Did I play this hand properly?

[count1]

Had a bad day at the tables yesterday. Doing a review now to see where I went wrong. Will post result later.

7 Card Stud High-Low ($1/$2), Ante $0.25, Bring-In $0.5 (hand converter)

3rd Street

Seat 1: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 2: xx xx Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 4: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___brings-in___calls
Seat 6: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 7: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 8: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___completes

4th Street

Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 5: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 6: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 8: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls

5th Street

Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks___calls
Seat 8: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___bets

6th Street

Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 5: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks___calls
Seat 8: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___bets___calls

River

Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 5: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] xx___checks___folds
Seat 8: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] xx___checks___calls

[bholdr]

I would re raise on third: strong high hands like AAJ have a lot of value in stud /8, but they play best heads up. I also tend to push the betting all the way, that is, bet fifth. there are a couple kind of scary boards out there, but seat 5 hasn't shown any aggression and was on the bring in, so it's less likely that he has good cards in the hole.

On sixth, you probably still have the best high hand and what looks like a draw to the best low- i play the rest of the hand the same way you did.

[Andy B]

Raise third. Whatever seat 8 has (besides rolled-up trips), you want to get it heads-up with him.

On fourth, seat 8 has caught good, and he is on your immediate right. If you are going to continue, check-raise him. If the bet happens to come from the bring-in, call one bet.

I think the other guys' boards are scary enough that I fold on fifth. You have succeeded in keeping the pot small, and it's going to cost you three big bets to see if you can escape for half.

Having gotten to sixth, well, maybe you have outs for the low, maybe you don't. I'm not sure what check-raising is supposed to accomplish. You may not have the best high. You could easily be drawing dead for low, and even if you aren't dead, it is very likely that both of your opponents are drawing better than you. If the guy behind you with his three babies and three diamonds doesn't have a made hand (might he be check-raising?), he probably has a good enough draw that you won't be able to get him off it with a sledgehammer.

Given the river action, you have a clear value bet. I'm glad it worked out this time.