Stud 8 Or Better Strategy Question

[gfdsa146 0]

Is it ok to complete with any small pair just so long as you are drawing completely live to make two pair/trips on 4th?

[Heels930 0]

I usually play 9s or better down and jacks or better split... but I play fairly tight

[sabes99 0]

generally, any small pair needs to have a low card kicker to make it playable, that way you are at least working on a low possibility...if you are drawing completely live then i guess it isn't bad to complete with any small pair since you have the added possibility of winning the pot outright

[gfdsa146 0]

generally, any small pair needs to have a low card kicker to make it playable, that way you are at least working on a low possibility...if you are drawing completely live then i guess it isn't bad to complete with any small pair since you have the added possibility of winning the pot outright

could you not make the argument for a high kicker as well? (A,K,Q) to make a decent two pair?

[ahosang 0]

could you not make the argument for a high kicker as well? (A,K,Q) to make a decent two pair?

Not really. Kickers between 9-K are not generally good accompaniments for small pairs in stud8. An argument can always be found, but the in the vast majority of cases it's a no-no.An ace kicker is usually playable, and a kicker 2-8 can be as well(be careful with these though). Watch out for your two small pair to be frequently beaten by Aces-up, and splitting pots with crappy lows. Ace kickers are of course the best of the small pair hands and should be a +EV hand in the long run.But you shouldn't be completing unless there are table conditions that make this play advantageous. All things being equal, you're looking to play for cheap on third, but hey - I've certainly completed with these hands(Ace kicker) in the past...

[aadams_22 3]

could you not make the argument for a high kicker as well? (A,K,Q) to make a decent two pair?

in stud yes...but be careful, in stud8 noThe object of stud8 is to scoop the pot. If you are playing a low pair with a high kicker you are only playing for half the pot. Like the above poster said, an Ace kicker can be advantageous because you are drawing to the hi and the lo. However if you have a K or a Q as your kicker then your chances of scooping the pot go down to almost nothing since you will now have to catch 4 low cards on the final 4 streets to make a lo. Guess what though? If you happen to hit 4 lo cards on the final four streets to make your lo then your kicker has been wasted, because you have once again played for half of the pot. A pair of deuces will seldom win a hi pot. The only way you are scooping the pot with that kind of hand is if you happen to hit a lo by 7th street that also happens to be a straight or a flush.

[gfdsa146 0]

Not really. Kickers between 9-K are not generally good accompaniments for small pairs in stud8. An argument can always be found, but the in the vast majority of cases it's a no-no.An ace kicker is usually playable, and a kicker 2-8 can be as well(be careful with these though). Watch out for your two small pair to be frequently beaten by Aces-up, and splitting pots with crappy lows. Ace kickers are of course the best of the small pair hands and should be a +EV hand in the long run.But you shouldn't be completing unless there are table conditions that make this play advantageous. All things being equal, you're looking to play for cheap on third, but hey - I've certainly completed with these hands(Ace kicker) in the past...

not even K kickers? I dont think Aces up is that common an occurance to make playing small pairs, king kicker -EV......

[yeffy 0]

not even K kickers? I dont think Aces up is that common an occurance to make playing small pairs, king kicker -EV......

Depending on the stakes they really are. I play a pretty aggro stud8 game so i will complete a small pair with a baby kicker....provided there is no ace behind me. Improvement on 4th is important too, against a low draw you are gonna get jammed if you catch bad and wind up being in a tough spot. I would def steer way clear of sm pair big kicker... maybe call the bring in with no scary hands behind. The only time to really complete a sm pair king kicker is HU with the bring in.

[gfdsa146 0]

Depending on the stakes they really are. I play a pretty aggro stud8 game so i will complete a small pair with a baby kicker....provided there is no ace behind me. Improvement on 4th is important too, against a low draw you are gonna get jammed if you catch bad and wind up being in a tough spot. I would def steer way clear of sm pair big kicker... maybe call the bring in with no scary hands behind. The only time to really complete a sm pair king kicker is HU with the bring in.

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