Poker Perambulation

Stud continues to confuse me like no other game that I've concentrated on. Hold'em I finally understood – well, at least most of the time. I knew why along with what in its happenings. Stud after thousand upon thousand hands hasn't gotten there. It may be that the other players are contributing to that but I saw plenty of bad players playing ring and tournament in other games.

We've got a bit of fog here this morning. The other side of the lake isn't very distinct. That, in a nutshell, is my view of stud. On the good days, Hold'em was crystal clear and under a microscope. I could get the most out of most hands whether I was a card rack or scrambling. When I made mistakes, I usually knew I was headed there and just ignored it.

Stud just confounds me. I watch people with VP$IP values approaching every hand kill and draw out. Yeah, I know those people from elsewhere but here it is the norm to try. I'll be at a table where the lowest VP$ is in the 60's and chasers abound and can't seem to find the key.

I know drawing out is part of stud play. But there is drawing out. And then there is DRAWING OUT. I know FT shuffles the reveal but when all three play and are collectively sick hits you just throw up your hands and throw in that rolled up starting hand.

Part of it is the limit aspect. I've lobbied every site I've played at for at least a spread limit game. It should be easy to code. It'd increase their rake. But, no go. Stud – more than others – doesn't punish the chasers to the same degree. Limit further rewards that.

I've tried playing higher but even see the same styles at 3-6. I've watched some of the FT pros playing and my game doesn't seem far removed from what they are doing. I know there are always leaks but I can't find my overly obvious ones and the nuanced ones remain unknown.

The sad part is with that all said, stud is the only enjoyable game other than the occasional HORSE that I can really tolerate. I've tried a few SnGs and tournaments and the structures have gotten worse than I remembered. That's crippled the skill component. I can still muddle my way to a decent stack but the blind dictate play way earlier than in the past. Screw it and push happens earlier and earlier.

My backs too uncooperative to take up bowling so I'm again off to FT for some stud. How sick is that?

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