This initial hand selection problem is often compounded on later streets because these hands can develop into  "problem hands"  or  "trap hands"  that look appealing to the inexperienced player,  but that will end up costing him a lot of money in the long run.  Let me give you some useful guidelines for distinguishing between hands you should and shouldn�t play.

Here�s a question to test your own ability to make the necessary distinction between an unplayable and a playable small pair.  Would you play (3c-4d)4h?  How about (6c-6d)Ac or  (2d-Kd)2s?

Did you answer Yes to any of these questions?  You�re mistaken.  How about No?  Also wrong.  You see,  the only answer that

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Consider this.  If you were dealt the first hand, (3c-4d)4h,  and four people had called the $3 bring-in from a 2c in a $10/$20 game,  all of the 4s and 3s were live,  and you were the last player to go,  well,  you�d surely call the bet.  You�d be looking to catch another 4 on Fourth Street,  giving you trips.  But if a Queen raised the bring-in to $10,  and everyone,  including a player with another 4,  had folded to you,  and an Ace remained after you,  then you�d surely fold.  You�d be unwilling to pay the $10 for the unlikely chance that you�d get the final 4  --  especially not when an Ace who might re-raise was left to act.

I could mention similar examples to show you why it sometimes makes sense to call and sometimes makes sense to fold with the pair of 6s and with the pair of 2s.

Here are some questions to ask yourself about your situation and then some rules of thumb in helping you decide whether or not you should play those pairs.

1.  How live are your cards?  This is always important in Stud.  Your chances of making a very strong hand increase significantly if all of the cards you need have yet to be played.  If cards of the rank of your low pair have been exposed,  be much less inclined to play your hand further.

2.  Do you have a strong kicker?  Generally,  you want a kicker that is higher than the exposed card of the player completing the Third Street bet.  And your hand isn�t very strong unless that kicker is a King or an Ace.

3.  Are two of your cards suited?  This is a

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4.  Is there a good chance that there'll be action after you?  If there is,  then you should be much less inclined to play.  Generally,  you want to play a low or medium pair as cheaply as possible.  If someone has completed the bet and it�s your turn to act,  but a person with a scare card remains to act after you,  then you may well face a raise and a re-raise  --  which surely isn�t worth paying with your sub-Premium hand.

5.  Are you last to act?  The later you are in the betting round relative to the other players,  the more inclined you should be to call.  This is because the chances of the bet's being raised have decreased.  If you�re last to act there is no chance that the bet can be raised after you.  This is especially important if the bring-in bet on Third Street has not yet been completed.  The difference between calling the bring-in and calling the completed bet is usually significant:   You should be more inclined to call that bring-in bet if you are reasonably sure that it won�t be completed after you call.

6.  How high is your pair?  Low pairs are significantly less powerful than medium pairs.  A pair of 9s is much stronger than a pair of 3s.

7.  How many players are likely to be in the hand with you?  If you have a medium pair and a high kicker then you�d prefer to have the hand play heads up,  not multi-way.  You might be better off raising to limit the field to just you and the initial raiser.  On the other hand if you have a low pair and a suited connector kicker then you would prefer to have the hand multi-way.  Make sure to think about how many people are likely to get a fourth card before deciding whether to call,  raise,  or fold on Third Street.

8.  How live is your opponent�s doorcard?  If your opponent�s hand seems pretty dead because one or two of his rank are exposed then you may be more inclined to call.

9.  Is your pair hidden or split?  Generally,  having a hidden pair is better than having a split pair because if you make trips your opponent won�t know it,  and will be more likely to pay you off.