Pokerguide for Seven Card Stud Poker
Although without any doubt Texas Hold'em is the most popular Poker game in the world, Seven Card Stud is just as exciting and profitable and after all has clearly been the kingpin in Poker games before Texas Hold'em became such a 'big thing'.
Seven Card Stud is offering a good tutorial that might be interesting for people who are unfamiliar with the rules, the course of the game and the betting structure.
Seven Card Stud is similar to Texas Hold'em in a certain way. For a profitable game, the same discipline in choosing the starting hands is required, as well as strategical aspects like thebetting position or tactics like bluffing are used in the same manner.
Like previously mentioned, choosing the starting hands should be done as selective as in all other versions of Poker. It's definitely not a good idea to start betting with a hand full of crap and hope it'll ultimately turn into a monster hand.
At a full table (8 players) hands like a high pair (kings, aces), a medium pair with an ace as third card, or three cards of the same colour (including one ace) are starting hands that can be expected to deliver a good game. Also a hand consisting of three consecutive cards (3-card Straight) can be contemplated if your position play is good.
As a general 'rule', the three cards dealt first ideally should consort with each other, thus enabling as many combinations as possible. A pair of kings with a queen keeps up the chances for a Full House, as well as a Straight might be possible. Three cards of the same colour might deliver a Flush, three consecutive cards a Straight. The more combinations out of the three cards are theoretically possible, the better the hand actually is.
One of the reasons why Seven Card Stud is such a fascinating game is because you can see apart of your opponent's cards. That builts an essential factor for a successful strategy: To remember which cards facing-up players had, that have already folded. That's important for instance, if you're playing for a Flush. If you remember other player's cards facing-up (in technical terms 'Door Cards') that had the exact colour you're waiting for, it would minimize your chances for a Flush considerably.
The completed hand in Seven Card Stud consists of seven cards. Four of them are facing-up. The cards facing-up of all opponents is the most important information you can gather. Especially when the game comes to an end and you urgently need a queen for example, you should be sure not have seen a queen amongst the Door Cards of your opponents right from the beginning.
It's a common mistake of beginners not to remember all cards that have been dealt in the entire Seven Card Stud game. All over a sudden they become doubtful or just concentrate on their own hand.
Hence, a good player with a solid and logical game strategy can easily cash in at the low betting limits these players are usually lingering.
The factor 'cards facing-up' is also crucial for tactical reasons: A really good starting hand like 9-9-A with the ace facing-up doesn't tell anything about the pair you're hiding. Many opponents might probably think you're playing with a pair of aces. Thus, if another 9 is dealt to you in addition, no opponent might suspect you're already holding a triplet.
As mentioned before, your position play is as important as in Texas Hold'em. If you were dealt a pair of kings and you see an ace as a Door Card at a player who's in turn afterwards, you should be careful. Vice versa, a late betting position is always a big advantage in Seven Card Stud. For instance in the previously mentioned example with 9-9-A where the triplet turned up, a late betting position would be a guarantee to get more chips into the pot as if you were playing from an early position.
Utilize these tips at PacificPoker, EverestPoker, TitanPoker or PartyPoker and watch your account balance grow and grow. |
