7 Card Stud Practice Session

I went back to Foxwoods today to apply some of the strategies I've been reading in my Stud books. One thing I realized today was that I have to stop playing $1-$5 and move up to $5-$10, probably sit down with $250. There's just not enough money going around in the lower limit game (average pot size around $60).

I can report three hands:
1. I made a pretty good bluff check-raise with a K, 10, 9 showing with an A, J in my hand. I led out the betting on 6th street, everyone folded, and I took down a nice sized pot with just ace-high.

2. I took a huge hit shorty after. On 4th street, my bet was raised by a guy holding 2,4 with a 5,3 showing. When I made three Kings on 5th street, he hit his straight. I couldn't improve to a fullhouse or quads and my stack took a sizable hit. Looking back on it, I was only a 38%/62% dog after 5th street to win the hand. Check it out here.

3. My biggest pot came when I held AA in the hole with a 5 showing. I raised the pot to $3, which is a typical raise for me. There was one call, and a guy who was playing very aggressive, mostly with garbage made it $8. Everyone folded to the guy to my right who had a 7 showing. He raised to $13. I was certain I had everyone beat, except I feared trip 7's. I made the call and four us took a 4th card with roughly $60 already in the pot. We each put in $10 on 4th street and no one improved substantially. After 5th street, I felt more comfortable when someone drew a 7, making it less likely the guy who raised to $13 had trips. We each put in $10 a piece and it was down to three players. When all the cards were out, the guy to my left started with KK in the hole and had two pair. The guy to my right started with QQ in the hole and had two pair. I squeeze a peak at my last card and caught another Ace. My trips took down the $175 pot, which is absolutely enormous for the stakes we were playing. Looking back, the guy with the Queens played his hand terribly and could have easily saved himself $50.

I was up over $100 after just an hour, but was card dead for the rest of the evening. In 3.5 hours total I left, up $70. I'm gonna try out the $5-$10 game the next time I go back.

One more thing, there was an interest list of 20 players for $5-$10 HORSE (Holdem, Omaha hi, Razz, Stud, Stud hi-lo). I would love if they got one of those games going. There's no doubt I'd be the best player at the table. Hardly anyone knows how to play razz or stud hi-lo correctly, and I'm pretty sharp at the other games. Usually the only reason why they don't have a HORSE game running is that it causes problems with the dealers. They have enough trouble keeping one game running smoothly, let alone five.