7 Ways To Improve Your Stud-8 Poker Game

1. Low hands can make a high hand; high hands cannot make a low

This is a very key concept in any high/low game. When you start with a good high hand, such as (KQ)K you have no chance to make a low hand: However, when you start with a good low hand, such as (A4)5 you have opportunities to back into a high hand like Aces-Up.

Additionally, when you have a powerhouse low hand you have excellent potential both ways.

2. A good starting hand has 3 low cards, and some type of high potential

There is more to choosing a starting hand in Stud 8 than having three low cards, your cards must have some sort of high potential. There is a tremendous difference between a hand like (24)7 and (24)5: With (24)5, any Ace, 3, or 6 gives you a strong draw to a low and decent high potential. Conversely, with (24)7, catching an Ace, 3, or 6 –or any other low card-- really only improves your low potential.

3. Don’t waste your money playing big pairs

Big pairs spell doom to Stud 8 players. Unlike 7-Card-Stud where few players play hands like AXX, in Stud 8 you’ll find many players with an Ace in their hand because of low potential. So, your pair of Kings or Queens is even more likely to get run-down than usual. And this doesn’t even consider that you are playing for only ½ the pot to begin with.

4. If you are drawing to ½ the pot you need to be certain you’re drawing to the best hand

Calling away with (23)578 is a bad idea when it’s obvious one player is going high and another player has a potentially better low hand, such as (xx)247. Even if you catch good on 6th street, your opponent may still be out in front of you.

5. Punish high hands and low draws if you have a made low

When you have a made low you want to make sure you are punishing players who have no low potential, and you want to be raising potentially better low draws out of the pot; or at least making them pay as much as possible for the opportunity to run you down.

6. Don’t slow-play rolled up hands. Unlike stud high you do not want someone picking up a low and winning ½ the pot

Since you are playing for only ½ the pot to begin with you want to make sure you get a lot of action early on in the hand. Not only to increase the pot, but to keep people interested in chasing long-shot hands because of the size of the pot. The worst thing that can happen is you spring your trap on 5th street only to be up against a made low hand that could outdraw you.

7. Fold up shop if you are bricked on 4th street

Unless you started with a monster, getting bricked on 4th street means you are pretty much done with the hand if a raising war breaks out. Far too many Stud 8 players just can’t let go of a hand like (A2)5 when they catch a Jack on 4th street: I see people calling two bets cold in this spot quite a bit.

Taken from Ruff Poker