Stud 1-5 starting pair query

Lovesantiques · #1 08-08-2007, 02:48 PM

Playing 1-5 stud live, I often find myself holding AA or other big pair (either split or buried) and, after raising the opening $1 bid to $6, having 3 or 4 callers. They are calling on flush and/or straight draws, mostly, with some calling on smaller pairs or simply "because they can".

Trouble is, the big pair either doesn't improve, or improves to 2 pair. Either way it ends up losing to the straight or flush or trips that SOMEBODY is going to catch.

The only defense I know is to keep betting out, $5 at a time, but with all the money in the pot the opponents seldom fold.

Is it better in these games to just check? At least until I improve to 2 pair?

Just wondering what the right strategy is.

Thank you.

Lee

Wahoo73 · #2 08-08-2007, 05:36 PM

If you're getting called by 3-4 players every time after raising the $5 maximum allowed, then raising that much to thin the field is obviously not working and is in effect creating just the opposite condition from what you intended, i.e., it is tying players to their hands because of the initial large size of the pot, aka as bloating the pot. Once this happens, it makes sense for multiple players to continue playing straight and flush draws at least until 5th street, and invariably at least two of them will continue beyond 5th street.

I won't profess that this is the "right strategy" for you, but it is the way I approach my bet-sizing when I play 1-5 spread-limit stud: I play it as if it is a 3/5 structured game, with the ante being whatever the ante is, I bring-in for $1, I complete for either $2 or $3 (depends on the cards, position, etc.), I make my SB on 4th street $3 and my BB on 5th street and beyond $5.

If you try something like this, at least the pot won't get as bloated early in the hand, which should mean that players (including you) won't get so tied to their hands and find it a little easier to get away from their hands by 5th street.

Brad1970 · #3 08-08-2007, 05:42 PM

Sounds like a juicy game to me. Just variance. Eventually your Aces up (or Aces full) will hold & your stack will grow exponentially. Hang in there but expect them to chase you...1-5 stud afterall.

cmurl904 · #4 08-08-2007, 06:50 PM

I also play $1/5 like Wahoo73 described, a 3/5 game. It's tough because you'd like raise $5 and thin the field, but most 1/5 players will chase their straight & flush draws until 5th street. But, you also want to draw players in, so if you do bet $3 the pot will be a nice size.

Don't expect a lot of $ in this game nowadays, especially with the rake/tips. Unfortunately, 1/5 games have gotten very OLD. Believe it or not, it's still pretty popular in AC. Pre-2002 or so, these games were still good. It wasn't unheard of to have a + $150-$200 session on a Fri./Sat. night. Now, I only see guys 55-85 playing these games. It's become more of a seniors' social club. The average, blue-collar Joe who used to play 1/5 plays LLHE now. Too bad for us stud faithful.

I'll still sit down at a 1/5 if I'm on a list for another game. It can be fun if you have a couple of looser players in the game. Actually, I might give the 1/5 (.50 cent ante) at Bally's a shot. Maybe it's a good alternative to the tight 5/10 games I've played lately.

2461Badugi · #5 08-08-2007, 07:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I also play $1/5 like Wahoo73 described, a 3/5 game. It's tough because you'd like raise $5 and thin the field, but most 1/5 players will chase their straight & flush draws until 5th street.

[/ QUOTE ]

You will make a lot more money if you bet full on fourth street into obvious bricks. Keep the pot small on third when their draws are OK; punish the hell out of them on fourth when they've started to go to crap.

Lovesantiques · #6 08-10-2007, 05:14 PM

Thanks for the advice. I'll give the 3/5 idea a try next time. Bally's in AC still has 1 - 5 stud. So do some other casinos, I'm told. I need to find a $5 - 10 game. :-)

Lee

cmurl904 · #7 08-10-2007, 07:33 PM

Currently in AC the Taj, Bally's (.50 ante), & Harrah's all have multiple $1/5 games. Trop has 2 tables of $3/6 (no ante) every day.

Taj (2-3 tables), & Trop (1-2 tables) both have $5/10 games going every day. If you read some of my previous posts, I go into more detail about each.

I've heard that the $1/5 games at Harrah's are pretty good, anybody check it out recently ?
Has anyone seen a $5/10 game actually go at Harrah's ?