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Top 5 Mistakes Made By Stud 8 or Better Players

Out of all poker games, Stud 8 or Better is the game where players tend to make the most mistakes. Avoiding these mistakes is key to maximizing your profits in this game.

Today we will look at five of the most common mistakes made by Stud Hi-Lo players. Apply this knowledge to your game to avoid making the same mistakes.

Overvaluing Big Pairs on Third Street

Players that come from Stud High or that are used to playing Texas Hold’em will generally overvalue big pairs in Stud 8. The problem with a big pair on Third Street is that you’re almost guaranteed to be a one-way hand. Furthermore, you’re chasing after half the pot at best.

Even if you start against one or more low starter hands, you have to improve in order to have a chance at what is likely a chop. Sure, the low hands may not get there, but you will have to commit multiple bets to find this out. Chasing down big pairs often will result in long-term losses.

Slow Playing a Rolled Up Set

In Stud High, it is generally correct to slow play a rolled-up set on Third Street. In Stud 8, it is a big mistake. You don’t want to let players into the pot who may have a chance to scoop you. If they come into the hand, make them pay.

A rolled-up set is generally going to be a one-way hand. You want to cut down the number of players in the hand to reduce the chances someone will catch up to you and scoop. For the times that you have someone that’s coming into the hand with a high pair, you want to extract maximum value for your hand.

However, fast-playing a rolled-up set is more of a defensive more than offensive in this game.

Chasing Eight Lows Multi-Way

When you come into a pot with a potential eight-low, you want to do so heads-up and generally against someone you think is going high. If the pot is three-way or more, coming in with an eight-low is generally a losing play.

Someone is usually going to have a better low than you and you’re just going to donate to their stack. The only exception to this is when you see multiple high cards come into a pot ahead of you. In this case, an eight low may be good, but be careful if you see anyone trending low as they may outdraw you.

Failing to Bet When You Cannot Be Scooped

One common mistake I see with Stud 8 players is that they will stop betting on later streets if they know they are chopping. They take the mindset of “why bother.” While there is a little logic here, you are missing a chance to force weaker hands out of the pot.
For example, let’s say you have an eight-low against someone showing a hand like 10-10-9-2. On the river, you don’t catch a pair higher than ten. You cannot be scooped her, but you may be able to force them off their hand.

What if that pair of tens is all they have. If you bet out in this spot, they could think you have backed into a baby two pair or maybe a pair of aces on the river and may fold.

I cannot count the number of times I have bet on later streets with just a low and someone with the high side folded because they assumed I had them beat. “If you can bet, you must have me beat.” Let them think you have them beat and bet when you cannot be scooped.

Not Paying Attention to Upcards

We are all guilty at one point or another of not paying enough attention to the upcards of other opponents. Tracking upcards in Stud 8 is more important than regular Stud because of the split-pot factor.

Tracking upcards will let you know if the player trending low indeed has a chance to scoop you with a low straight. There are times you may even have a player boardlocked (meaning they cannot outdraw your hand) based on the folded upcards.

Stud 8 is a game full of information and failing to take advantage of this information is one of the worst mistakes you can make playing the game.

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