Last-minute WSOP Stud/8 advice?

[MarkGritter]

Anybody else going to be playing the $1000 Stud/8 event on Monday? (I won a Full Tilt "bracelet race" tournament and decided I would suck least at this event.)

One thing I'm uncertain about is how to adjust my play based on the larger ante size than what I'm used to online. My thinking so far is to raise and reraise 3rd if it will drive players out of the pot (by denying others favorable odds) but not adjust too much if the table is loose since I will need to be showing down the best hand anyway.

My other concern is --- what _haven't_ I thought of? I've played Stud/8 live, and even a live tournament or two, but nothing of this scale. What should I be prepared for?

Thanks for any thoughts you may have.

[Raul Wong]

What is the structure like? I dont have much advice other than you should consider running awesome and being rolled up a lot. A trip report is also mandatory after the game...!!! This is Tuesday right? GL dude!

[MarkGritter]

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What is the structure like?

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This is what used to be on the WSOP website, but they took all the detailed information down in the redesign:

level 1: $5 ante, $5 bi, $10/$20
level 2: $5, $5/$20/$40
level 3: $5, $10/$30/$60
level 4: $10, $15/$50/$100
level 5: $15, $25/$75/$150
level 6: $20, $30/$100/$200
level 7: $25, $50/$150/$300
level 8: $50, $50/$200/$300
level 9: $50, $100/$300/$600
level 10: $75, $150/$400/$800
level 11: $100, $200/$600/$1200
...

[Phat Mack]

I wonder who is going to show up for this event? Is everbody going to be over 60? Is it going to be 95% internet players? I think I would look at my table and try to adopt a contrarian strategy to my opponents'. If they're sitting back, I would raise early and often, and if they were internet hold 'em players I would sit back and rope-a-dope.

[ QUOTE ]
One thing I'm uncertain about is how to adjust my play based on the larger ante size than what I'm used to online. My thinking so far is to raise and reraise 3rd if it will drive players out of the pot (by denying others favorable odds) but not adjust too much if the table is loose since I will need to be showing down the best hand anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

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level 1: $5 ante, $5 bi, $10/$20

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Good Grief! If played some weird poker games, but I've never player 10-20 stud where we were shooting at $45 of dead money on the first betting round. With the right lineup, this could be a blood bath. Strategy for the first couple of rounds: Check out the Bodog hospitality suite.

[CarlosChadha]

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder who is going to show up for this event? Is everbody going to be over 60? Is it going to be 95% internet players? I think I would look at my table and try to adopt a contrarian strategy to my opponents'. If they're sitting back, I would raise early and often, and if they were internet hold 'em players I would sit back and rope-a-dope.

[ QUOTE ]
One thing I'm uncertain about is how to adjust my play based on the larger ante size than what I'm used to online. My thinking so far is to raise and reraise 3rd if it will drive players out of the pot (by denying others favorable odds) but not adjust too much if the table is loose since I will need to be showing down the best hand anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
level 1: $5 ante, $5 bi, $10/$20

[/ QUOTE ]

Good Grief! If played some weird poker games, but I've never player 10-20 stud where we were shooting at $45 of dead money on the first betting round. With the right lineup, this could be a blood bath. Strategy for the first couple of rounds: Check out the Bodog hospitality suite.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a misprint. Actually for the first round a dealer button is circulated and each person takes turns anting $15 for the entire table. (This is what they did in the 1500 stud event)

Carlos

[blumpkin]

I'm playing. I had to miss 1500 stud because I was moving apartments, but I shall not miss Monday's event...and when I bust out, 50/100 side games here I come!

[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.

[mscags]

As the game goes on and ppl get tighter, high hands go up a lot in value. A medium pair HU against a low that is all in by fourth street isnt a bad situation. Look to steal and steal alot. Good luck.

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
As the game goes on and ppl get tighter, high hands go up a lot in value. A medium pair HU against a low that is all in by fourth street isnt a bad situation. Look to steal and steal alot. Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good advice. Also to expand of this particularly in the early rounds the action will be loose and wild, players will peel liberally. Keep this in mind and adjust accordingly on the later rounds when some players start to tighten up (4th - 5th hour), and others will be extremely agressive in order to stay alive. On the first round your defense range can loosen up because their steeling range will greatly increase and the pot size will be enormous due to the ante/completion ratio. Keep the size of the antes and pot size in mind at all times, the structure at the WSOP is very unique. All in all remember that unlike hold'em, you really dont have to adjust very much, play as if it was a cash game and you should do rather well.

One last piece of advice - the Full Tilt Tournament Guide Stud 8 section is rather good if your a solid cash game player.

[*TT*]

a Ray Z quote I just dug up about stud/8 tournaments vs ring games:

In 7 hi/lo 8 or better, low hands win the most money as high hands too often fold incorrectly when scare cards come. All low hands have scoop potential as two pair is the hand that scoops most often heads-up. In tournaments you win the most chips by running off your opponents as they tend to protect their chips way too much.

I found this quote while looking for a good S8 equity calculator, its sad that to this day one still doesn't exist [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]