Hi there

there are alot of threads about specific situations but i would like to discuss why You are playing stud in general.
How do you think about the game and what is your mental approach?

Why do you favor stud over other forms of poker? What do you love or hate about the game? Why do you prefer stud to holdem or other games? Do you think you have a greater edge in stud? And where does your edge come from?



Personally, i like stud because it is a very situational game and not as static as holdem. I also like the complexity of the game. Some major authors like sklansky said that stud is one of the most complex forms of poker to master.
Most of its complexity maybe comes from the asymmetrical mathematic nature compared to holdem and because of one extra betting round.
I also like stud because it is a good mix of information vs unknown.

Things I like:

- online games being very good in general
- for some reason it feels more natural to me than holdem
- 7CS4AP is the best poker book I've read
-> Understanding 7CS4AP gives you an edge over people reading 7CS4AP
- there's little stud material on the web or in books
- mathematics are a lot more fun than in the NL Holdem and PL Omaha
-> mathematics of stud are not well established
- very situational game
- game flow not being that important imho
- not a donkey game like Omaha
- playing Mixed Games is a lot of fun in general
- getting the absolute basics(playing 3rd and 4th street) right gets you far in stud
- very positional game at core

Things I dislike:

- losing a couple of hands in a row hurts a lot more than in Holdem imho
- few sites to play at
- getting rivered ofc
- few tournaments
- getting the absolute basics(playing 3rd and 4th street) right gets you far in stud

stud is also more fun as you can watch the action on hands you arent in and it is interesting.

there is one extra betting round in stud and that pays off in money earned over the night.
plus since there are up cards you have more tools to use.

I have switched to stud, and also reading Mr. Zee's book on Stud. I haven't enjoyed playing online poker as much until now, and it helps that positive $$$ results are happening.

I like that most don't 6,8,10 table it, get robotic, ICM, blah blah blah. I am 1-tabling while learning, and really loving the game play. Noting upcards, noting peoples play on 3rd or 4th. Playing actual poker, not PF shoving and things others might enjoy. It just feels like a more pure form of poker, than what NLHE has become, IMO.

*If it wasn't 2 a.m. I would give you a better answer . Good luck to you, welcome to 2+2 and Stud poker!

My reasons:
- I like all HORSE games, PLO Hi, PLO Hi/Lo
- NLHE sucks and you find only top grinders that enter the pot with AA, KK, AK, QQ, JJ. NLHE is really to boring these days!
- Nice and interesting action.
- ... and some more that I cannot write here for obvious reasons

Dislike:

You probably don't get rich playing Stud

Really? A good player will be richer than a good NLHE player! That is sure!

How is that? Please explain
There are almost no big stud tournaments where you can ride your luck and "ship it one time" and have a 6 figure bankroll.

Plus there are not too many big stud games going on the web and I'm not sure how good they are

- you don't get as poor playing stud i'd assume.
- mixed games are easier to play, for me at least(horse/7 game/8game/hose).
- everybody else plays holdem / plo(we need software to track profitable tables now in these games)
- just because you can get richer in holdem / plo, does not mean you will or keep the money if you do get rich.
- to each their own.
- games are better over all in stud( if holdem aint solved it will be soon, PLO is on it's way to the same road).
- Stud is a game you can enjoy in the moment online or live(not a lot of multi-tabling) most people have to multi-table holdem, they don't get to enjoy the game until they pull up poker tracker and begin reviewing the session.
- not many big stud games on web, not many big beatable holdem games on the web unless your really good
- not many big stud tournies to ride your luck...wait, if it's luck that can be ridden then even a stud player can give holdem tournies a try. so all is not lost for us

right now stud is in the doldrums. when it comes back that is where the money will be.
years back the richest players were the best stud players.

Hey Ray Zee,

props to you for your involvement in 7CS4AP..the best poker book that I've ever read

thanks and that was a fun book to do.

I have to get that book

I'm in my middle 30s and love to play stud. I started really playing it when I moved from Ca to NY in the mid 90s, and can say some of the better stud players are in the NY area--at least that was the case for me.

Stud is almost the "anti-hold em" game attracting a sort of reclusive card player if that makes any sense.......rarely are you going to hear a commotion at another table, look up and see its coming from a stud table--like at most of the NLHE tables in card houses here in Ca (ya I moved back to The Peoples Republic of California). I like that.

I also like the fact that, normally, some 22 year college kid isn't in my face saying "those are my chips, you're just holding them for me", or some other asinine comment. There's normally some sort of civility.