GCA "Short Handed Stud 8" Theory R
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Subject: Short Handed Stud 8 theory GCA
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Date: 2002-08-02 01:38:39 PST
Short Handed Stud 8
The approach to playing short handed stud 8 is kind of like playing the game
Rock, Paper, Scissors. Hands can be put into groupings of High Only, meaning
[no low possible start, unless you hit four non pairing small cards in a row],
low starts[ 3 low cards without a pair, but holding an ace or three flush or 3
straight], and low pair starts [where you need three small cards to complete a
low]. Preferably my favorite is the[high] low pair start. It is the rock
against the scissors in most contests.
Remember that in short handed stud 8, it is hard to show a profit by just going
low as most pots will only be heads up. Thus playing high becomes essential. Or
making high hands. But the name of the game is how do I play high? Playing for
high in short handed high low stud is not the same as playing short handed high
stud.
In regular high stud poker, hands like J,Q,K can be played very easily against
an opening card of 8 or smaller. However, in the game of stud 8, you can forget
about these hands. A hand like this can only be played when the opening card is
a 9,or 10. In general, high pairs gain a lot more value, but not as much as you
think. Though, they are played quite extensively in this game. The way they are
played will help determine your outcome in the game. Remember there is the
back-door low to escape with.
I could write a whole book on the many approaches to this game, but I am not a
writer and will keep this little essay small. Basic concept of this game is
that Aces go way up the ladder in value. The obvious roll-ups need not be
talked about as they are obvious. After these come the high small cards. These
you can put into 8,7,6 with the low small cards being 5,4,3,2.
Deception plays a key part in this game.In fact, a very key part. The hardest
up card to play in this game is an Ace. Most people have no idea of how to play
it unless they have Aces. Since it is a pivot card it is a very important card
to steal with and an equally important card to have. Raising or re-raising with
an Ace up is a must with starting hands, if nothing more than to represent Aces
even when not having them. The times you have them will even things up, besides
the boards that individuals may face when playing against an Ace up on the
board. Better to throw the Ace away in certain instances than try to steal,
especially if the pot is opened and called.
Now the hardest card to play against properly is most probably the 8. The 8 has
the highest deception part in the game and can retain position far longer in
the game. The 8 can be going high or low and you can be in serious trouble if
playing low or playing low pairs or even playing high with high pairs. This
card can raise at will and slow most opposition down, as it is the deceptive
pivot card in the game that keeps position as much in a game than it loses it.
Yes, as I have stated before , there is position in stud. An example would be
if the opposition starts with a king up. Say I have split 8's with an Ace. The
king will be first to bet all the way through the hand, except if I catch an
Ace or an 8 or happen to pair one of my other cards. In these positions I would
lose position but also most likely get the winning hand which may enable me to
get raised and thus be able to re-raise. Either way, I will get to raise or act
last if I don't catch.
Remember, getting low in a short handed Stud 8 game does not make you money.
Getting high is where the money is. The main confrontation you want in this
game is to be going the same way as the other individual, normally high,
without informing him of the fact except where the situation is obvious as if
you are both starting with face cards up. Deception and trapping him or having
him lose a bet or you gain one is the key. In this game, it is very easy for
the more skilled player. The one who knows has a far greater advantage than the
ones that doesn't. I consider Stud 8 full or short to be the most skill-full
"limit game" spread in casinos.
As I stated before in full games for beginners, that 3,4,5, is a good starting
hand, in short-handed play, 6,7,8 becomes a great starting hand, especially
heads-up. The pairing up factor is the main criteria here, besides the fact
that a 5 or a 9 will help you quite a bit more and add deception. Face cards or
[banana's as I call them, are the enemy],but they can also be the friend if you
understand the way the person is going. Say you both start going low and you
both catch face cards. Both have a bad hand so here the play comes in. You must
be prepared to call with these situations on fourth street and not let yourself
be bullied. Realize that the other individual may be having the same hand as
you, but be counting on you to fold when he bets, hence you establish you are
starting with a pair. This is why I have stated to raise with your small door
cards, when they are higher than the openers or raisers. Say you both catch
bananas. This will enable you in many circumstance to win the pot right there.
And if not, you also have the benefit if you both catch face cards again.
The rule of the game and some of the best starting hands are that [high] low
cards rule. Starting with a pair of 8's and a another small card is an
excellent start against most starting hands, except the few really prime
starting hands. I would take this hand to start with against the majority of
hands that can be played. Obviously in short handed games you will be playing
more hands than in full games. 8's with an Ace is a very good start against
most starting hands other than Aces, roll-ups or say 3,4,5, suited.
Starting with small pairs are good starting hands. Ace kickers help even more.
This is where the Rock, Paper, Scissors concept comes into play. Say your bring
in card is a 5. In this case I would like to have a pair of 6's,7's, or 8's
[all preferably with another small card,actually essential]. It is essential
that the larger of the small cards gets the final raise in. Even if he hasn't
the pair, but has a 5,7,8 or some thing like it, he wants to represent he has
high with a pair. Door cards usually dictate the pair you are representing.
Say a person opens the pot with a 3, then the next person that plays with a
playing hand must raise. Preferably he would like a pair of 8's for deception
but about any three cards to a straight or a low with an Ace in the hand will
do. Play the hand like you have a pair of your door card. This is a game of
position and high, low cards rule. Well we stated a 3 opened the pot. We will
give us a bad playing hand, but a playing hand none the less. We will give
ourselves a 3,6,7, with a 7 as our up card. Obviously we will be playing this
hand in a short handed game.
We look at the other person or two in the game with us. We look at their board
cards. It really doesn't matter what they have, as it is up to us and we must
raise and either try to get the ante's or prepare to play the pot. It would be
a wrong concept for a person behind us to not re-raise us with a card higher
than the 7 we have on board. He wants to show and should have the hand, that he
has a pair or sevens or higher beaten because his door card will be higher. He
wants position in this hand. However, we will assume that both other players
fold and we are left with the 3.
Now, if the 3 has a playing hand, there is no reason for the three to raise at
this time, no matter what the situation or no matter what he holds, even if he
is rolled up with the other two 3's. By raising with this hand, he will just
give his hand away and lose much value in the latter part of the hand. Assume
he does raise, it is up to the 7 to reraise to establish he has a pair of
sevens and also create the illusion he is going high, since he does have the
highest small card. Now the 3 raises again and almost tells you he is going
high, so you really don't have to worry too much about him going low. Every
once in a while a person will raise in this position with the three and find
himself looking at roll-ups also, but the 7 can keep raising because if they
keep on raising, the 3 must stop first because of the possibility of the
rolled-up 7's. Thus is it best to avoid playing in this fashion and go to the
deceptive one. It will beat out all others.
The turn card will tell and do wonders. Assume the 3 catches a high card and
you catch a low card. The 3 will come out betting again. You raise him again,
he raises you again and you call. You know for a fact he is going high and most
likely has a pair of Aces or roll-ups. And this is the worse case scenario.
However, you are not in bad shape any way you look at it. As long as you catch
small on the next card you are in good shape. In fact, you may even be free
rolling by then. Obviously you can catch a banana [from now on all bricks or
face cards, 9 thru k will be referred to as banana's. Though obviously you
started this hand as in a bad position, playing it the proper way and
understanding which way the opposition is going is a large factor to this game.
Obviously you can catch a banana on fourth street and take a card off since you
will realize any low will be good.
As many times as the person who is rolled up with the 3's will win, he can win
more and make more money by simply calling the initial raise and trying to fool
the opposition into thinking he is going low. For when the bricks come to both
of you, the one who plays the best will force you to play and you will not have
any idea if he has a pair or is going low and trying to steal. Thus, you don't
give any information out [unless obvious] until fifth street, when the bets get
to double. Here is when the players go to raising, after they have trapped you.
Betting out and getting raised and re-raising is equivalent to six small bets
to start the hand with and now you have the person trapped where you want him.
Getting five bets in on fifth street is also easy, as many people will assume
you are trying to slow the action down for sixth street and get a free card.
Thus they put in a fourth bet on fifth street. This is accomplished by
deceiving your opposition at the beginning into making him think you are weak
by going low. Playing all hands like this is the way to go until the double
bets come in.
Boards are the important thing in high low stud. Not many people want to be in
the position of drawing only to get their money back and thus boards will slow
down all but the nuts. Say you started with a pair of split kings against a
small card up. Obviously they are easy to play if the person catches a banana.
What if his board continues to play low. Do you bet kings into a board that
starts low and catches a another low card? Is it a good play? Especially
realizing that approximately 8 out of 13 times the card will be low.
And if you don't help your Kings, you realize if the person has six small
cards, you can not scoop him or may not win anything if you don't have at least
two pair made or a four card running low. The main part about playing
shorthanded Stud 8, is that it doesn't take large hands to win a majority of
the pots. Many times a small or medium pair will do the job. Value betting is
of extreme importance in this game. This is the reason you should not give away
if you are going high unless it is obvious as if you start with a face card.
And assume, if you do start with a hand such as AH, 3H, and a KH on board, you
must raise with the K and represent your pair until the end, unless the board
you are facing becomes to good to look at.
One of the things a good Stud 8 player needs is for the opposition to hit a
banana on fourth or fifth street. This forces the people to play. It does not
make everything simple. This allows for much betting and raising and deception.
The bluffing and deception in this game begins with the first door card and
goes from there. Do not give away the way you are going on the first card. If a
3 opens and your door card is an 8, raise if you are going to play and re-raise
if raised. Even if your door card is a four, raise or re-raise. A pair of fours
has a decent chance of winning from a pair of threes [even without another
card] and should be bet for value as the cards come that don't seem to help
the opposition. A person starting with a three up would most likely not get any
help from a 9-k.
When both of these hands hit bananas or have two bananas showing on the board,
a small pair is all that may be needed and should be bet for value. In fact,
since you represented you had a small pair from the start when you had the four
over the 3, bet the hand anyway. Most times the pair of 3's will lay down and
if they don't continue to value bet as they are calling stations anyway. Don't
be afraid of being raised on the river. Many times as people will be just
raising because they made low and can't lose. Seldom do people ever raise with
one pair on the river, so most often when they do raise on the river with a
couple of bananas showing is because they made low. Thus it is also useless as
most people know this. It also enables you to bluff out the 3's from calling
you if you did not start with a pair and completely blank out. Remember to bet
your small to middle pairs on the river if you are going to call. It will be
deemed value betting and will enable you to bluff them when you are going low
and catch three bananas that don't pair.
You must be able to read the board. Remember that many of the players that play
this game still tend to want to play low exclusively. Learn how to read the
board in order to understand if they have a low, what it takes for you to win
high. Remember if they have two bananas that are not the same, and they have a
low, many times a pair is not needed to win high. Some times you have to learn
to call with Ace high and no low when the opposing board is two bananas and two
low cards. For when they bet on the river, the odds are they have made low if
they haven't shown any aggression earlier. Thus, figure out if your Ace Q,J, 9,
is good for high. Not that hard to do.
Playing tighter does not help you that much in this game. Premium starting
hands are far apart and not really any more profitable with one player in the
pot. A whole different concept arises when playing short handed. You are
playing for high, but trying to use small cards and getting the benefit of
getting you money back with a low as a back-up.
Think of the starting hands you put these players on. They are of two options
if the cards are small and one if they are high. Either they are going high or
low. Evaluate what you would do if you had the opposite hand. Remember it is
very hard and suicidal to your bank-roll to keep betting one pair into a board
of three low cards against a solid player. He will keep raising you if he has a
possible cinch. Enough where you have to give in first, unless you have a
possible cinch for high.
Give a person enough free-rolls and raise enough times, thinking he doesn't
have them will end up in your destruction if you keep doing this. Sooner or
later free-rolling pays off, and a hand or two will be made.
Just remember this concept about Stud 8, high small pairs are the way to go.
Deception is key. If you keep raising into the nuts enough, the nuts will be
shown often enough. And I don't mean just one raise by this statement.
When playing heads-up in Stud 8 pots, it is better to have the high end of the
low cards, for they can go both ways, especially against the low end of the low
cards.
Russ Georgiev new...@aol.com
Georgiev Cheating Analysts, formerly
Gambling Cheating Analysts
it is hard to fight the truth, logic just gets in the way.