Local home game I have been introducing players to mix game dealers choice style. We are playing a decent amount of 7 stud, stud8, razz, and razzdugi heads up. We normally just play $1 ante and $2 bring it with pot limit betting.

My question is: do these games ever get spread in pot limit or no limit form? I haven't seen that available online and never heard of it in a casino but wondering if anyone else has? Also if it does exist the main question I have is:

(for pot limit)

What is the "max bring in?" Normally in structured fixed limit 7stud you're allowed to do a "big bring in" of 2x the normal bring in. Also there's some weird option of like making a 2x bet if your first two cards pair, right?

Now in "pot limit" version would that 2x bet bring in make an adjustment to the pot size betting like making it 2x pot size now is max instead of just pot size when that 2nd card pairs? Or do I have the 2nd card pair rule down incorrectly? Sorry I've never played stud or it's variants in casino, only for micro stakes on the web.

So back to my original question...in pot limit stud variants what is the max bring in heads up? With a $1 ante and $2 required bring in, for our heads up game established that $6 is max bring in because we count the two $1 antes plus make the $2 bring in required. Then we could the pot which is $4 total and add that to the original $2 bring in so that's $6 total.

Is using that logic correct or would max bring in only be like $4 because don't count the original $2 bring in as part of the pot? Sorry it's confusing question and honestly I'm not even sure if 7 stud variants are ever played pot limit or no limit outside of silly home games but I'm curious at to other people's opinions and seek advice because our homegames are occurring more often like 5 to 6 times a week average lol.

PS when we originally introduced these weird games we also made a "2xpot limit" rule which pretty much speaks for itself...e.g. if pot is $4 you're allowed to "2xpot" it to $8 etc. Is poker ever played in that format or is that just super degenerate and should be avoided? I think it makes for better games especially versus call station bad players but I wanted to see if anyone ever heard of 2x pot limit versions of poker?

THANKS!

AQ

I've read online of stud games in France being spread pot limit. Also in certain big bet mixes in Las Vegas, such as in Daniel Negreanu's blog and on Brian Rast's twitter. I'm not sure if they use antes and bring ins or standard blinds. I've played HU PL stud games and we've done both models. We've found using antes and bring ins is much better than playing positionally with blinds and a button.

We play that the bring in counts towards the pot size if the bring in wants to raise, so in a $1 ante, $2 bring in, the bring in has the option to make it $2-6. In standard limit stud hi (but not any other stud variant), if anyone has an open pair on fourth street, anyone has the option to bet/raise a big bet rather than the normal fourth street small bet. I did not include any rule like this when I've played PL stud but that's not to say you can't include it. As I said in the thread about Springfield, games are ultimately arbitrary so make whatever adjustments you feel make the game the most fun/the most profitable for you (if that's your priority).

ok so speaking of bring in vs. positional here's another question.

In heads up we do it as if I'm the button and I deal a stud game then someone brings in and another calls and we see next card then opposite of dealer always gets first card and dealer gets last card. Is this correct? Same applies for like if it's 3 handed or more. Left of the dealer always gets next card but betting starts with best hand.

Is that format correct for dealing? Thanks

Yes, traditionally deal clockwise starting from the left of the dealer. This is true whether one player is the all-time dealer, there is a professional dealer like in a casino, or if you're rotating dealers every hand. With that said, if you were playing with a button, then I'd start dealing to the left of the button as you would in any other game, even if the button isn't the dealer for the given hand.