Seven Card Stud Poker Starting Hands

Your starting hand in seven card stud is really important because if you don’t hold any pairs or draws after you’ve been dealt three cards then you’re probably not going to improve your hand much. Seven card stud is one of the poker games where players don’t share any community cards and you will only be able to use your cards to win the hand thus making your starting hand so vital to your success.

While some hands may look like strong starting hands often they can become terrible starting hands after you look around the table at the other player’s cards. After the initial deal you will be able to see one face-up card from each player’s hand which means you’ll be able to see if any of the cards you’re looking for are live. If you have a 6-5-4 this can generally be a good starting hand, but if you notice two of the 7’s and two of the 3’s are already in another player’s hand then it limits your chances of hitting a straight by quite a bit.

The following starting hands are ideal to play as long as the cards you’re looking for are still live and in the deck. If the cards you need are dead already then there is no point playing the hand no matter how good it looks.

* The best starting hand possible is a three of a kind so obviously anytime you have trips you should play them strongly. You can be outdrawn with trips, but most of the time you’re going to win the hand if you’re dealt trips for a starting hand in seven card stud.

* Any triple or double suited hands should be played as well because of the opportunity to hit a flush. It’s better if you also have a straight draw to go along with the flush draw, but it isn’t necessary and you can play the hand with just a flush draw.

* Any medium-high pair in your starting hand makes it a good starting hand and you should play accordingly. Don’t lead out betting too much into the Full Tit Poker pot, but make sure you try and get most of the junk hands to fold. If any players come into the pot with you then just keep an eye on their face-up cards so you have an idea whether they have outdrawn you or not.

There aren’t that many good starting hands when you’re playing seven card stud and although I expect you to play more hands then the ones listed above you need to try and keep it reasonable. Always make sure you check that your cards aren’t dead before you put any money into the pot and don’t chase down every single draw you have to the final street.

Mastering the art of selecting what hands to play when you’re playing stud poker won’t take you that long and once you have done it you will find you should be making more money. By playing less hands you should have a better winning ratio, which typically leads too more profits.

Deciding What Pairs To Play In Seven Card Stud

When you’re dealt your starting hand in seven card stud and you’ve been dealt a pair the first thing that comes to mind for most players is how much should I bet into the pot. Betting into the pot with certain pairs isn’t a good idea and you need to know which pairs to avoid and when. There is always a time to play certain pairs, but it will be dependant upon certain factors.

High Pairs – AA-JJ

If you have been dealt a high pair in seven card stud then you will generally always play the hand unless for some reason you’re facing a big raise from a tight player. If a tight Ultimate Bet Rakeback player is raising the pot then they will often have a premium pair as well. You need to determine whether or not your pair is going to be better. You should also consider whether or not you have any straight or flush draws. If your third card is the same suit as one of your pair cards then it gives you more drawing options in the hand which will make calling an easier decision.

Medium Pairs – 1010-77

If you’re holding a medium pair then there are going to be several situations where folding is going to be the mathematically correct decision. There could easily be a higher pair already dealt to another player which would have your pair dominated. Once more cards start coming out you could have a middle pair easily broken. If your third card gives you any extra draws then you might find more value in playing the hand, but overall medium pairs aren’t really a premium starting hand in seven card stud.

Small Pairs – 66-22

A small pair on FullTil is probably a hand that should just typically be folded when playing seven card stud. The only time you’re going to win with a small pair is if you hit trips, full house or you bluff your opponents out of the pot. Hitting trips or a full house in a free poker seven card stud game is really slim and you shouldn’t call down trying to hit that type of draw with a low pair. Bluffing your opponents is probably your only option at taking down the pot with a small pocket pair so generally don’t play these hands. With four cards still to come for everyone left in the hand you can usually guarantee your small pair will be outdrawn.

Most seven card stud poker players find that having a drawing hand is much better then having a small-medium pair. If you have a J-10-9 of the same suit it will win a lot more often then a hand with a 9-9-3 of all different suits. When your pair is hidden which means it’s in your two down cards then it’s stronger then if it’s showing because your opponents won’t be able to put you on it. As I mentioned earlier there is a place on FulTilt for playing pairs in seven card stud and it will depend on your hand, the cards already showing in the hand and the players in the pot.