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Stud 8 starting hands: which to complete, call or fold

In Stud 8 (Seven Card Stud high-low, eight or better) the lowest card showing brings in, and a starting hand is judged by both halves of the pot: how many of its cards are 8 or lower (and whether an Ace is among them), whether it has a pair or three to a flush or straight, and whether the opponent's door card is low (a low draw) or high (a high hand). These pages cover the usual questions: three low cards with and without an Ace, rough lows, big and middle pairs, Aces, and three high cards with or without a flush draw.

The spots, in one table

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 11 single-decision spots here, the solver's main play puts more money in (completes, bets or raises) in 6, calls in 3, folds in 1.

A published answer was found for 8 of them; heads-up, the solver agrees with it in 3, partly agrees in 2 and disagrees in 3.

The costliest piece of common advice here, by the measured values: Stud 8: a pair of 8s with a 4 against a deuce bring-in. Complete. The advice says fold (0 small bets from here on); the solver's complete measured +0.53, a gap of 0.53 small bets.

Closest calls (two plays worth about the same, so either is fine): Stud 8: you complete A-2-3, the deuce bring-in re-raises. Cap, call or fold (call or cap (re-raise)); Stud 8: a rough low draw (8-7-6) against a deuce bring-in. Complete (complete or call the bring-in); Stud 8: A-2 in the hole with a King up against a 3 bring-in. Complete, call or fold (call the bring-in or fold); Stud 8: a pair of Queens on 3rd street against a deuce bring-in (call the bring-in or complete); Stud 8: play K-Q-J against a deuce bring-in (call the bring-in or fold); Stud 8: three high suited cards (K-Q-9) against a deuce bring-in. Complete, call or fold (call the bring-in or complete).

The 3-handed solver measured 5 of these spots often enough to be quoted; with three players its main play changes in 2 (Stud 8: A-2 in the hole with a King up against a 3 bring-in. Complete, call or fold: folds 68%; Stud 8: a pair of Queens on 3rd street against a deuce bring-in: completes 100.0%).

The spots

• In Stud 8, should I complete A-2-3 suited on third street (against a deuce bring-in)?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver completes with A-2-3 suited against a deuce bring-in 95% of the time.
• In Stud 8, I hold A-2-3 suited and my 3 is the lowest card, so I am the bring-in (opponent shows a King). Bring in or complete?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver brings in for the minimum with A-2-3 suited as the bring-in against a King 93% of the time.
• In Stud 8, I completed with A-2-3 and the deuce bring-in re-raised. Cap, call or fold?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver caps it (re-raises again) with A-2-3 when the deuce bring-in re-raises your completion 98% of the time.
• In Stud 8, should I complete with three low straight cards and no Ace (3-4-5) against a deuce bring-in?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver completes with 3-4-5 against a deuce bring-in 99.8% of the time.
• In Stud 8, should I complete a rough low draw (8-7-6) against a deuce bring-in?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver completes with 8-7-6 against a deuce bring-in 98% of the time.
• In Stud 8, should I play A-2 with a King showing (two low cards and a high one) against a 3 bring-in?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver just calls the bring-in with A-2 under a King against a 3 bring-in 97% of the time.
• In Stud 8, should I complete with a pair of Aces and a low card (A-A-4) against a deuce bring-in?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver completes with a pair of Aces and a 4 against a deuce bring-in 99% of the time.
• In Stud 8, how do I play a big pair like Queens on third street (against a deuce bring-in)?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver just calls the bring-in with a pair of Queens against a deuce bring-in 62% of the time, and completes 38%.
• In Stud 8, should I complete with a middle pair and a low card (8-8-4) against a deuce bring-in?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver completes with a pair of 8s and a 4 against a deuce bring-in 99.4% of the time.
• In Stud 8, should I play three high cards like K-Q-J (against a deuce bring-in)?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver folds with K-Q-J against a deuce bring-in 77% of the time, and just calls the bring-in 22%.
• In Stud 8, should I play three high suited cards (K-Q-9 of spades) against a deuce bring-in?
  Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Stud 8 solver just calls the bring-in with K-Q-9 suited against a deuce bring-in 97% 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.