Stud 8 shorthanded advice for beginners?

[longclaw]

I have been playing the $2-$4 stud8 games at UB when I can find them. I have been doing very well when there are at least four other players in the game, but I get killed if I try to play three handed or heads up. I am very patient at a full table, but I try to be more aggressive when the number of players goes down. I really enjoy this game, but I need to be able to start a table without blowing through a buy in if I want to play. How do you adjust to shorthanded/heads up play. I guess my biggest problem is that I can't wait for a premium starting hand so I don't know what to do with these marginal hands. Any advice?

[Bartholow]

In your case, it sounds like you need to remember that stud games are different than holdem. In holdem the blinds stay the same when the game gets short, but in stud there are less antes in there. Only the bring-in money stays the same. So you need to loosen up COMPARATIVELY little, though you will want to some, and it depends a bit on the ante/bring-in ratio.

The other general stud/8 shorthanded advice is that high hands go up in value, as you are less likely to be up against multiple good low draws etc. Particularly things like (88)6 and such.