[AlanBostick]

I've only played two WSOP stud/8 events, in 2004. I made it past the dinner break both times, but finished thirteen and thirty-eight places out of the money in events with two-hundred-odd entrants. Game conditions have likely changed with the TV poker boom, so take my advice with a fair amount of salt.

Most of the tournament pros will be playing, and a lot of them simply don't understand stud/8. I saw a lot of players peeling on fourth street when they really shouldn't. There is a tendency to overvalue high-only hands.

The game changes when the antes and betting limits get large compared to stack sizes. Brick pairs go up in value some, small pairs with small kickers go up in value rather more, and the more razzy low starters go down. An ace in the door is a big stick with which you must pummel your opponents. Remember that in split-pot tournaments, as your stack dwindles you need to make your final stand earlier, with a larger stack, because all too often you wind up splitting the antes with they player who tried to take you out, leaving you only marginally better-off than before.

If you have the time, spend a while on twodimes to get a feel for head-up all-in equity in a number of situations (small pairs with low kickers versus big ones, an ace and two bricks versus a medium pair, big pairs versus low straight starters, etc.). Twodimes more useful for small-stack play because short-stack situations are often all-in on fourth or fifth street so action on the later streets doesn't distort your equity. Pay particular attention to what sorts of hands play well even though they catch bad on fourth or fifth -- often you will have to commit your last chips to a hand you would muck without a second thought in a cash game.

If you understand stud/8, your overlay comes from the many players who don't; and you can best take advantage of it with a larger stack. Building up and maintaining a larger stack, if you can, amplifies your edge.

Good luck and good hunting.