An Interesting Stud/8 Hand

The Stud/8 situations I find most interesting are often those where you have what looks like a low hand but is actually a high hand or vice versa. I’ll post the hand first then say a few things about it:

Poker Stars $300+$20 Limit Stud Hi/Lo Tournament – t100/t200 Limit + t20 – 7 players – View hand 2576621

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

Seat 1: t4010 M = 13.83
Seat 2: t7900 M = 27.24
Seat 3: t6091 M = 21.00
Seat 4: t7605 M = 26.22
Seat 5: t4676 M = 16.12
Hero (): t5651 M = 19.49
Seat 8: t2151 M = 7.42

3rd Street: (1.4 SB)
Seat 1: xx xx 5____Seat 1 completes____Seat 1 calls
Seat 2: xx xx 8____Seat 2 folds
Seat 3: xx xx T____Seat 3 folds
Seat 4: xx xx K____Seat 4 folds
Seat 5: xx xx A____Seat 5 raises
Hero: 4 5 2___Hero brings in for $30___Hero calls
Seat 8: xx xx 8____Seat 8 folds

4th Street: (7.4 SB) (3 players)
Seat 1: xx xx 5 J____Seat 1 folds
Seat 5: xx xx A 6____Seat 5 bets
Hero: 4 5 2 4___Hero calls

5th Street: (4.7 BB) (2 players)
Seat 5: xx xx A 6 3____Seat 5 bets____Seat 5 calls
Hero: 4 5 2 4 3___Hero raises

6th Street: (8.7 BB) (2 players)
Seat 5: xx xx A 6 3 K____Seat 5 checks____Seat 5 calls
Hero: 4 5 2 4 3 9___Hero bets

7th Street: (10.7 BB) (2 players)
Seat 5: 5 5 A 6 3 K xx____Seat 5 checks____Seat 5 calls
Hero: 4 5 2 4 3 9 3___Hero bets

I’m a novice Stud/8 player. I find it interesting, I play it occasionally, I’ve studied it a bit, but I don’t have an expert’s grasp on what is a very nuanced game. So take everything I say with a larger grain of salt than usual.

Third Street – I very rarely open complete. I prefer not to give away anything about my hand before others have acted. There might be a case for three-betting this, but it’s a hand that plays well multi-way, I don’t really think Seat 1 is going to fold anyway, and I’m not going to be more than slight equity favorite. Especially in a tournament, I think it’s best not to bloat the pot on third.

Fourth Street – Now may be the time to raise and drive out Seat 1. However, he may fold anyway, and I’m not eager to shovel in money against Seat 5.

Fifth Street – I’m still not a favorite, but my thinking was that my equity was good enough to start putting pressure on him. In retrospect, I don’t think he’s folding any run out unless maybe I catch an A, in which case he folds correctly. It’s just too hard for me to have him beat on both directions. Even if he has doubts about his low, there’s some chance that he can win the high with no pair in the event that I have a better low.

Sixth Street – See above. I’d be better off taking a free card.

Seventh Street – I think a lot of people may miss this value bet. Hero’s high hand isn’t especially strong, and Villain could easily have a low, so it may seem like you should check. But Villain is definitely going to bet hands that scoop you anyway, and you can’t fold to a bet, so that bet is going in the pot anyway if you’re getting scooped. You might worry about getting raised, but realistically it’s very hard for Villain to raise your bet because it’s so hard for him to have a strong two-way hand, especially since Hero could easily have a wheel. If Villain has a low, it’s tough for him to also have your high beat, so in actuality you have very little to lose by betting, and it gives Villain a chance to call for half when his low draw missed. I think it’s possible to be called here even by AK high (which goes back to why the fifth and sixth street aggression was a mistake).