Stud8 - Small 2-pair vs. an ace - questions on 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th

[Aaron W.]

Questions on almost every street! But I consider myself new to Stud8, so I've got an excuse.

Villain who completes the bet on 3rd street has raised his ace up the previous two times, so I'm inclined to believe that he's raising more than just a pair of aces here. I know that I should be careful when an open ace raises (even if I suspect he's not raising a pair of aces), but I don't think I can fold a small pair with a consecutive low card, on 3rd, can I?

On 4th, I'm raising with my small two pair to drive out the field and isolate the guy that I hope has at most a pair of aces. Is this the right time, or should I have waited until 5th and kept the pot smaller?

On 5th, I'm still raising to isolate, but now I recognize there is a decent chance I'm behind. I'm caught between trying to narrow the field with the best hand and getting myself trapped with the worst. I raised because I'd rather play two small pair heads up than 4-way, and I'll just hope for the best. Should I have bailed out here?

On 6th street, getting check-raised would make me very unhappy, but so would giving up a free card if he has just a pair of 4s and a low draw or something like that, because he's got tons of outs to beat me (and there's that other guy who is drawing to something that I can't figure out what it is).

I think this is a pretty safe check on 7th... I hope I got one of the streets right, and this would be my best bet.

Thanks for any help.

7 Card Stud High-Low ($1/$2), Ante $0.25, Bring-In $0.50 (converter)

3rd Street - (1.75 SB)

Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___brings-in___calls
Seat 3: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 4: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 6: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 7: xx xx Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___completes

4th Street - (6.75 SB)

Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 3: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 4: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___bets___calls

5th Street - (7.38 BB)

Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 3: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___bets___calls

6th Street - (13.38 BB)

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

River - (15.38 BB)

Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___checks
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] xx___checks

Total pot: (15.38 BB)

[Aaron W.]

Only one time. I'm not going make a nuisance out of myself.

[mscags]

I think you played it fine until sixth street. With live cards on third and such a big ante/bi I'm seeing fourth with this hand. Good raise on fourth it just didn't work. Fifth I think a case can be made for both calling and raising. Sixth I don't see any value in betting. You're most certainly behind at this point. Check and make a crying call, but if the player with the ace is anywhere near decent there could be a case made for check folding. Def check the river or cry and call.

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
Sixth I don't see any value in betting. You're most certainly behind at this point.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a little confused by this. The 6 isn't likely to have made two pair for the ace, so if it helped him, he's got a low. If he has a low, then I don't want the guy with the mystery draw to get a free card to outdraw me for high. Am I missing something?

[RayGarlington]

I'll take a shot at your questions...

[ QUOTE ]
I know that I should be careful when an open ace raises (even if I suspect he's not raising a pair of aces), but I don't think I can fold a small pair with a consecutive low card, on 3rd, can I?


[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, you need to be careful when an A raises. Your hand is fairly weak, but your pair is on the high side which is good and keeps a low hand from accidentally beating you by pairing. Your hand would be better if the 5 was a diamond or a spade. That said, if the Ace was on the loose side, I would also call the completion and hope no one does one of those limp / reraise maneuvers.

[ QUOTE ]
On 4th, I'm raising with my small two pair to drive out the field and isolate the guy that I hope has at most a pair of aces. Is this the right time, or should I have waited until 5th and kept the pot smaller?


[/ QUOTE ]
Seems like a good time to try to fold out the lows. Your hand should look pretty scary to seat 3 & 4.

[ QUOTE ]
On 5th, I'm still raising to isolate, but now I recognize there is a decent chance I'm behind. I'm caught between trying to narrow the field with the best hand and getting myself trapped with the worst. I raised because I'd rather play two small pair heads up than 4-way, and I'll just hope for the best. Should I have bailed out here?


[/ QUOTE ]
I feel like you are behind here, but it looks like seat 3 & 5 picked up a couple of bricks. They probably won't fold their 4 flushes, and the A44 isn't going anywhere, so why raise? I wouldn't bail because you probably have the equity to check/call as long as a raising war doesn't break out.
[ QUOTE ]
On 6th street, getting check-raised would make me very unhappy, but so would giving up a free card if he has just a pair of 4s and a low draw or something like that, because he's got tons of outs to beat me (and there's that other guy who is drawing to something that I can't figure out what it is).


[/ QUOTE ]
I think seat 8 assumes you have made your flush, so he checks to you. Your bet folds seat 5 since he picked up another flush-brick.

[ QUOTE ]
I think this is a pretty safe check on 7th... I hope I got one of the streets right,

[/ QUOTE ]
He'd call if you bet, but its probably a crying call. I think he expects to see a spade flush. You were much more agressive with your hand than I would have been. Since you probably have the hand history, it might be nice to run it through 2 dimes to see how your equity stacked up against the competing hands.

[Prelude008]

I think the only things I would have done differently is just call on 5th. I don't like the A leading with an open pair after you showed strength on 4th. And I would have taken the free card on 6th. Just curious of the outcome, can you post in white?

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
Just curious of the outcome, can you post in white?

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="white"> Villain has Kh 3d 4c in the hole for trip 4s </font>

[Prelude008]

Wasn't the door card the A. I'm confused. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
Wasn't the door card the A. I'm confused. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Take those three cards plus the four showing on the board.

[Hamlet]

I think that folding on third is probably your best choice. Three people had called the bring-in when the Ace completed. You can count on all of them to call the completion, putting you in a 5-way pot with a hand that is very weak in both directions. Even if your opponent raises any Ace, you have to beat four hands starting with a pair of sixes and two to a low. I don't like your spot.

If you are convinced that the Ace has nothing, re-raising on 3rd is probably better than calling. You may thin the field a little to give your meager hand a chance to stand up.

I'd be interested in what Andy thinks of this hand.