5-Card Stud Poker Tips: Sandbagging Short Tables

5 Card Stud
November 12 2008

Sandbagging is a term that refers to checking with the best hand with the intent of raising any opening bet. This move plays a powerful psychological role in the rest of the hand. Sometimes it backfires on you, if no one opens the game, but when you are able to employ it you usually control the betting for the rest of the hand, if there is any. Like most theories in poker, specific situations are required to best employ a tactic.

Guidelines for sandbagging with a joker in the deck should include only attempting it from third, fourth and fifth positions; maybe from sixth in lower-stakes games. From third position you should sandbag any pair of aces, lower two-pairs, three of a kind and small pat hands. From fourth position your best sandbagging opportunities are when you hold low pat hands, small-card three of a kind, and two-pairs that are smaller than jacks-over. Fifth position options are the same as fourth.

If you’re dealt a pat hand, and you think you’re in a situation where you will get raised, it makes sense to open. Then you can re-raise after your opponent raises you and get extra chips in the pot. The more your opponents raise the bet before the draw, the better your chances of a successful sandbag play.

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