ITH Poker Forum

[MajorCrisp]

Hi folks.
After a long absence from poker I came back to it after reading Small Stakes Hold'em by Sklansky. (Brilliant book BTW)
I got a bit bored of HE and decided to have a bash at Stud.

I raised on 4th to give myself more chance of winning the pot in the future, trying to narrow the field and also trying to trick my opponents into believing I had two pair or trips, possibly picking up the pot if another five came in. Is that a good play?

I couldn't get a read on the raiser on 7th, but should I have reraised for value here anyway?

7 Card Stud High ($1/$2), Ante $0.25, Bring-In $0.50 (converter)

3rd Street - (2.00 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 2:spade:___folds
Seat 2: xx xx 4:diamond:___folds
Seat 3: xx xx J:spade:___calls
Seat 4: xx xx K:spade:___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 2:heart:___brings-in
Hero: 8:diamond: A:diamond: 5:diamond:___calls
Seat 7: xx xx 9:spade:___calls
Seat 8: xx xx 8:heart:___folds

4th Street - (4.50 SB)

Seat 3: xx xx J:spade: A:heart:___checks___calls
Seat 4: xx xx K:spade: Q:club:___checks___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 2:heart: 6:spade:___bets___calls
Hero: 8:diamond: A:diamond: 5:diamond: 5:club:___checks___double-raises
Seat 7: xx xx 9:spade: K:club:___checks___calls

5th Street - (6.25 BB)

Seat 3: xx xx J:spade: A:heart: 4:heart:___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 2:heart: 6:spade: 3:club:___calls
Hero: 8:diamond: A:diamond: 5:diamond: 5:club: Q:diamond:___bets
Seat 7: xx xx 9:spade: K:club: Q:heart:___folds

6th Street - (9.25 BB)

Seat 3: xx xx J:spade: A:heart: 4:heart: T:heart:___calls
Seat 5: xx xx 2:heart: 6:spade: 3:club: 6:heart:___checks___calls
Hero: 8:diamond: A:diamond: 5:diamond: 5:club: Q:diamond: T:diamond:___bets

River - (12.25 BB)

Seat 3: xx xx J:spade: A:heart: 4:heart: T:heart: xx___calls___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 2:heart: 6:spade: 3:club: 6:heart: xx___checks___raises
Hero: 8:diamond: A:diamond: 5:diamond: 5:club: Q:diamond: T:diamond: T:club:___bets___calls

Total pot: (17.25 BB)

[Taardvark]

I like the fourth street play. You are representing trip 5's or two pair and your backdoor flush looks pretty good since there are no exposed diamonds. There is one ace on the board but your 8 is live and there are no exposed 5's either. You probably don't have the best or even second best hand at this point but you might be able to thin the field here and shake free an opponent or two that currently has you beat.

Without a read I think a flat call isn't a bad play. If villian is full your facing another bet. If villian is full, it's pretty hard to read so I think a raise for value could be argued for as well. I think you can discount rolled up 2's with the early round action. I also think that someone with rolled up 2's would reraise on 4th to try to thin the field, especially against Seat 3 & 4 who are likely drawing to straights.

[stripes]

I agree mostly with Taardvark... rolled 2's looks unlikely. You're representing trip 5s or a big 2-pair on 4th, so what does Villain think you have? Something that beats Aces-up and maybe low trips, and was good enough to call all the way from 4th to 6th. A straight looks unlikely (given the lack of 5's and an unlikely 4th street bet on just a gutshot), and so does a flush given all the hearts out.

I can't help but think that Villain is full here too often to warrant a value reraise on the river. I'm thinking, given all the dead high cards, that he has some mid pockets in there, and caught on the river.