Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 35
I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but in stud and stud8, this is a decent strategy.
In stud 8, a hand like (72) 7 plays pretty well against a hand like (65)3. Firstly, it blocks some of the straights that the stronger low hand can make, and holds three cards in general the low hand would want. The sevens can also sometimes develop low itself and beat the (65)3 on some run outs. The (65)3 must hit twice in order to beat the 7s, and no matter how it does this, its board will almost always look pretty obviously scary. Therefore, the 7s like to go heads up against this hand.
However, the 7s play quite poorly against bigger pairs, and some contemplating playing a pair of 9's or T's might fold on 3rd to any raise, or might fold to aggression on later streets despite having the best hand if the boards develop poorly. Therefore, in stud 8, this is a reasonable strategy. And, yes, sometimes the 7s will make trips or better, but it's really not necessary since it will often win on its own. So completing/raising into the bring in and a couple high cards behind is helpful to accomplish this goal, since most high cards won't (or shouldn't) play unless they have a pair.
On the other hand, in stud hi, small pairs are nice to raise when they are wired with a big card. For instance (66)K might raise. The sixes might be the best hand, and if they're not, having the big card gives them opportunities to improve to a good two pair besides trips. It's also fine if you have a split pair with a big card, like (5A)5. You might raise, despite there being bigger cards, to probe opponents behind. J's - A's might reraise, of course, but a split pair of 9's or T's may not like that a small card raised into them and might play passively (allowing the raiser to get one or more free cards sometimes or bet into them more depending on the board) or just fold.
Another thing about stud in particular is that raising gives you pot odds to continue for equity. If you limp, you might fold your small pair on 4th with no improvement since you don't have many outs. With more money in the pot, you can usually see 5th and see if anything develops like two pair, a backdoor draw to a straight or flush, a low draw, etc.
But you mentioned small open pairs. If someone pairs their door card in stud hi (and to a lesser extent in stud 8) it is often pretty scary. Trips are hard to beat and will usually be bet every street. Draws are obviously behind, and trips has a redraw to beat them even when they get there. Therefore, many draws, except possibly the strongest ones that are completely live (and remembering dead cards to know how likely it is your opponent could improve based on their board) go way down in value when this happens.
That's not to say you should auto-fold every time someone pairs their door card if you can't beat trips. But when there is an open pair and someone seems to like their hand (for instance, in a multi-way pot, on 5th street, a 6J open pairs 6's and bets into the 3rd street aggressor who put in a three bet with a K door), you should be more inclined to believe they're out there. And often, the K will check/call down with their big pair or two pair, and the three sixes will get paid.
