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2 high flush

this is a line from rounders as some of you might know. mike McD is explaining stud to the judge. is this the correct way to select starting hands or is this too tight?

CbrCmmndr · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 12:42 pm Post subject:

On average, it's pretty tight, especially for the high ante games (but this is a good thing, if you've got the self-control to do it). Typically, you'll see tables (or at least the 2/4 tables where I'm getting reamed) that see 4th street maybe around 35% of the time. As a rule of thumb, if we play all pairs, all 3-straights, and all 3-flushes, we'll be continuing onto 4th street about 25% of the time - and this isn't counting steals or bring-in defense. If you cut out the low pairs and low card draws, this'll get you down to around 12% or so, and of course this number will then be padded with whatever steals/defenses you deem fit.

However, once the tables get shorthanded, you'll have to throw this out the window. It almost doesn't matter what you play 4-handed - you must devise (in real time) a betting scheme which allows you to take over a table - much of the time, noone will have anything (or if you prefer, everyone will have nothing) and playing well in this common scenario will be the difference between swimming and sinking.

For the judges game where everyone was just calling to the river and then all folding, the value bets are magnified by about a factor of 3, and so it sounds like the professor was playing profitably because of his image.

Paprika · Full House Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 194

Small and Medium Pairs with really big kickers(A or K) can be good at times. Depends on how live all your cards are, what the others board cards are etc. Live cards and big kickers. Pretty basic stuff. I started out playing very tight but I expanded my starting hands a lot as I progressed. If you only just play big pairs all the time people will eventually catch onto you(micro limits excluded). About the only hands that I don't pursue too far are small str8s. When you miss your small str8 and pair one of your cards you have a lousy pair, when you miss your str8 with big cards by pairing you may have big pair that might win the pot for you. Not always but it increases your chances. Now you have a big pair and a 3 to a str8 draw as well.

BOYNAMEDSUE · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject:

But he's playing against the judges. They're loose, and aren't very observant.

Tight is right!

Paprika · Full House Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 194

Overall "Tight is Right" till you have a lot more experience. I agree with you there.

mathman1115 · Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:33 am Post subject:

I think those starting hands are way too conservative. The key to a starting hand in stud is potential. If your cards are live and its cheap to enter, you should stay in, or atleast see a couple more cards. A small pair with an A or K is good if your cards are live as you have a good chance to improve to atleast a high two pair (which is about the average winning hand)
3 flushes and 3 str8ts are good too as long as the suits or ranks yuou need are live and the ranks are somewhat high. You don't want to be chasing an 8 high str8, as they often will turn into two low pair which you can't fold but has little chance of winning.

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