stud hi part of a mix. 5 handed with 1/8th antes

3rd: xx3 bi, xxA fold, xx5 fold, I complete (35)A, xx6 fold, bi calls
4th: I bet (35)A5, xx3Q calls
5th: I bet (35)A5T, xx3Q8 calls
6th: I check (35)A5T 7, xx3Q8T checks
7th: I check (35)A5T 7 (Q)

Hard to tell at what point I'm betting for value and at what point I'm bluffing. I guess it's sort of a semibluff on 5th and then hoping for cheap showdown 6th on. Do I bet 6th as semibluff/protection? To then bluff river unimproved? What do I do 6th or 7th vs. a bet as played? I don't think I can check/call 6th and then also call 7th unimproved.

Result:
[spoiler] villain checks back and wins with buried 99 unimproved[/spoiler]

Only close street is 6th.

Depending on opponents I often bet Six if I've seen them throw their hands away there. We caught a good card, some people just give up vs that board.

No point in bluffing the river, in a split pot game people can find all kinds of reasons to pay off.

Good point. OP hand is Stud Hi I believe.

It is stud hi

Ahaha I am an idiot.

So this is basically a steal gone wrong. With no knowledge of opponents, I'd seriously consider checking 5th. This may get you a free card but also reps a flush draw, so if you catch a third diamond on sixth you could bet as a semibluff. But the low stakes games I play in, folks make way more calling errors than folding errors, so continuing to rep aces to get a fold on the big bet street may be right, too.

I think this is close on 5th. Catching the better card and his general discoordination justifies the bet somewhat. But we're also pretty low in our value range, have plenty of give ups having caught well on 3rd and 4th from a steal position, and should kr our best value to compensate for those. so kc this hand seems ok.