Stud/8 heads-up tourneys

[Alchemist]

Have any of you played these? Stars has them on Thursday nights for $22. I played one maybe a month ago and considered doing the one last week because of a really low turnout. Something like 40 entrants and 8 places paid, meaning if you had a bye in the first round you only had to win 2 matches to make the money.

It seems like luck would be a smaller factor compared to a MTT of similar size. Especially considering you have to play more creatively and can get to know your opponent's habits. It certainly cuts down on the boredom factor as well where I'm folding 4 out of 5 hands in a MTT.

Thoughts?

[greenage]

Those sound intriguing. If you win your first match, do you wait until all other first round matches complete before starting the second? In addition, how do breaks work?

[Alchemist]

Yeah you have to wait for all the other matches to finish, then everyone is randomly paired up again. In the tourney I played, there was a break at the first hour and my first match was still going on. It was kind of funny because I had come back and the chip count was very close, like 1560 to 1440. If > 2^N people sign up, the leftovers of course have to wait for all the matches to finish.

[Alchemist]

Well I played in the HU tourney tonight. 43 entrants and fortunately I got a bye in the first round. About an hour later there are 32 people left, 8 make the money.

First match is kind of a blur. I was down about 3:1 in chips at level V, not good. Then won a huge pot with a pair of Fives and a 6-low against a rivered 8-low and Ace high(?). Two hands later I knock him out with 4A2A4A3.

Match #2 was against a fairly weak-passive player. I won the bigs pots early on, took a huge lead and never really looked back. Guy would rarely bet his Ace in the door or even bet when he had his low locked up. In fact he twice bet into MY low board when I had made a 6-high straght on 6th. Since that match ended earlier than the others, I have to wait a while for the others to finish.

Match #3: This guy was a bit more aggressive and would stick around in pots longer. I made several costly errors in trying to push him out of the pot representing a low/freeroll and would get called down with a big pair. I was down quickly and eventually was to the felt when I scooped a decent pot. After many hands I fought my way back to even and shortly thereafter was another break. I lose a 5400 pot and a little later is this hand comes up.

Tournament - 7 Card Stud High-Low (1,200/2,400), Ante 200, Bring-In 400 (hand converter (http://www.geocities.com/greenage22/7StudConverter.htm))

Seat 1: 15,032
Hero: 8,968

3rd Street - (0.33 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif___brings-in
Hero: K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif___calls

4th Street - (1.00 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif___calls
Hero: K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif___bets

5th Street - (1.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif___checks___calls
Hero: K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif___bets

6th Street - (3.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif J/images/graemlins/club.gif___checks___calls
Hero: K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif J/images/graemlins/spade.gif___bets

River - (5.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif J/images/graemlins/club.gif xx___checks
Hero: K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif J/images/graemlins/spade.gif 7/images/graemlins/club.gif___checks

Total pot: (5.50 BB)

Results:
Total pot 13200

Seat 1: [3s Qh 4h 5d Qd Jc 2c] (HI: a pair of Queens)

Hero: [Kd 3c 6h 2s 7s Js 7c]

I now have less than 1 BB left.
I think the biggest mistake was calling 3rd. Raising or folding is probably better, but this guy was seeing 4th a lot. I didn't like him calling 5th and I *really* didn't like him calling 6th. The bet was just to try and get rid of him but I think a check is better here now. River was no help and that was it.
I'm not entirely sure his call-down wasn't correct. If I do in fact have a low on 5th (and obviously no straight), he has to think his QQ is good for high especially when I brick 6th. With the size of the pot now he can only ride it out.

Let me say that that match was gruelling even considering I had a first round bye. When I was eliminated, the match was 4 and a half hours long, and there were still 2 more rounds to go! It was fun but it is draining and I was getting tired just because it was getting late at night. I don't know how these 10-tabling HE players do it. Anyway I was glad to make the money, but dissappointed in my exit.

I might write a summary/flowchart type thing for discussion WRT 3rd street action since the same scenarios come up over and over again (like bringing in a baby vs a big card). Maybe tomorrow...I'm off to bed. Hope this was somewhat interesting.

[greenage]

With 43 entrants, that means 21 players get a bye and 22 play the first round?

[ QUOTE ]
Seat 1: [3s Qh 4h 5d Qd Jc 2c] (HI: a pair of Queens)

Hero: [Kd 3c 6h 2s 7s Js 7c]

I now have less than 1 BB left.
I think the biggest mistake was calling 3rd.

[/ QUOTE ]

With less than a 4 BB stack, I think you really need to let this go especially against someone who will stick around in the hand. Seems like this scenario plays out so often where you catch just enough to keep you in the hand long enough to get tied on.


[ QUOTE ]
Let me say that that match was grueling even considering I had a first round bye. When I was eliminated, the match was 4 and a half hours long, and there were still 2 more rounds to go! It was fun but it is draining and I was getting tired just because it was getting late at night. I don't know how these 10-tabling HE players do it. Anyway I was glad to make the money, but dissappointed in my exit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Congrats on making the money. I'm interested in playing this some time but yeah it sure does seem grueling.


[ QUOTE ]
Hope this was somewhat interesting.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, thank you.

[Alchemist]

[ QUOTE ]
With 43 entrants, that means 21 players get a bye and 22 play the first round?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep

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[ QUOTE ]
Seat 1: [3s Qh 4h 5d Qd Jc 2c] (HI: a pair of Queens)

Hero: [Kd 3c 6h 2s 7s Js 7c]

I now have less than 1 BB left.
I think the biggest mistake was calling 3rd.

[/ QUOTE ]

With less than a 4 BB stack, I think you really need to let this go especially against someone who will stick around in the hand. Seems like this scenario plays out so often where you catch just enough to keep you in the hand long enough to get tied on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. With each bet I felt like I was digging myself a bigger and bigger hole, just praying he'd fold.

I just ran some sims:

On 5th I'm a 64-36 dog (wow)
On 6th I'm a 77-23 dog (yikes)

[ QUOTE ]

Congrats on making the money. I'm interested in playing this some time but yeah it sure does seem grueling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I looked up the match and it took about 6 hours to complete. When the final one started, both players were saying how tired they were.
[ QUOTE ]
Hope this was somewhat interesting.

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Yes, thank you.

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Thanks, g