New to Stud/8
 

This play might be terrible but at the time it seemed like a good idea. I'm pretty new to stud so I don't know if this is really bad or not. Basically I thought that when I bet 6th, vill. would raise and seat 3 would be faced with 2 bets and fold a hand better than mine.

7 Card Stud High-Low ($1/$2), Ante $0.10, Bring-In $0.50 (converter)

Seat 1: $105.85
Seat 2: $45.30
Seat 3: $27.65
Seat 4: $73.05
Hero: $33.45
Seat 7: $48.05
Seat 8: $13.10

3rd Street - (0.70 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 2: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 3: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 4: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___brings-in___calls
Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 7: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 8: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds

4th Street - (5.70 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 3: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 4: xx xx 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 7: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___checks___folds

5th Street - (4.35 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 3: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___checks___calls
Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks___calls

6th Street - (7.35 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 3: xx xx A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks___folds
Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___bets___calls

River - (11.35 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] xx___bets
Hero: 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls

Total pot: (13.35 BB)

Re: New to Stud/8
 

Fold 4th, 5th and 6th. Your hand is a disaster. Small pair small kicker can be trappy type hands and have to improve quickly. The 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] showed strength on 3rd and caught a suited baby (granted diamonds are pretty dead) so you are likely way behind his hand alone. Get out on 4th and it's not close.

Re: New to Stud/8
 

Yeah this hand shouldn't be played on any street. What was your rational for making those calls? Particularly 5th where you have a crappy pair, no draws, and 3 low cards?

Re: New to Stud/8
 

The calls on third are OK, but you might be better off folding something like this in early position, especially if you're inclined to make the kinds of calls you did on fourth and fifth. Small pair/small kicker hands aren't as good as they look, and once you catch bad, you should usually get away from them quickly. On sixth, you should definitely check. Hopefully, the guy with the low board has paired up and will give you a free shot at making a high hand.

Re: New to Stud/8
 

Apparently I play good [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]. Thanks for all the advice. Making the transition from hold em is definitely a challenge. I'm looking forward to it though.

Re: New to Stud/8
 

fold every street just about every time

Re: New to Stud/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
Small pair/small kicker hands aren't as good as they look, and once you catch bad, you should usually get away from them quickly

[/ QUOTE ]

What's the standard line with small pair/small kicker type hands? I usually fold them on 3rd because I don't know what "catching good" is. Are you looking to make 2 pair or hit another low card? I suppose both would be good, but then again its not that good is it?

Re: New to Stud/8
 

People seriously overplay these hands. It's not like a 3-flush in stud hi where you can catch 10 cards to give you a good implied odds hand.

With the small pair small kicker you only 2 excellent outs, 3 decent outs, and the rest are just backdoor draws.

Basically unless you are coming in with a live hand after limpers with little chance of being raised, you should only be playing them when you can reraise or open-complete. This is in situations where you have overpair value. (I.e. you have the biggest upcard, or maybe there is one K-9 behind. If there is a low overcard behind you like an 8 that's bad.)

Re: New to Stud/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Small pair/small kicker hands aren't as good as they look, and once you catch bad, you should usually get away from them quickly

[/ QUOTE ]

What's the standard line with small pair/small kicker type hands? I usually fold them on 3rd because I don't know what "catching good" is. Are you looking to make 2 pair or hit another low card? I suppose both would be good, but then again its not that good is it?

[/ QUOTE ]

They generally should be folded quite often. It depends what your two starting ranks are; I'd rather have 656 vs 727. It's also dependent on others' doorcards and lots of other factors. I'm less inclined to play them if a lot of babies are playing in front of me and if my cards are dead.

What makes them tricky is if one or more other low draws and you catch good (a non-pairing baby), especially if there's a high hand also involved. In that case, you're often behind in both directions and can get jammed in, making it difficult to correctly play your hand.

The best card to catch is your set card. People will think you're on a low draw so you'll have great deception but that happens less than 1 in 20 times on 4th. Making two pair and catching a baby are also good but can make for tricky situations depending what you're up against.

Re: New to Stud/8
 

Obviously, making a set is very good. Two pair might get you into trouble. Anything else in the win zone (A-8) is enough to make me at least consider continuing. With this hand in particular, there are several cards that will make your hand look pretty, and I'd be a lot more excited about the 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] than the 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Generally, if I catch a banana on fourth or fifth, I fold quickly.