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Card Stud Poker - Seven Card Stud Rules, Strategy, How
to Play Tips |
The
basic how to play strategies for 7 Card Stud Poker shown here
are those generally agreed to and recommended by the experts
on flat limit games. An understanding of these basics is needed
for all levels of competitive play. Solid intermediate and expert
level poker normally requires extensive study of the more advanced
game tactics and considerable hours of actual casino or online
playing experience.
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7
Card Stud Poker - Limit Rules
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| Highest
hand wins || Ace plays both high and
low for straights || Lowest up card
is a forced starting bet || Three raise limit per round || Cards
speak |
7
Card Stud - Card Distribution and Betting Procedure
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Example:
$2/$4 Seven Card Stud.
After all players have anted $.25 or so, (1.) Each
player is dealt two cards face down and one face up. The player with
the lowest up card makes an forced bet of either $1 half minimum
bet or $2 full bet (player's choice) to start the game. The rest
of the players, in clockwise order, either call the opening bet,
raise it, or not call and "fold" their hands back to the
dealer. (2.) All
get a fourth card face up followed by a round of $2 betting. From
this round on, the player with the highest up card(s) is always first
to check or bet. (3.) After
the fifth card is dealt face up, the minimum bet goes to $4. (4.) The
sixth card is dealt face up and there is another round of $4 betting. (5.) The
seventh and last card is dealt face down and followed by the final
round of $4 betting. The dealer then determines the highest hand
and awards the pot.
*(Note). Only for the purpose of determining the starting lowest
upcard in the case of ties, the card denominations are sub-divided
by these suit values in decending order: Spades the highest, through
Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs the lowest. |
How
to Play Seven Card Stud
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General
Strategy:
Seven Card Stud is a HIGH card game. More winning hands are decided
by the highest pair of two pair or just the highest pair, than
by straights, flushes and other big hands. So if you start with
a straight or flush draw, it should have at least two high cards
or at least one card that is higher than anything up on the board.
These draw hands and low pair starting hands need to improve
or turn a high pair quickly to justify continued play. Any time
your high hand is beaten on the board, fold, unless you think
you still have the best draw hand. Fast play early high hands
( that could win without improvement) to thin out the competition.
Slow play draw hands to keep other players in to increase the
pot odds in case you hit.
Definitions:
HIGH CARDS - 10 thru A .
LOW CARDS -9 thru 2
SPLIT PAIR - Starting hand with one of your pair cards
down and the other up.
CONCEALED PAIR - Starting hand with both
of your pair cards in the hole and your side
card kicker up.
DOOR CARD - The exposed upcard of a starting
hand.
DEAD CARDS - Cards that have been revealed
and no longer in the deck.
FAST PLAY - Bet, raise and re-raise to get
as many other players out as possible.
SLOW PLAY - Just check and call along to
keep other players in the game and increase the
pot odds.
CHECK-FOLD - Check when you can and fold if you are
bet into. Gladly accept all free cards offered.
Normally
Playable Starting Hands:
HIGH TRIPS -
(AAA down to 101010). Fast play these. Your
opponents will put you on a high pair.
LOW TRIPS - (999 down to 222). Slow
play until your 5th street bet. Keep 'em guessing.
HIGH PAIR - (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010).
Fast play these, split or concealed, if they
are not overcarded on the board. Try to narrow
the field and play fast until threatened by
a higher hand.
LOW PAIR/ High Kicker - Slow play split or concealed
low pairs with a kicker that is higher than any upcard
on the board. Fold this hand if two or more of your key
cards are dead. Check-fold if you don't get trips or two
pair on the next card.
CONCEALED LOW PAIR/ No High Kicker - Slow play for trips
on 4th street. Fold if one or both of your pair cards are dead.
Check-fold if you don't make trips or two pair on the next
card.
HIGH OVERCARDS - Two or three high cards that are higher
than anything on the board. Slow play and check-fold if they
don't make a high pair on the next card.
HIGH 3 CARD
FLUSH - (2h 10h Kh). Must have at least
two high cards. Fold if three or more cards
of your suit are dead. Slow
play and check-fold if you don't make a four
card flush or a high pair on the next card.
HIGH 3 CARD STRAIGHT - (9 10 J ) to
Q K A). Slow play and check-fold if you don't
make a four card straight or a high pair on
the next card.
ANY 3 CARDS TO A STRAIGHT FLUSH - (5d
7d 9d). Fold if four or more of your key straight
and flush cards are dead. Slow play and check-fold
if you don't make any four cards to a straight
or a four card flush.
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Strategy
Tips:
When
you start with a high pair, fast
play to eliminate as many players as possible.
Slow play starting draw hands like three
to a straight or a flush. You want to keep
other players in to build the pot odds.
Slow play starting trips until the fifth
card. You want some players around with this
powerful starting hand.
Usually don't begin with a small pair unless
they are concealed or your sidecard can
beat the board.
Don't
play three to a low straight or a low flush.
Watch
the board closely for key cards that can seriously diminish
your chances of making a good hand and for opponents hands
that look dangerous. Play cautiously and fold out early if
it looks like the tide is turning against you.
Beware of the paired door card. If
an opponent is playing a pair in his starting hand, and pairs
his door card (first upcard), the odds are two out of three
that the door card is part of his pair. A paired door card
presents a strong possibility that the holder has a dangerous
set of trips.
Unless you
are playing a strong draw hand, usually fold if your complete
hand is beaten on the board by an opponent's upcards.
Try to find reasons to fold both your starting hands
and those that develop on the later streets. Look for a dead
card in the denomination that you need and for two or three
dead cards in the suit that you are drawing to. Look for too
much strong competition developing for the winning hand. When
you can't find reasons to fold, you can then proceed aggressively..
Beware of multiple "check-arounds" on 7th
St. - Straight and flush draws often hit on the last
card and there is usually so little in the pot that yor last
card pair of Aces etc. is not a very good bet.
Study your opponents, especially when you are not playing
hands and can pay careful attention. Do they find more hands
to play than they fold? Do they bluff? Can they be bluffed?
Do they have any "tells" (give away mannerisms) that
disclose information about their hands etc.
Get caught bluffing once in a while. It is a way to
vary your play and not be too predictable. You win pots that
you don't deserve when your bluff works. You lose a few chips
when it doesn't work but it will get you calls from weaker
hands down the line when you are really strong and need the
action.
The first four cards are the major key to winning at
Seven Card Stud games. If your starting hands develop according
to plan, you can be a strong favorite to win. If they don't,
you get out early and escape the expensive second best experience.
The three card starting hands recommended above are those with
the best chance of producing a dominant four card hand. Good
four card hands that are carefully played don't always win
but they win a lot more than the others.
Have fun
and GOOD LUCK!
"Bullet
Bob" Maxwell
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Copyright©,
RJM Netco LLC, 2003-2011. All Rights Reserved.
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