Seven Dwarfs & Seventy-One Big Bets

May started with a big bang, with huge wins the first couple of days. Things calmed down a bit over the next week, though, and now we’re back to a more reasonable pace as we approach the month’s midway point. Still mostly playing pot limit Omaha -- and still mostly at the $25 max. tables -- although I’m finding I have a strange desire to try 2-7 Triple Draw some before I head Vegas-ward at the end of the month.

Anyhow, been meaning to share this crazy-ass Stud/8 hand from a few weeks ago. I’ve been enjoying interspersing quiet little sessions of Stud/8 and H.O.R.S.E. when I don’t feel like dealing with the larger PLO pots. Provides a nice contrast with the sometimes volatile world of PLO.

I sent this one to the Ante Up! guys as a possible “Hand of the Week,” although frankly I think it is probably too much of a spectacle to work for that segment. Besides the general wackiness involved with this particular hand, Stud/8 hands are generally difficult to narrate. I’m gonna give it a shot, though.

The stakes were $0.50/$1.00. Here’s how the table appeared as the hand began:



Yeah, I know. Shoulda figured something funny was gonna happen with this crowd.

Hadn’t been at the table for that long, though I’d been there long enough to have seen Dopey raising more hands than yr average dwarf. We all posted the nickel ante and the cards were dealt.

*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to Dopey
Dealt to Bashful
Dealt to Sleepy
Dealt to Short-Stacked Shamus [] []
Dealt to Sneezy
Dealt to Grumpy
Dealt to Happy
Dealt to Doc

I brought it in for a quarter, Sneezy folded, and Grumpy (with the king) raised it to fifty cents. Happy called, then Doc promptly reraised to a dollar. Dopey, Sleepy, and Shamus all called, then Grumpy reraised it. The pot ended up being capped, with six of us going to fourth street. Pot already $12.00.

I liked my low draw well enough. Three of my low cards were out, though, so I’d proceed with caution.

*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to Dopey
Dealt to Sleepy
Dealt to Short-Stacked Shamus [] []
Dealt to Grumpy
Dealt to Happy
Dealt to Doc

I pick up the six, but so did Happy. Dopey and Sleepy appear to have 8-lows going. A couple more of my low cards were gone, but I’m thinking I want to see fifth.

Grumpy bets, Happy raises, all four of us call the buck, then Grumpy reraises. Happy just calls the $1.50, and we all call, too. Still six of us in the hand. Pot now $21.00. So much for calming down with a few quiet hands of Stud/8 . . . .

*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to Dopey
Dealt to Sleepy
Dealt to Short-Stacked Shamus [] []
Dealt to Grumpy
Dealt to Happy
Dealt to Doc

Ugh. I bricked, and Dopey was looking like he might’ve made his low. Grumpy bet out again, both Happy and Doc called, then Dopey raised. I guess he got there. Sleepy called the two bucks and the action was on me.

This is where I might’ve considered bailing, but there was just too much in the middle at this point -- $28 at the moment. I knew I’d probably have to put four dollars in here to see sixth, but with all five of the other dwarfs also putting in the four (as it appeared was going to happen), sticking around seemed reasonable. Even if it weren’t, I’m not a good enough Stud/8 player to resist staying here. I called, Grumpy predictably reraised, and eventually Dopey capped it. Bottom line: all six players put in $4.00 to see sixth street. The pot was up to $45.00.

*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to Dopey
Dealt to Sleepy
Dealt to Short-Stacked Shamus [] []
Dealt to Grumpy
Dealt to Happy
Dealt to Doc

Magic mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Damn sure it ain’t me. The pot was creeping up past fifty clams, and the piss-poor net I was sewing to catch ’em was full o’ holes.

We ran through a similar sequence as on fifth, with Grumpy and Dopey catching us all in the whipsaw with their raises & reraises. Only difference here was that Doc dropped out and Dopey finally ran out of money. As we went to seventh street, I was thinking I was probably drawing dead, with Happy having perhaps made a 6-low. Was stuck, though, mesmerized by a pot that now exceeded $64.00.

*** RIVER ***
Dealt to Short-Stacked Shamus [] [] []

Well, I have a low. And perhaps a chance. Grumpy bet a dollar, Happy reraised with his last $1.45, I called, and Grumpy just called as well. The final pot was $71.05. Here’s what the five of us had:

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dopey:
Sleepy:
Short-Stacked Shamus:
Grumpy:
Happy:

Happy took the High half, having filled up on fifth street. And somehow I’d snuck outta the castle with the low. We each made $35 on the hand, about $22 of which was profit.

So Dopey had started jamming the pot on fifth with his 8-7 low. Poor Sleepy was still drawing to his (smoother) 8-low at the end. And I was definitely a lucky ducky to grab that trey on the end. Happy might have been the only one of all of us who could claim to have played his hand well from start to finish, although after fifth it kind of played itself.

A 71-big bet Stud/8 hand! When that was over, I decided I needed to head back over to the PLO tables. Less stress over there.