Another Good Play
In a three-way pot on fifth street suppose one player has an obvious high hand, you have four low cards and make a small open pair, and the third player appears to have made his low.
If you check, the high hand probably will check, the low hand will bet, and you can now raise.
Since it is obvious that you don’t have a low hand, and since you are raising into the high hand, he will put you on at least two pair and probably trips.
(In stud eight-or-better, when someone makes a small open pair, most opponents will be scared of trips since starting poker hand with three low cards is common.)
Your raise usually will knock out the high hand, enabling you to play heads up against the low hand.
In addition, the low hand often will be afraid that you may back into a low and beat him.
Thus he is not likely to raise back.
If he does go to three bets, there is a good chance that he has an additional draw with his low.
Notice that if you make your low hand, you may scoop the pot if your small pair holds up for high.
Many good players use this play.
But even if you suspect it, when someone raises or check-raises into you with an open pair, you can’t continue playing with a high pair, since the low is already made.
You are being forced to lay 2-to-1 odds, and you are playing for only half the pot.
Introduction / Position / Playing the High Hands / Bluffing / Slow-Playing / Knowing Your Opponents / Raising Aggressively / The Toughest Decision of All / Staying to the End / Pairing the Door Card / Keeping Track of the Cards / Scare Cards / An Expert Play / Another Good Play / Quick Notes / Afterthought
