*** 3rd STREET ***

Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah]

Dealt to jabo99 [Qs]
cowboys 3: brings-in low 10
calbear11: calls 10

jabo99: raises 15 to 25

calbear11: calls 15

*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah] [5s]

Dealt to jabo99 [Qs] [Ks]
calbear11: bets 25
samidog232: folds
Chicago28: folds
jabo99: calls 25
Barathea: folds
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah 5s] [7h]
Dealt to jabo99 [Qs Ks] [2d]
calbear11: bets 50
jabo99: calls 50
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h] [Ac]
Dealt to jabo99 [Qs Ks 2d] [Ts]
calbear11: bets 50
jabo99: calls 50
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h Ac] [Jh]
calbear11: bets 50
jabo99: calls 50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
calbear11: shows [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h Ac Jh] (HI: a pair of Aces; LO: 8,7,5,4,A)
jabo99: mucks hand
calbear11 collected 263 from pot
calbear11 collected 262 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 525 | Rake 0
Seat 4: calbear11 showed [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h Ac Jh] and won (525) with HI: a pair of Aces; LO: 8,7,5,4,A
Seat 8: jabo99 mucked [4h 2h Qs Ks 2d Ts 5h]


So I realize this is the strategy forum, but I figured it would still be the best place to post any stud related topic anyway. I just had to share this hand with somebody. I laughed way too hard when I was called on the river by someone
who could not beat my board.

I was hesitant to post it simply because of the fact that it might alert some people on here to how outrageously soft the 10 and 20 dollar stud/8 tournies are on Stars. I cash in them at an absurd rate. I hope none of you try and to the same. And if anyone is interested I would enjoy some serious stud/8 tourney stategy discussion.

I hope he was drunk.

Without seeing any of the other cards that were out there, I also find it laughable that you would play this hand in the first place with a limp on third...

That's what I was thinking.

Yes... I think we would like more details... stack sizes, number of players left and history with this opponent would be important. Also you thoughts on each street.

Glad you are having success with the stud8 tourneys... keep it up.

James

For the extra $50 on the end, the chance to see your hole cards to get an idea on how you play for future reference is well worth it to some players.

Fair enough. I will dig into my hand history to give you the details. Some things I remember offhand: I was the only player to catch good on 4th street. I think it was 4 or 5 handed at that point. I bet as the only player with 4 to a low. I was called in only one spot. I made my 8 on 5th street and was freerolling from there, so I kept betting. I very much doubt that I was the first player in. In those cases I usually complete the bring in.
I had not had much of a history with this player. After the hand I watched him play. I guess you'll have to trust me on this, but believe me when I say he was horrible. I think he was the first out at my table, playing way too many hands and showing down other ridiculous hands. If he was the type of player for which the information he gained from calling me down on 7th would be important, I somehow doubt he would have entered the pot at all with Q42 (not suited), let alone call at any point in the hand from there on out.

In any case, when I find the details I certainly would welcome some criticism. I do not claim to be a perfect player. Do I think playing this hand was laughable under the circumstances? Probably not. Maybe it wasn't correct. If not I hope you can help me understand. I am relatively new to the game. I have read the super system 2 section and try and model my game after that. Though one thing I do know that I could improve upon is adjusting my decisions more accurately given the dead cards. Of course I take them into account but I'm sure I could improve in that area.

Here is the hand in its entirety:


PokerStars Game #4547275700: Tournament #22380091, 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Limit -
Level II (25/50) - 2006/04/07 - 02:08:34 (ET)
Table '22380091 7' 8-max
Seat 1: Barathea (2087 in chips)
Seat 2: Wishbear (2101 in chips)
Seat 3: cowboys 3 (1775 in chips)
Seat 4: calbear11 (1183 in chips)
Seat 5: samidog232 (1507 in chips)
Seat 6: laugher_22 (1029 in chips)
Seat 7: Chicago28 (1566 in chips)
Seat 8: jabo99 (752 in chips)
Barathea: posts the ante 5
Wishbear: posts the ante 5
cowboys 3: posts the ante 5
calbear11: posts the ante 5
samidog232: posts the ante 5
laugher_22: posts the ante 5
Chicago28: posts the ante 5
jabo99: posts the ante 5
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to Barathea [4d]
Dealt to Wishbear [9c]
Dealt to cowboys 3 [3s]
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah]
Dealt to samidog232 [6s]
Dealt to laugher_22 [Th]
Dealt to Chicago28 [7c]
Dealt to jabo99 [Qs]
cowboys 3: brings-in low 10
calbear11: calls 10
samidog232: calls 10
laugher_22: folds
Chicago28: calls 10
jabo99: raises 15 to 25
Barathea: calls 25
Wishbear: folds
cowboys 3: folds
calbear11: calls 15
samidog232: calls 15
Chicago28: calls 15
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to Barathea [4d] [Td]
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah] [5s]
Dealt to samidog232 [6s] [Kh]
Dealt to Chicago28 [7c] [Jd]
Dealt to jabo99 [Qs] [Ks]
calbear11: bets 25
samidog232: folds
Chicago28: folds
jabo99: calls 25
Barathea: folds
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah 5s] [7h]
Dealt to jabo99 [Qs Ks] [2d]
calbear11: bets 50
jabo99: calls 50
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h] [Ac]
Dealt to jabo99 [Qs Ks 2d] [Ts]
calbear11: bets 50
jabo99: calls 50
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to calbear11 [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h Ac] [Jh]
calbear11: bets 50
jabo99: calls 50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
calbear11: shows [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h Ac Jh] (HI: a pair of Aces; LO: 8,7,5,4,A)
jabo99: mucks hand
calbear11 collected 263 from pot
calbear11 collected 262 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 525 | Rake 0
Seat 1: Barathea folded on the 4th Street
Seat 2: Wishbear folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 3: cowboys 3 folded on the 3rd Street
Seat 4: calbear11 showed [8c 4s Ah 5s 7h Ac Jh] and won (525) with HI: a pair of
Aces; LO: 8,7,5,4,A
Seat 5: samidog232 folded on the 4th Street
Seat 6: laugher_22 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Chicago28 folded on the 4th Street
Seat 8: jabo99 mucked [4h 2h Qs Ks 2d Ts 5h]


I see now that I did limp and not complete the bring in. I assume this is stupid because with a hand like A48 we would rather have it heads up?
Does the presence of the 3, 6, and 7 cards make my hand unplayable? Even with no aces dead?

Are there any problems with my play after 3rd street? It seems to me like I absolutely have to bet every street from that point.

I was going to comment on you playing the hand in the first place, but thought maybe it was heads up. His play was still odd though..

I don't know much about hi/lo, so don't take this as solid advice. I think playing 8 4 A is a mistake here like you said because of the number of low cards that out on 3rd.

5 4 A is much more playable because in hi/lo games you want to scoop, and 8 4 A needs some serious improvment to win either the high or the low.

Strange hand overall. I agree that you played well after 3rd.

Good luck.

James

I just bought SSII for so I could beat down those soft soft games.

I'm going to go against the masses and say that I don't see any problem with playing this starting hand in a 5-way pot. As long as you don't go crazy with it on later streets. Your equity on 3rd is almost certainly better 20%, especially against jokers who will play any three.

An another note, I haven't played a stud tourney in awhile, but I always found them to be a lot of fun, and also quite profitable. I think I won the first stud hi tourney I played in, and I've played a few stud/8 sng's and cashed in all of them. It's fun to watch the guys who play every hand. They sometimes build up chips in the first few rounds, but when the stakes go up, they start dropping like flies.

So I just downloaded a stud/8 odds calculator and after running A48 against the likely holdings of my opponents in this spot and it actually fairs pretty well. It has plenty of equity on its own merit, and when you factor in the fact that I can get in wonderful freerolling opportunities on later streets I think I am fine with playing this hand. I'm pretty sure super system 2 says that an ace and two babies is usually a playable hand, though it does say to use caution when you've got the 8. Certainly you have to catch good right away to continue with the hand and be willing to dump the hand against scary boards even if you improve.

I agree. This hand is not playable with that board against a good field. But, as you said these guys are loose, and you can come in here and see what happens on 4th. On 4th everyone caught paint but you, so you were fine past that point.

Loose starting hand, but given where you were playing, and your ability to get away from scary boards, I don't think it was anything laughable or even bad.

Monty