Trips in Stud 8/b...but dangerous boards...

[kyleb]

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

3rd Street - (0.80 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 2: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 3: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___brings-in
Seat 4: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 7: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls

I don't feel that raising queens in the 5/10 game on Party is worth it the majority of the time. When I play, I make sure to exercise good game selection and ensure that there are big pots and lots of players to fifth and sixth street. Big pairs are no good unimproved, and as many of you know, it can be a huge money leak if you get tied to the hand. Thinking that I won't eliminate anyone with this hand, I just call and pray.

4th Street - (2.40 SB)

Seat 3: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___bets

Well, it's looking bad for me, but I still can improve. The pot is huge, I close the action, and it's cheap to call, so I take one off.

5th Street - (3.20 BB)

Seat 3: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___bets___raises
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___raises___calls
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___raises___calls

Yes! Seat 5 leads out with trip eights (obvious), I raise, and Seat 8 reraises with his made low/very good low draw, since it's obvious Seat 5 and Hero are fighting over high. Seat 3 calls (huh?) and Seat 5 puts the cap on (easy raise). My hand is so huge because they cannot possibly know the strength of my hand.

6th Street - (19.20 BB)

Seat 3: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 5: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___bets___calls
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls___calls

I haven't filled up and a Jack just fell dead. Seat 5 has no problem betting into me, and I cannot find a reason to raise. I call, Seat 8 calls, and Seat 3 raises? Hopefully he hasn't made a wheel! It gets called around.

"One time, dealer!"

River - (27.20 BB)

Seat 3: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] xx___bets
Seat 5: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] xx___checks___calls
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___checks___calls
Seat 8: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] xx___checks___calls

Sigh. The pot's way too large to fold, and I know I'm ahead of Seat 5 now for high, but there's no reason to raise into what is a probable wheel from Seat 3.

Total pot: 31.20 BB

How do you play it?

[count1]

I play it the same way, and hope he is holding A-6.

[Grisgra]

Assume for the moment you have split queens instead of queens in the hole. Do you still play it in this situation (an ace behind you, multiple people shooting for lows)?

[Bartholow]

Fold 3rd in a game like this, I think. How do you ever expect to scoop? I guess there are a lot of dead low cards but...

[mscags]

I would probably complete third, and if you didn't feel comfortable completing I would fold. I think this hand might win a little over the long haul because your trips are hidden, but besides that you have about no chance to scoop against this many opponents.

[Andy B]

I raise coming in on third. Four people saw fourth, and maybe you could have gotten that number down to two or three. If you can't raise, you should fold. Queens don't do well multi-way, and there are enough low cards out that you might do well to fold anyway.

Fourth is OK, although A3 is a damned strong board. He probably doesn't have Aces, so you should have the best high hand. You'll want to get out on fifth if he catches another wheel card and you don't improve, however.

Nice catch on fifth. I would raise here too, and of course call the cap.

I have no problem with the smooth call on sixth. The guy with open Eights capped fifth. He could well be full. When the low hand raises and he just calls, though, it looks more like Kings-up (yechh). I would three-bet. Yes, the low hand could have a straight, but there are two Fives gone, which makes that somewhat unlikely. There is also an Ace and a Six gone, and he needs one of those as well.

I would probably get in a bet or a raise on the river as well.