PokerToast · study tools for mixed-game poker
Stud 8 after 3rd street: one-way hands, scooping and splitting
In Stud 8 the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand of five cards 8 or lower; with no qualifying low the high hand takes it all ("scoops"). After 3rd street the highest board acts first and bets double on 5th street. The questions below are about one-way hands: a high pair that does not improve while the low draw catches good, a low draw that catches a brick, four low cards against an open pair, and a made low with no high against a pair that keeps betting.
The spots, in one table
| Spot | Solver's main play (how often) | Worth (EV estimate, small bets) | Common advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stud 8 4th street: A-5-3 catches a Queen, K-4 bets. Call or fold? | Call (98.5%) | +1.49 best measured: raise +1.59 | disagrees |
| Stud 8 4th street: A-2-3 catches a King, the opponent shows 4-5. Bet or check? | Check (100.0%) | +0.33 | no source |
| Stud 8 4th street: Queens catch a 9, the low draw catches a 4. Bet or check? | Bet (98.3%) | +1.00 | disagrees |
| Stud 8 4th street: Kings against an Ace that catches a 5 and bets. Call or fold? | Call (93.7%) | +1.48 | disagrees |
| Stud 8 6th street: a made 8-low, one way, against open Kings that bet. Call or raise? | Raise (100.0%) | +6.28 | no source |
Heads-up limit Stud 8; "how often" is the solver's strategy, "worth" is measured from this decision on (fold = 0). Each spot page has the full table, the why and the method.
What the numbers add up to
Across the 5 single-decision spots here, the solver's main play puts more money in (completes, bets or raises) in 2, calls in 2, checks in 1.
A published answer was found for 3 of them; heads-up, the solver agrees with it in 0, partly agrees in 0 and disagrees in 3.
The costliest piece of common advice here, by the measured values: Stud 8 4th street: A-5-3 catches a Queen, K-4 bets. Call or fold. The advice says fold (0 small bets from here on); the solver's call measured +1.49, a gap of 1.49 small bets.
Closest calls (two plays worth about the same, so either is fine): Stud 8 4th street: A-5-3 catches a Queen, K-4 bets. Call or fold (raise or call); Stud 8 4th street: Queens catch a 9, the low draw catches a 4. Bet or check (bet or check); Stud 8 4th street: Kings against an Ace that catches a 5 and bets. Call or fold (call or raise).
The spots
- In Stud 8 4th street, my A-5-3 caught a Queen; my opponent shows K-4 and bets. Call or fold?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver calls with A-5-3-Q against K-4 showing 98% of the time. - In Stud 8 4th street, my A-2-3 caught a King and my opponent (4 up) caught a 5. My board is higher, so I act first: bet or check?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver checks with A-2-3-K against 4-5 showing, first to act 100.0% of the time. - In Stud 8 4th street, my Queens (Q-Q-7) caught a 9 and my opponent (3 up) caught a 4. I act first: bet or check?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver bets with Queens and 7-9 showing against 3-4, first to act 98% of the time. - In Stud 8 4th street, I have Kings (K-K-7) and caught a 9; my opponent shows A-5 and bets. Call or fold?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver calls with Kings and 7-9 showing against A-5 94% of the time. - In Stud 8 6th street, I have a made 8-4 low (A-2-3-4-8) and no high; my opponent shows K-Q-K-9 and bets. Call or raise?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver raises with a made 8-4 low and no high against open Kings 100.0% of the time.
Numbers from PokerToast's heads-up limit Stud 8 solver, version E-7862000-20261005095629, looked up when this page was built (2026-10-19). Heads-up only; hand groups, not exact cards; EVs are measured estimates against an opponent who plays like the solver.