Seven Card Stud Tips

Seven card stud, like all games of poker, relies heavily on good fortune, excellent bluffing skills, sharp betting pattern analysis, and a sound understanding of knowing when to fold and knowing when to stay in the pot.  After analyzing one's starting hand, the rest of the game should be about discerning what potential other player's and their own hand has of becoming specific ranked hands.  Three cards can say a lot.  Therefore, take the following steps, based on your first three cards:

• Stay in with a hand that has potential of becoming a High Straight (this is a hand composed of two high cards a third card no more than five values apart from a high card).

• Stay in with a hand that has potential of becoming a High Flush (this is a hand composed of two high cards and any value third card of the same suit).

• Stay in with a High Pair or a Three of a Kind  (Pursue the pot aggressively if such is the case).

• See the first and second betting rounds through if you have the highest upturned card showing on the table.  If it gets beat after the second betting round and you do not have at least a high pair, fold.

poker sites - © 2005 online poker stars.com