Stud Hi: Split pair of jacks gets reraised

[Holgininho]

This was my first hand at the table. I had two jacks, so I thought he had some wired pair. What hand would he need to reraise me? I was confused and ended up calling him down from 4th street on. What should I have done instead?

7 Card Stud High (£2/£4), Ante £0,25, Bring-In £1 (converter)

3rd Street - (0.88 SB)

Seat 2: xx xx 8:___folds
Seat 3: xx xx 2:___brings-in___folds
Seat 4: xx xx A:___folds
Seat 5: xx xx Q:___folds
Seat 6: xx xx J:___raises___raises
Hero: J: K: J:___raises___calls
Seat 8: xx xx K:___folds

4th Street - (7.38 SB)

Seat 6: xx xx J: 8:___bets
Hero: J: K: J: 4:___calls

5th Street - (4.69 BB)

Seat 6: xx xx J: 8: T:___bets
Hero: J: K: J: 4: 9:___calls

6th Street - (6.69 BB)

Seat 6: xx xx J: 8: T: 3:___bets
Hero: J: K: J: 4: 9: 8:___calls

River - (8.69 BB)

Seat 6: xx xx J: 8: T: 3: xx___bets
Hero: J: K: J: 4: 9: 8: 9:___calls

Total pot: (10.69 BB)

[Pentahouve]

That's a tough one. I think I may have done the same but would be as unhappy about as you seem to be. His reraise could mean he has the same as you or slightly better (AJJ); or he has a pair of queens or better with his J; but he might have a flush and straight draw (though the Qs is gone, and later on the Ts appears; he might just be very agressive and be saying 'well, I've got jacks too, what you raising ME for, have another raise'


If he's on a flush draw he'll have had to have hit it on 7th. If he was on a high straight as well he looks to have missed unless he hit a Q on 7th with maybe AsKsJs.

I'll be interested to hear what he had. Your Jacks up is probably good here. Did you consider a raise on 7th?

[Holgininho]

I dismissed a flush draw, but thought it was perfectly possible he had picked up some straight draw after starting out with some pair and a jack. It turned out he had an unimproved pair of jacks, but with a weaker kicker. So basically I was ahead all the way. Still I'm unhappy with the way I played it, but as I didn't improve until the river either I didn't want to get aggressive...

[Pentahouve]

It's odd for him to reraise with less than JJK. Did his play on later hands show similar aggression? Sometimes people can get aggressive with a new player to the table. I understand why you're unhappy though. I've folded in similar situations in Hold'em (too new to stud to have come across it yet) and found that the aggressor was raising everything in sight and realised I folded what was probably the best hand but with no read it's usually best to assume someone has what they're representing until you find out otherwise.