Shorthanded Stud/8, Only Low Card Completes Bring-In

[SweetLuckyMe]

How often you reraise the bringin will depend on a lot of things. The biggest factor will be what position you're in (if anyone is left behind you and what others have done before you). It'll also depend on what you feel the range of hands is for the bringin. Generally, if the bringin completes short-handed (4 or less) it's a decent hand, but not a great hand. Razzy lows like 275 and small pairs small kicker like 335 and the sort. Although this can change depending on how the bringin views the others at the table - if he's sick of getting his bringin raised by a maniac every time he'll often complete full with any playable hand - I'll sometimes do this myself if I think lesser hands will call and better hands won't re-raise (i.e. table full of weak, fishy, calling stations). The biggest reason for the reraise is to retake control of the hand to where you force them to catch good to feel good about continuing. You'll have the playing advantage from 4th on so long as they don't catch good and you catch bad. If you both catch bad then you're in reasonably better shape than they are from the standpoint of hand playability.

As a general rule of thumb, if it's short-handed I'll give these bringin completers credit for a ragged 3low and act accordingly. If they're solid (although generally the "solid" players don't complete the bringin for various reasons) I'll be a bit more carefull, but usually if I'm last to act and I feel I have more equity than their likely hand I'll re-raise. I rarely call if it's heads up - unless they can't fold and are destined to get to the river regardless. If they complete with a 4 up and I have any pair bigger than their upcard I'll certainly reraise. I'll also reraise with just about any 3 card low with an ace - any low 3straight with a couple of overcards like 567 and some other hands where I feel I've got good early equity. Basically, run a bunch of sims on 2dimes and see where you're in good shape against their likely hands and act accordingly. Don't always fear they've got a monster hand and shy away simply because the antes aren't huge.