I made a post about this recently.

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

aka in that situation should be raised.
a hand like jacks or queens with a live straight flush kicker should usually be raised too
it's hands like jj5 rainbow and qq7 rainbow that you may not want to raise third with

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

If your raises don't knock anyone out, don't raise for that reason.

You can still raise, of course. A pair of Aces is still going to win its share, even with multiple opponents. If you have Aces on third street in an eight-way pot, you'll probably have a 25% or so chance of winning. Get your money in there, and you'll be putting 12.5% of the money in with that 25% chance. That's a sizable overlay, although it may seem like you "never" win in that situation.

Bet your good draws for value, and fold dead hands more quickly than your opponents.

Re: Micro-Limit Stud
 

[ QUOTE ]
If you have Aces on third street in an eight-way pot, you'll probably have a 25% or so chance of winning.

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW I ran a quick sim of AKA rainbow vs. 6 opponents (I couldn't do 7) and the hand won a little over 30% of the time.
Two-suited it was ~32%.