20-40 stud hand
 

I'm trying to figure out stud. I played 20-40 stud for around 40 minutes at the Taj on Sunday. Before I get to the hand, I should comment that I was one of two players under 60 at the table, and I'd say that three of the players were closer to 80 than 70. I'm not sure there's going to be a large group of living stud players in ten years.

Anyway, to the hand. This hand might be straightforward, but I have a couple questions.

Third street:

A 3 brings it in. An 8 raises. A ten calls. I have 6s7s in the hole and 8s showing. No spades, 4s or 9s are out. One 5 is out and one ten is out. I call. (is this correct?). The bring in calls.

Fourth street:

The raiser gets Qs (making his board 8xQs). I catch 4s (making my hand 4s 6s 7s 8s). The ten gets a 9 and the 3 gets a 5. The Q 8 bets, the 10 9 calls, I call (should I have raised?), and the bring in calls.

Fifth street:

The 8Q player and 10 9 players catch blanks, and the bring in catches a 6 (making his board 3 5 6). I catch the 9c (making my hand 4s 6s 7s 8s 9c). It is checked to me, I bet, the bring in calls, and the other two players fold.

Sixth street:

I get Jc. The bring in gets a 9 (making his board 3 5 6 9). I bet and the bring in calls.

Seventh street: I catch As (making an Ace high flush). I bet, the bring in raises, I reraise, and the bring in calls.

Comments welcome (particularly on third, fourth and seventh streets). Results to follow.

Re: 20-40 stud hand
 

Your hand is absolutely worth playing on third. It is also well worth raising on fourth, but if you want to just call and keep the bring-in in, I'm OK with that. Definitely bet fifth. Probably bet sixth. Three-bet the river. So, well played.

Get 7CS4AP if you don't already have it. Third really is a very easy call.

I plan on living at least another ten years. I don't plan on playing at the Taj again any time soon, though.

Re: 20-40 stud hand
 

Usually I raise 4th street in this situation. The reason for this is many people call when they have the bring-in with pretty weak hands because they are getting a "better price". Therefore, many times they just fold on 4th. That's why I would raise 4th to get the maximum value out of your hand from the other 2 people. And who knows, the bring-in may call 2 cold.

The rest of the hand looks good.

Re: 20-40 stud hand
 

Small correction: On 6th street, the bring in's board was 2 3 5 6. I think he caught the 2 on sixth street.

Re: 20-40 stud hand
 

I might be more inclined to check sixth street, mostly because I'm guessing that the gut-shot combined with whatever else he had going for him will be enough that there's no way he's folding sixth. I wouldn't worry too much about him having a straight on sixth. I know that I almost couldn't have a Four in the hole myself.

Results
 

Recap:

My opponent's board is 2 3 5 6
I have an Ace high spade flush with a board of 4s 8s 9c Jc

I reraise seventh street and my opponent calls. I turn over my flush, and my opponent shows 2 2 3 in the hole for a full house. I go play hold'em.

Re: 20-40 stud hand
 

[ QUOTE ]
Usually I raise 4th street in this situation. The reason for this is many people call when they have the bring-in with pretty weak hands because they are getting a "better price". Therefore, many times they just fold on 4th. That's why I would raise 4th to get the maximum value out of your hand from the other 2 people. And who knows, the bring-in may call 2 cold.

The rest of the hand looks good.

[/ QUOTE ]

good point

Re: 20-40 stud hand
 

If there are players other than the bring in behind you, a call is definitely correct because your hand gains more equity with each additional player in the pot. If you are last to act before a somewhat tight bring in, and the other players are the average semi-loose passive players that populate the 20/40 games at the Taj, you can occasionally reraise profitably. This does several things. 1st it makes it look like you have a big paiir in the hole which will let you successfully bluff on 4th or 5th if you catch an open pair. 2nd with a totally live str8 F draw you have positive equity in a 3 way pot. 3rd you might get a free card on 5th, assuming you bet 4th and no one improves by then (or you can just take a "free" card on 4th if the other player catch good and check to you as they are likely to do).

Carlos