Input is appreciated 1/2 Stud

[Poker CPA]

3rd: Perfectly played because of the 7 players and your hand is somewhat hidden.

4th: Mistake, should be raising here. HUGE mistake

5th ~ 7th: Fine

Overall you did fine.

[lambchop]

[ QUOTE ]
3rd: Perfectly played because of the 7 players and your hand is somewhat hidden.

4th: Mistake, should be raising here. HUGE mistake

5th ~ 7th: Fine

Overall you did fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I was about to write. I will "almost" never raise third here, instead go for the checkraise or just lead fourth pending the players to attempt to limit the field. That being said...raise the hell outta fourth here.

[Brad1970]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
3rd: Perfectly played because of the 7 players and your hand is somewhat hidden.

4th: Mistake, should be raising here. HUGE mistake

5th ~ 7th: Fine

Overall you did fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I was about to write. I will "almost" never raise third here, instead go for the checkraise or just lead fourth pending the players to attempt to limit the field. That being said...raise the hell outta fourth here.

[/ QUOTE ]

How are the split A's hidden on 3rd?

[benlj21]

I would play this exactly the same, but I think raising 3rd is probably best just for value. I would wait til 5th to raise because there are 2 callers sandwiched in between. I'm open to the idea that raising 4th might be better. Is it for value, or to eliminate players? Because I'm not sure I want to bloat the pot here with just one pair. IMO if I raise one pair on 4th it's usually to knock players out, and I think raising reduces our chances of knocking players out over the course of the hand because it bloats the pot and might persuade them to call on 5th and 6th to try and catch two pair.

But like I said, raising 4th could still be correct. I'm not completely sold either way yet. Can anyone elaborate on their position: WHY would you raise or call?

[Brad1970]

[ QUOTE ]
I would play this exactly the same, but I think raising 3rd is probably best just for value. I would wait til 5th to raise because there are 2 callers sandwiched in between. I'm open to the idea that raising 4th might be better. Is it for value, or to eliminate players? Because I'm not sure I want to bloat the pot here with just one pair. IMO if I raise one pair on 4th it's usually to knock players out, and I think raising reduces our chances of knocking players out over the course of the hand because it bloats the pot and might persuade them to call on 5th and 6th to try and catch two pair.

But like I said, raising 4th could still be correct. I'm not completely sold either way yet. Can anyone elaborate on their position: WHY would you raise or call?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would nearly always raise in this spot on 3rd to thin the crowd. Split A's do best shorthanded.

If any of you were playing holdem & had pocket A's, would you limp in like that? With 6 others in the pot? If it is bad in holdem, it's worse in stud.

[lambchop]

First, I want to edit my previous post to not include the word hidden.


[ QUOTE ]


I would nearly always raise in this spot on 3rd to thin the crowd. Split A's do best shorthanded.



[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100% about doing better against a smaller field...but they have all limped here, a raise on third is going to eliminate who exactly? My thinking is maybe the bring-in, but probably not. I think the best way to limit this field is to either go for the check raise or lead fourth....with CR > bet.

[7csCB]

3rd:
At Pokerstars $1/2, I say call 3rd and look for an opportunity to raise/thin on 4th or 5th. To me, this is a marginal raise. Worst case, callers pay $0.50 vs a $4.70 pot ((7*0.10 ante) +(7*.50) + .50 raise). If their original call was wrong, this one is surely less so and quite possibly +EV. After the 3rd st raise, with $7.70 plus your presumed 4h st bet of $1, you again offer callers good odds (8.7:1). Whereas, the check on 3rd sets you up to lead out on 4th providing worse odds 5.2. I think also the 3rd st call allows you make a smart early fold if somebody develops a scary board on 4th or 5th, a fold which would be very difficult in a huge pot.

The OP's structure requires calls of $0.75 so it might have more opportunity to thin on 3rd. Callers must pay $0.75 in to a pot of $3.65 (~5:1), less enticing.

Regardless, if I thought you had the opportunity to limit it to 4 players, I'd say raise but I don't think you do.

4th:
I agree it does not look like the Ks are scary. Why not raise and try to thin here? From OP: "but my cards are all live so i figured to sandbag my hand till next street..." Huh? Your cards are NOT live. Your As unimproved have a much better chance vs fewer players. But I really don't think it's a huge mistake to call only. The boards are not that scary. Maybe 5th might be more opportune for a move (Raise, or possibly Fold).

[Poker CPA]

"Somewhat hidden" Bradley

[Poker CPA]

Ben

"But like I said, raising 4th could still be correct. I'm not completely sold either way yet. Can anyone elaborate on their position: WHY would you raise or call?"

Why raise 4th?

Position, probabilites, information, thin the field and the potential for free card on 5th. By just calling you are announcing to the field "I have Aces". Might as well make it offical and raise. The key to the hand is the "non-raise"
by the King on 3rd. Even bad players know split kings in this situation is an automatic raise to thin the field.

Why a 3rd street raise doesn't work?

In addition to the comments by "PokerProse", the 7 additional exposed cards on 4th will accomplish more in thining the field then a raise, while at the same time keeping your hand "in question" because of your call (somewhat hidden Bradley). Thus setting up the CR on 4th.

Aces in this situation with 16 exposed cards is the real "Value". A cheap fold or a potential "Biggie"