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• Table stakes.
• Type of stud game.
• The cards on the table. (and in your hand)
• Demeanor of your opponents.
• Number of players at the table.
• Number of players in the betting rounds.

The following information is used to determine whether to play the cards you have in your hand at a full table or not. For the actual starting hand combinations and strategy, see other link.

Basic things to keep in mind:

In any seven card stud game there are some essential things that you will be focusing on when the starting hand (the first three cards dealt to each player) is dealt out. If you lose your focus on these things at any time, it could cost you the hand. If you weren't paying close enough attention to these things or were distracted during the deal, it is probably best to fold your hand immediately. You will probably not remember the cards specifically on later streets, however, you will generally have a 'feel' for if an opponent's hand is real or if it is a bluff.

When the starting hand is dealt and all the door cards are showing you will need to do this as quickly as possible before players start folding their hands:

• Look at all of the door cards showing around the table.
• Count how many of each suit is out.
• Look at what card numbers are out.
• Remember which player was the first to raise the bring-in bet (if any) and how far away they are in position from the bring-in.
• Remember if the player with the bring-in bet calls any raises.
• Let the table know that you are not afraid to raise and re-raise.
• Let the table know that you can lay down a very good hand, even after re-raising.

Why do these things matter? Depending on what you have in your own hand, having general knowledge about the other cards on the table will determine whether you call, raise, or fold. If the cards in your hand combination are live, you will have a higher rate of success in achieving a winning end result.

Again, if cards have been folded around the table, and you have missed the opportunity to view those door cards, be inclined to fold unless you have a super-strong hand and nobody has yet raised the bring-in.

You are not only counting the cards for your own hand, you are counting cards and suits to determine what is live for other player's hands for later rounds as well.

If your cards are not live, then fold.

If you find on fifth street that you are chasing to make a hand against an aggressive better, it is best that you probably fold. Of course, you may not know this until show-down and you've lost. Use the experience of knowing when you are chasing cards for your hand against a player betting aggressively, that they probably already have a made hand. Then fold earlier next time. In the late streets they are highly unlikely to fold what they've invested into the pot when they've been betting aggressively.

Determining if you have a live flush combination:

If you have a three-flush starting hand, the other door cards you have viewed will determine the odds of you hitting your flush. You are counting how many of the cards on your table are of the same suit as your flush draw. In later rounds, for anyone else who is showing a flush-draw in their up-cards, you will need to know how live their flush is before continuing to bet or call.

A general rule of thumb to determine the odds of you hitting your flush at a full table is; if there are more than two players (excluding yourself) showing the suit you need to make your flush, consider your flush dead. If the table is short-handed you may call for one bet. Especially if you have other outs. If any cards that turn at fourth street that you need for your flush appear in other player's hands, really consider your flush a long-shot. At a short-handed table you may adjust the fourth street rule to suck-out a back-door flush, however the door-card suit-count rule should remain the same; consider the flush dead if there are more than two of the same suit you need in other players' hands.

Determining if you have a live straight combination:

If you have a combination in your starting hand to possibly hit a straight, you will be looking to see that the cards that you need to complete your straight are still live. In later rounds, for anyone else who is showing a straight draw, you will need to know how live their straight is. If you have a connector combination such as 789 and you see 5's, 6's, 10's, or J's around the table, consider your straight dead. Also consider that if you see other 7's, 8's and 9's at the table, the cards that you need to make pairs for this hand should be considered dead to your draw.

Two Pair Play:

If you have a combination in your hand where you can make two-pair, you want to see who's cards may be higher than yours. You will also be looking to see if the cards you need for pairs will still be live or if they are out of play.

The first player to raise the bring-in bet has a fairly strong combination. Most likely a pocket pair or split pair. The position that they raise from may determine if they are attempting to steal the pot or if they really have a hand to play.

Other notes to remember for low and medium stakes tables:

At low-stakes tables, players do not like to fold. Especially in card rooms. They'll bet and call just about anything, and being in a hand usually means you're going to end up in a heavy multi-way hand where there is a lot of action and money the winning pot is a very good amount. When nobody likes to fold and you are playing strong combinations, be aggressive. Don't fall into the trap where you're playing crappy combinations because other players at your table don't know how to fold and start with crappy combo's themselves. Use it to your advantage and play strong opening combinations with aggressive betting strategy and take the pot.

There are also tables where they will play crappy combos to the river calling all of your raises just for the hell of it, or maybe they caught something great on their crappy combo. This can be extremely frustrating and costly. Continuing to play tight and aggressively at a table like this will eventually get them to wake up and play better hands when the chips keep moving to your side of the table after you're winning show- downs and you've been playing strong consistently.

For online play, my experience is that the players at the table usually play pretty straight-up, with little bluffing and will fold in earlier rounds when they know the cards in their hand are beaten. The exception to this usually occurs during tournament play.

The longer you sit at a table with the same players, the more you get a feel for their strategy, what they raise and call with, and how easy or difficult it is for them to fold. Take mental notes about each player and adjust your strategy according to which players are in the hand with you. Bet aggressively to fold-out the weakest player(s). Have a made hand to call bets against another strong or aggressive player. Check and call or check and fold to players who are known for consistently having real hands and compare yours to theirs.

Be sure to read the advanced strategy section to see what you are up against with experienced and very loose players.

In any case, play courteously, and have fun!

The lowest card in your starting hand should be higher than any other card showing around the table. Playing stud-hi means playing high. If all three of your cards are higher than all of the cards showing around the table when you catch your cards, most likely they will be the highest pair or two pair on the board to start. This is not to say that someone isn't hiding a nice pocket pair. They very well may be, however if you are playing cards higher than the highest cards showing, your odds of winning increase if you do catch your cards. In the example above, the 8h is the lowest card. It is also the highest up-showing card at this particular table.

Consequently, this hand is still a questionable hand to play, however there are outs to a possible late (back-door) flush, a straight, and high pairs depending on if your cards are still live, and someone isn't holding a pocket pair that is higher than 8.

Other great starting hands (not listed in any particular order), are:

Three-Card Flushes:

Three cards in your starting hand that are all of the same suit are worth a call if the circumstances allow, by this general rule of thumb; There should be no more than two other cards of your suit around a full table, not including your card. If you see more than two same-suited cards, the odds of hitting your flush is decreased. At a short-handed table the odds become more difficult to gauge. The more door cards you are able to see, the better you are able to hit the calculation on turning your flush. You have a 74% chance of hitting the card you need on each turn to make a flush with a multi-way pot. Heads-up your odds are lower because there are only 2 cards going back-and-forth. The more outs you have on this hand to double-pair or trip, the better the hand is to play.

Suited connectors/ Three Card Straights:

Suited connectors in three card straights leave opportunity for an open-ended straight draw. Having at least two of your connectors suited leaves another out for a back-door flush in case your straight does not come through. Of course, the higher the cards, the better your outs in case your straight doesn't make it. Playing with higher connectors means that in case you pair, your pairs will be high. Remember that your outs need to be live to play any hand, and you'll want to be attentive of anyone playing for a better hand such as a flush.

Medium to high pocket pairs or split pairs, live high kickers.

The more suited you are, and the more live your cards are, the better your chances are for catching better hands.

and and

Rolled-up trips of any kind:

Be careful in later rounds if you have not filled up to a full house and there are flush and straight draws on the board. If your set is a low set, such as 222, be especially careful that someone may have caught a set higher than yours that hits in later rounds if you have not filled up. Definitely be aware that if you are playing 222, straight-draws and flush-draws will be especially scary if you don't fill up. Having higher cards turned over on the board will hopefully scare the draws off of the table. It is not as easy to do with lower cards turning on your hand when the pot is multi-way.

My rule for door card aces:

When beginning to establish myself at a table, (and certainly a disputable strategy), is; do not play a door card ace unless you can raise with it. If other players are seeing you fold your ace, later on when you do raise your ace with nothing in your hand you will most likely take the pot without seeing the river or showing down. It allows room for bluffing. Playing raise-or-fold with your door-card ace will save frustration and stress in later rounds.

This is a rainbowed starting hand, meaning that odds for this hand to make a flush begins dead. There are also no odds on this hand to make a straight. If there are other aces facing up at the table, the ace is most likely dead or already paired in someone else's hand. Raising the ace here would be detrimental and most likely seen as a blatant bluff. If there are no other aces facing up at the table you can take your chances with raising, hoping that someone doesn't have a nice flush-draw, straight-draw, or pocket pair combo in their hand. It may be worth a cheap call if you hope to turn other aces or nines, but really, early at the table, I personally wouldn't bother with this hand because it lacks many outs for improvement, unless of course, the three of your cards are higher than any of the other up-cards showing at the table.

Aces to raise with are hidden pocket pairs with the ace as your door card, pocket and split aces, three-card flushes, and three-card outside straights.

Medium Stakes Tables and Tables That Are Playing Pretty Loosely:

It may be necessary to loosen up on your combo strategies so that when you ante and bring-in the cost of waiting on a super hand doesn't eat you alive. Not to mention that players will know what you're playing if you fold your starting hands about 50-70% of the time. You will be able to determine how loose you can go depending on how many people on average bet to the river, and what kinds of cards they are showing. If they are consistently showing low, medium paired, and double-paired hands, playing with rainbowed high-card combos to start wouldn't be unusual. In some cases a hand like this would even be okay, however watch what happens against an opponent in this hand where this hand should have folded.

This hand shows a pair of 2's with a suited ace kicker to start. The fourth street card opens up a back-door flush draw which didn't catch. The fifth street card didn't make the hand any better because it didn't trip the 2's and it didn't suit the flush-draw. This player called or bet on a pair of two's with a very bad chance at a flush draw on late streets. I most likely would have folded this hand on either fourth or fifth street depending on how multi-way the pot was and how many over-cards were showing in other player's hands. Luckily the player caught a pair of 7's to couple with his pair of 2's. The river card was no help either. Depending on what the opponents were betting and calling on, if there are over-cards to a low pair, folding earlier would have been a very good idea. An opponent may be playing a single early pair of kings hoping to catch their second pair. If the King's didn't double-pair, it kept this player in good shape. However the odds on this to be a winning hand in a multi-way pot are pretty slim. Short-handed this is a questionably playable hand.

If the 2's and 7's hand was up against a hand such as:

Calling to the river would be really gutsy. There are plenty of over-cards showing. Assuming that this player was making initial bets representing that the had a split pair of kings, hoping to catch a second pair, there is also a possible straight and a possible flush on this players board. Calling bets with low and medium pairs against a board showing over cards, a possible flush and a possible straight is, probably not in your best interest to play unless there are free cards drawn through checking back and forth.

A possible save for this hand would be:

The player with 2's and 7's who is in first position to bet, check-raises on sixth street to represent that he has hit three 7's. Because the 2's and 7's are in betting position, placing a bet that can just be called won't be of much help on figuring out if the King's has made good on a higher hand. It would have to be a check raise which could be a difficult pull.

If the player with kings believes his opponent has three sevens, he may call and make like he is drawing to a flush to beat it, he may fold because he doesn't want the expense if his hand really doesn't have outs for the flush or the straight, or he may raise the bet to represent that he has made either his flush or his straight already. If he thinks that the 7's are raising to represent that they have made two pair, he may re-raise to represent that the King's will have a higher pairs.

Either way, the 2's and 7's hand is in a dangerous and expensive position to call to the river with, having so many over-cards showing in his opponents hand. I stress that the hand should have been folded early, and folded in most cases except if you and your opponent are checking down to the river from fifth street. It would be nearly impossible to get the king hand to fold past fifth street. There is already too much invested in the pot.

or or or

A fourth street flush draw, straight draw, paired aces with suited high cards with a back-door flush possibility, and two pair on fourth street with over-cards are acceptable to play against a fourth street pair. Keep in mind that folding with whatever hand you have is the best thing to do while the pot is small, and eliminates having to worry about whether the player is playing three-of-a-kind with the possibility of filling up with a full house.

In the case of a bet or double-bet by a fourth street pair, if you have any of the hands listed above a wise move would be to raise their bet. If they re-raise, and you plan on continuing to play, you might as well just re-raise them to the cap. Most likely if they re-raise your raise they have either two-pair on fourth street, or have trips. Most likely you will need for your hand to turn into a full house to continue betting to the river.

A trap strategy often used by players with a fourth street pair playing against someone with over-cards such as:

vs.

may check to the next person to make a play that they are afraid of the higher cards when they actually do have three-of a-kind. This way, they can keep other players in the pot betting or calling on the expensive streets hoping to fill up. Slow-playing three-of-a-kind and rolled-up trips can be a good play if it is obvious the opponents are playing high pairs. It can also be dangerous, if in the later streets, the opponents' cards are showing flush and straight possibilities and the three of a kind hasn't filled up yet or the cards they need to fill up become dead.

The person with the pair of 8's could also be checking because really they only have a pair of 8's and are worried that the over-cards of their opponent have already paired. If you are not the person with the fourth street pair, there's a good chance you won't know until you show-down after the river. That is why it is best to just fold while the pot doesn't have a huge investment in it or you know that the card that would give them three-of-a kind on fourth street is already dead. For example, their hand:

vs. your hand:

Since you have 8c in your hand and they are showing a pair of 8's the odds are that they do not have three-of-a-kind. If you saw an 8 get folded by a player at the end of the starting hand deal, once again, the odds are that they are not playing three-of-a-kind. If their 8's are dead, continuing play with your pair of Jacks with a king kicker while jacks and kings are still live you have good odds at winning this pot if you catch your cards. However, with a hand like yours which is rainbowed with one dead card being the 8, you are relying strictly on the jack and the king to hit your hand in the next two streets. The minimum bet beginning with the next street will graduate, and really you have to ask yourself if it is worth folding the small pot to the 8's with live cards, or staying in the hand hoping that they do not already have 2 pair, a back-door flush-draw or a back-door straight draw of some sort.

Once again it is best to just fold the small pot to a fourth street pair so that you are not chasing your cards to make a hand the rest of the way. In the interest of trying to take down the pot, if the person bets out and the hand is heads-up or three-way, I would suggest raising to test their hand strength.

"Aces-up" (paired aces plus another pair) on fifth street with a back-door flush possibility (if your flush is still live) is an excellent hand. If your paired cards are still live you also have the possibility of a back-door full house. If you know on fifth street that a player is betting two pair, raise. If you are in betting position, bet. If you see this on the table (heaven forbid!):

Now what? You are in betting position because your Ace is the high card between the hands. Go back to the very beginning of the starting hand deal, where you viewed all of the up-cards at the table. Were there a lot of diamonds around the table? Look at the table currently. Are there a lot of diamonds around the entire table currently? If not, there is a good possibility that the player has a made hand that is better than yours. Especially if the player called your fifth street bet when your A and T are over-cards to their 4 and 6.

They may not have their hand made just yet. They may still be on a one-card draw to a flush, and they also may have an inside straight draw working in their favor, too. You are now stuck in this hand. Because of the outs that you have in your hand, being a back-door ace-high flush and a back-door full house. Being in first position do you check or bet?

If you bet you may be raised. If you check, the person may bet. Your hand may look just as scary to the other player because, if they know that their hand is not made yet, they could be betting into what looks like an inside straight possibility at their end. An experienced player will raise their fifth street flush whether they have it or not, knocking out other players who do not yet have made hands or draws to a hand that will beat a flush.

If the cards you need to make a better hand are still live you need so see the sixth street card as cheaply as possible. Multi-way with other straights or flushes on the board it is recommended that you fold your hand. If you decide to stay in, check to the flush. The flush will either check or bet. If they need that one last diamond to make their flush, against what looks like a hidden straight, they will also need to see the next card as cheaply as possible. When you check to the flush and he bets, call to see the next card. If the flush checks back they are drawing to a free card. Both of you will need your next card to determine the sixth street and river bet. The hands now look like this:

vs.

You caught a card that seriously helps your back-door flush. Your opponent catches a card that you needed to make a full house and your opponent just turned a card that gives him what could be a definite flush, a straight, or a straight flush. The A of diamonds is nowhere to be found and you need an ace. The opponent's hand is the better showing hand, however you are still in first betting position with your ace high on the board between the two hands.

Any club or ace will help your hand and that's about it. Even if you get your flush you are risking that the ace and the kicker for your flush will be higher than theirs. Your opponent probably doesn't need any cards at this point. If they do, they probably won't let you know it. It is recommended that you fold your hand. Your cards are most likely dead. You have a 26% chance of making a flush, possibly not having the highest kicker. The opponent is also showing the possibility of some kind of straight and a straight flush. With odds stacked against your hand, I stress that you should fold.

If you feel brave and do not fold at this point or if you sense weakness or a bluff out of the opponent on his hand, check to the flush again and call his bet. Do not bet so that you can be raised if your hand is not the sure winner. You need your card for cheap. Check and call to get your draw card because the hand you have showing is not strong enough to bet and call a raise. If you check to the opponent, and for some strange reason they check back their hand to see a cheap river card as well, pay close attention to that for the river bet.

A made flush will raise any bet made to it on the river. Unless you have made your full house or your flush do not bet. If you have made your full house bet.

If you hit your flush, bet. He will raise. Because you do not know if your kicker is good flush vs. flush, do not re-raise. Simply call the raise.

vs.

If you do not hit your flush or your full house, check and call his bet to see the show-down for cheap. If your river card is not a diamond or a card that your opponent could possibly need to make his straight, there is an extremely high possibility that if he didn't have a card that he needed before, he has it now. Since you decided not to fold and you're in it to the bitter end, check and call the bet. Do not bet to be re-raised. Best hand takes the pot. Odds are that the opponent will win this hand. With the outs that you had, you should have folded. Even if you end up winning, the odds were against you and you really should have folded at either fifth or sixth street. Remember that his hand was probably a better made hand than yours on fifth street since the player was calling against your over-cards with a possible straight showing.

vs.

and vs.

The player with the kings probably opened with a strong pocket pair or a three flush, caught a king, and continued on because hearts are still live at the table creating an out for a back-door heart flush catching another heart, and then another king. Against your cards the player with the kings has already probably beaten your two pair and may have a flush draw or even three kings. Your only out is to catch a Q, 9 or 4. You see a 9 in another person's hand. Your nines are dead leaving you with only two outs; a Q or a 4. You are most likely already beaten when you see the kings pair. Against this hand alone you should now fold.

What is player three doing? They probably opened with a strong pocket pair with their 5 calling your Q and the other person's 7. If it's not a pocket pair their opener was probably a three card flush, and on fourth street they have made a four card flush with plenty of outs since there is only one diamond showing between these hands on fourth street. On fifth street they have paired their fives. Since they are still calling bets against over-cards and your pair of 4's with your Q, it now makes 3 of a kind a possibility for their hand as well. The pair of fives has now turned another diamond with no other new diamonds showing on the table.

Unless there is checking going all around the table to see the river card, fold your hand. You have few outs, over-cards in one hand are showing kings, with a back-door flush possibility, and another hand showing a possible flush and a possible three of a kind or full house. Your late pair of fours is hardly scary since you opened with a queen.

Now an example of a hand to stay in with. Your sixth street hand shows:

vs.

and vs

Firstly, you would raise the bring-in bet with your ace because of your high pocket pair as long as there are no K's, Q's, and no other A's behind you that might call. If another ace on the table was able to raise before you or called after you, be wary and just call or fold. Keep in mind that if they are playing split aces and you also have an ace, then aces are most likely dead and possibly neither one of you will catch another one in a multi-way hand. Assuming in this hand that you raise the bring-in bet in good position and over-cards to your jacks end up folding, such as any Q or K or A, the table will normally assume that you are raising with split aces, or a pocket pair.

Your only callers will normally be other pocket pairs, three-card flushes, and open-ended straight combinations. Anyone who is rolled-up with trips will re-raise your raise. If this happens either call or fold depending on their show-down history. Re-raise depending on how live your cards are, especially if their door card is lower than your lowest card, and if over-cards to your J's are dead. They could also be re-raising you because they also have a high pocket pair or are testing to see that you are not bluffing with split aces or at least have a very good starting hand. This will let them know that you are serious and there are no free cards for anyone who wants to stay in (no checking will be coming from you).

Any time that you have raised with an ace and remain in first betting position without a flush or straight-draw showing on the board, bet the hand. If you are out of first position under the same circumstances where over-cards to your J's are dead, and cards are turning lower than your J's for other players and the players check to you, bet. If they bet against your ace with a lower card, call.

In this hand, the fourth street card that was dealt out to the players reveals that the jack you needed to make a set is now considered dead. There are no flush or straight draws showing at the table still. Represent that your hand is still strong in first position with the ace by betting.

On fifth street you take a player's T, and a player takes your 6. You need to double up, and someone already may be doubled up, however since you are still showing over-cards to their hand and there are no flush draws or straight draws still showing, you may continue to bet. If you show weakness on fifth street by checking instead of betting to see who has made their second pair, you have just let the table know that you are in trouble. It is recommended that if you started out with a raise and continued to bet in first position up to this point, continue to bet unless there is a flush-draw, straight-draw, or over-card pairs on the board.

Your jacks are still good as long as the circumstances remain a non-threat to your hand. Not having double-paired just yet is not exactly a threat since the other cards are lower and you have outs to catch another pair.

vs.

and vs

On sixth street everyone including you, seems to catch a no-help card. The cards they've turned are still lower than your jacks and still no visible threat of a straight or a flush. By now, most likely the players have caught their second pair if they have called your bets all this way. You are still in first position. Bet. A person who has hit their second pair may raise, letting you know that they've hit their second pair. They may also be raising to test you, or they have just hit three-of-a-kind. Call the raise to see your river card. It can be mysterious that lower cards are calling all this way against an ace, and anyone with a hand betting into another hand showing over-cards either really has hit three-of-a-kind, two pair that they think is really good, or it is a desperation play to raise you out hoping that you really don't have two pair, one of the pairs being aces.

vs.

and vs

Your river card is an ace and your two pair is A's and J's. Your "aces-up" (a pair of aces coupled with another pair of any kind) beats any other player that is playing two-pair. In this hand you are in first position with no visible threats of better hands. Bet.

If you are out of first position and another player bets on the river with no visible threat to your hand and you have a pretty good feel that they are playing two pair, then raise. At best they will call and you will get the additional money they called with at the end. At worst you lose the hand to someone who rivered three-of-a-kind or had a very well hidden (and rivered) full house. Either way, if there is no visible threat to your hand, raising on the river with aces-up against other players that you think are playing pairs is usually worth one extra bet.

There are an array of cards you can catch to turn this into a straight. Opening with a low door card and catching any of your cards such as an A, 2, 3, 4, 7, or 9 showing across the streets are scare cards to your opponents allowing for bluff betting even if you do not catch your straight. Low trips are also common at short-handed tables. As long as there is no threat of a higher straight or flush showing, opening with an inside-outside straight draw will work well at one of these tables. As always, the more suited you are, the more outs you create to improvement. At the sign of two 'brick cards' for this hand such as Q and J on fourth and fifth street, you will probably want to drop this hand. At short-handed tables pairs such as Aces and Kings will be less likely to fold down.

Suited low-pair combinations (closely connected):

Ideally you do not want to be playing hands like this with plenty of overcards betting and calling around the table. If all cards playing appear to be low this may be the time to go in with a hand that has a suited kicker with a low pair (closely connected). If you see at any time a pair on the board that you cannot outkick with your highest pair, it is probably best to drop the hand. For example, if your hand paired 4's and 7's and another hand is showing a pair of 9's, your hand will obviously not beat the other if they have also caught a second pair. More times than not playing with this type of hand without any type of scare cards showing up such as a flush draw, straight draw or paint cards will end up having you fold this hand down on sixth.

Keep in mind however, that tripping over another 4 or 7 is possible, as well as you have outs to an inside-outside straight combination (for the most part, any A,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 or 9) improves your hand if you catch them on fourth through sixth appearing as scare cards. (Considering that your opponents are putting you on a straight draw and they are not playing for a flush, for example) You also have a back-door flush draw. There is a lot to work with using this combination if the cards fall correctly into your hand. Very low pairs betting against over-cards usually means something scary, such as a full house, trips or a straight, and the players will take notice of this and usually be wary unless they have a power-hand themselves. The thing to fear is a pair of hidden aces or anyone that has turned an ace on their board. They are probably fearing the same from you as well having opened with a low door card.

On short-handed tables, do not be afraid to bet small pairs, however if it is possible to catch a free card on fifth street, by all means do so to get a better idea of what type of hands are out there to determine if you want to continue betting the more expensive streets. This is where the other players at tight tables also make their determinations on whether or not to stay in a hand. Fifth street and beyond is used to maximize profitability after a better feel for the types of hands being played can be more easily determinable.

• When the bring-in is rarely raised to a complete bet. (Limpers, shy betters, raisers).
• When a table is too 'casual' and there are 'chasers' at the table.
• When most players at the table are playing very tight combinations.
• When you can identify the strong players from the weak players.
• When other players at the table are using advanced betting strategy.
• When a hand is most likely to be heads-up or 3-way.

Advanced bet strategy consists of:

• Completing bring-in bets/Re-raising completed bets.
• Raising any bets made from fourth street when out of first position.
• Raising/re-raising bets to protect your hand from being overturned by better hands.
• Raising/re-raising to the cap on fifth street rounds to the river.
• Raising so much that it puts other players at the table on tilt.
• No allowance for checking. (or rare checking that involves check-raising another player).
• Forcing other players that want to stay in the hand to raise or fold, or you will be the one to do it.

As you can see, advanced bet strategy involves a great deal of raising. And only because the player has an experience of exceptional hands, counting card numbers, suits, and outs, for their hands and other player's hands. The risk of a large investment can break you quickly putting you on tilt, or in the best case, give you an excellent payoff in the end. The point is to be the dominant-aggressive player, folding out the casual players, the shy betters and the weak players, and putting other players on tilt so that they're either calling and raising with crap cards (increasing the money in the pot), or playing combo's so tight that you positively know when they have a made hand and you can fold gracefully.

When using this strategy you identify who is seriously there to win money and who is thinking that they are at the kitchen table at home with friends on a Thursday night. You want the players to pay for calling and betting what they called with. In any case, be sure that your starting hand combination is tight and live, and that you absolutely know when to fold regardless of the investment that you have made.

Do not play this strategy if you are shy with your money or shy with your cards. At all times you must project that you have the most invincible hand between the opponents still calling.

Your prime position to play this type of bet strategy is in late position from the bring-in.

Once you have completed the bring-in or re-raised a complete bet, look at the fourth street cards and compare your hand strength to what the other players have showing. If you have turned a low card or a card that presents no threat of aces-up, trips, a straight or a flush to other players, do not raise with the hand, bet or fold. Mostly if you cannot raise on fourth street with this strategy, even if only to test the hand strength of an opponent, you should fold. If other players have taken cards that you need to make a hand, fold. If another player has turned a fourth street pair, do not play against this hand unless you intend to raise. In most cases you should fold.

Important Considerations

It is crucial to have an understanding of odds for particular hands when using advanced betting strategy. For example, the odds of a one-card draw to an open ended straight is 1 in 5. When considering to raise out the bring-in, naturally you want to consider your position and how many people are in the hand. You do not want to be in early or middle position and raise with fully live cards leaving less than the desired amount of players in the hand necessary for you to meet your drawing odds for later rounds. With this hand, players need to stay in to see fourth street so that you can properly make a determination based on the board if you will be continuing to see the fifth street card.

Another example of understanding the raising strategy to meet your odds, is knowledge of the odds to meet a flush. If your opening hand is a three-card flush you will need to have 4-5 players calling to see fourth street to allow for your 1 in 4.5 drawing odds to be maximized. Heads-up with a three card flush, your odds for catching your flush are less likely. You do not want to raise out potential limpers because you need them to get your odds in alignment to make your hand.

Limping in with these types of hands will also be more likely to reveal what you are up against to start; any raises of the bring-in will usually be a 'tell' as to whom is playing a pair that is worth a raise. Usually raises will come from pairs of 9 or higher, or medium pairs with an live paint card kicker.

If the three-straight or three-flush hand ends up on fourth or fifth street needing only one card to catch the best hand, this is where aggressive raising and re-raising would occur to maximize the amount of money in the pot vs players who are in with big pairs thinking that their hand is still competitive.

Another critical statistic is knowing that fifth street is where pair hands often become counterfeited. In 5000 reviewed hands between stud hi- and stud hi/low, being over-turned or 'counterfeited' consistently occurs on fifth street. An example of this, also located on another section of this site, is a starting hand of QQ5 vs 7A7. While QQ5 at the door vs the pair of 7's is the best hand to start, the odds for being out-turned on fifth street is far too common. If both hands have live cards to hit their second pair, the 7A7 hand will most likely turn it's Ace or trip over another 7 on this street. This is where advanced raising strategy and experience becomes evident and necessary at the table.

With big pairs, aggressive play is necessary to lock out any potential for being over-turned on fifth street. If position allows to three-bet, (re-raise over a complete bet of the bring in), you are cutting out limpers with smaller pairs and three card straights to get the hand as heads-up as possible. This increases your odds to maintain the highest pair, while decreasing the amount of players hoping for enough callers to meet odds to catching straights and flushes.

In this example hand, only the door cards are shown. You are sitting in seat 4 with:

Seat 8 brings-in with 2d. Seat 1 calls with a Tc. Seat 2 folds with a 6s. Seat 3 raises the bring-in to a complete bet with a Kc. You (Seat 4) re-raise the completed bet with your Ah. Seat 5 folds with a Qd. Seat 6 Folds with a 4s. Seat 7 folds with a Js. Seat 8 does not call the re-raise and folds. Seat 1 calls the re-raise. Seat 3 calls the re-raise.

What you have observed from the door cards showing at this table is:

Seat 1 attempted to limp in with their T, has a 3-card flush, or a pair of Ts, since they have called the re-raise. A 3-card straight is unlikely or is a dead draw for Seat 1, because the cards needed to make the straight are already in other people's hands (AKQJ6 are on the board which would help their straight). Seat 3 who has raised the bring-in with their K, with an A sitting behind them is assumed to be representing a pair of kings. Although they may have a 3-card flush combo.

Your hand is strong enough with outs and 100% live cards, that you can raise representing that you have a pair of aces since there are no other aces or threes showing on the board. The queen behind you folds because the king and the ace have both raised representing that they are paired. There are three spades showing on the table plus one in your hand, meaning that a spade flush is a dead draw or at least, a very difficult pull. The spades at the table have all folded correctly because they are left with one less out and the strongest hands already raised in early and middle position. Now the fun begins. On fourth street the deal turns as follows:

Seat 1:
Seat 3:
Seat 4:

Normally in a case like this you would fold, assuming that they now have three K's. However, in a 3-way hand, your 3's are 100% live and so is your A and your flush. You've represented that you have a pair of A's. Now what? Out of first position on this hand you will only have two options to test the water; raise, or fold.

If the player actually had a 3-card flush their likelihood of catching their cards is now slim because of the clubs on the table now. Same for the player in seat 1. If seat 3 is simply betting a pair of K's you want to give them the idea that their K's won't hold up. For all that he knows, you could have trip A's already based on your earlier re-raising.

Seat 3 in first position bets. You raise with your cards being live. Seat 1 folds. You are now heads-up. Observe if the player re-raises you or if the player simply calls. He may very well be using the same strategy as you to get you to fold down by re-raising, so be very attentive at any hesitation or a feel that the player may be in some trouble and is looking for a save. Remember that your purpose is to portray that you have an invincible hand. If Player 3 re-raises, re-raise his raise to the bet cap.

At this point the investment in the pot on the part of both of the players is significant. The fifth street card will determine whether to raise or fold. If you cannot raise on fifth street, let the hand go.

Seat 3:

Seat 4:

You are now in betting position with aces-up and a live flush draw and a live full house possibility. The beauty of this hand is that between both of the players, neither player knows what they are playing and it will most likely go to the finish line with capped bets the rest of the way to portray the best hand while fighting for dominance. You are in first position the rest of the way unless he turns yet another K. Bet. Expect to be raised. Re-raise to portray that you have turned a third A.

With two cards left to draw considering your outs and their outs is a must. Once on sixth street if the player turns a card that takes the out to your full house, and helps them on a flush, either cut out the raising, or fold the hand.

Heads-up, even with the clubs that were in play earlier and folded will still make it possible for Seat 3 to draw one more card to a flush.

If on sixth street you turn a card that helps you, continue to bet and re-raise any raises to the cap.

Advanced betting strategy should be played consistently. Raising and re-raising only when you have an incredibly strong hand is a very big tell if you go back to limping in by calling the bring-in. You must be the pace-setter for playing raise-or-fold to get the most out of the pot with strong hands. If you are not folding when you should, or playing combinations where your weaknesses are told often, take a break from aggressive play. Mix it up.

The way you want to view your cards in advanced strategy heads-up and 3-way hands:

Too often players will check to the next player when they have flushes showing or even hesitate to bet because they are focusing on what cards they have in the hole. This is an easy tell to finding out if someone is on a draw or they are too shy or tight to raise. Make an adjustment so that your focus is not the cards in the hole necessarily, but the cards that turn for you that the other players are viewing.

Be conscious of the cards you have in the hole as well as your outs, yet be highly aware that you are the only one that knows what cards you have in the hole, and place bets and raises based on the cards that you have showing. Make bets to represent that your highest card is paired or that you are on a flush or straight draw.

• When Other Players Have Lucky Hands+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Let's get one thing straight right off the bat: Stud poker is not about luck. It is about playing live cards with multiple outs. The person using the best strategy against another hand is going to win. Period.
  
  Only the player with the cards in their hand knows what cards are live for them, so if they are out-turning you, catching the exact cards they needed, and beating you to death on the river, luck has nothing to do with it. There is nothing lucky about calling to the river and winning when opponents bet and call with live cards out. Hands and catches aren't any luckier for them than it is for you when it happens for you.
  
  When you find yourself constantly shaking your head over other players' "luck", your strategy doesn't fit the table. Re-evaluate your starting hand combinations and your fold percentages and adjust. I'm sure you'll find something there.
  
  If and when you become frustrated because it's happening over and over again and a particular seat seems to be on a rush and the word "luck" and "lucky [add expletive here]" are recurring words that pop into your head, sit out, get off of the table, change your seat, or take a break.
  
  It can seem pretty nit-picky to want to change seats, however there are good reasons, and it is your money. Changing seats can be one of the best things to do when another player seems to be on a rush and you have excellent playable combos that aren't catching.
  
  I'll reiterate that if you're calling other players lucky, your strategy doesn't fit the table. Tighten up on your combos to include more outs. If you are not tilted because of your losses, change your bet strategy to one that is more aggressive, however not just out of the blue. Work your way up to it. If other players get a feeling from you that you are tilted then they will continue to call any bets and raises and perhaps continue to catch the cards that they needed yet again.
  
  In this game it can become difficult to read another player's hand based on position. If you are in a multi-way hand with a habitual check-caller, this is a potential hazard. A good example of why you should change a seat would be exactly because of a habitual check-caller. In a 3 way pot, if the player in first position keeps checking to player 2 who is betting and you are calling in last position, it can become extremely difficult to determine if player 2 has a hand that they can actually raise with unless you are going to foot the bill and raise to see if there are any re-raises so that you know if you should fold.
  
  Even still, they may still call so that a player isn't raised out and the pot gets bigger to their benefit. There's nothing lucky about changing your seat to move out of the way of a habitual check-caller and the tide begins to turn and things start going your direction. It's just playing smart. Remember to be okay with folding a great hand, continue to pay attention and trust your instincts and get over the "luck" facade.

  
  

• Poker Karma+ Show Spoiler +
  
  That age old saying of, “what you put out comes back to you” is seemingly a truth at a stud table. Often it’s too late before one realizes that they have stayed in hands they had no business being in, in the first place.
  
  Keep an eye on your own self and how you are “showing up” at a table. Are you dominant? Are you the aggressor? Are you showing consistency with showing down competitive hands and even folding down when you should?
  
  What you put out to other players at the table can be sensed by other players. Hesitation, weakness, shy betting, constant checking, is truly a signal that you are playing weak combos, or having trouble knowing when to fold. It will be taken advantage of, just as when you sense it from another player, you jump right on top of it taking advantage of their weaknesses.
  
  You’ll probably notice that when you are playing at your best, and playing aggressively, players of the same caliber and skill will be the ones to step out of the wood-work and up to the challenge of playing a higher skilled game. Everyone gets a run for their money.
  
  When you’re playing questionable hands at a loose table, you have fallen into the “playing nicey-nice” syndrome and you’re lucky to leave the table breaking about even. Of course, there is nothing wrong with playing a casual game to kill some time or just be social, however, if you are playing to win, play from being the winner in you and draw forth the players at the table who are the real competitors and win some money. Notice how what you are putting out is what is drawn to you.
  
  This also includes your cards. Don't play with a bad attitude. If your attitude stinks, so will your cards. That's just the way poker karma works. An exception to that is if someone's attitude is worse than your own. Why spend the money just to compete for proof of who has the worst attitude at the table?
  
  Play to win and you will. Play champion hands and they will come through most of the time, or at least you will know that your hand was the best hand to start with if you get rivered. If you do get rivered take pride in knowing that you played the hand right and continue on that path. When you think your hand may be the losing hand it most likely is. If you’re not sure, then, well…you’re not sure. See how it all comes back?

  
  

• Decision Making+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Taking time to mull over decisions shows weakness in your play, especially if you were to call. Really, if you have to ‘think’ about anything, you already have your answer, and the answer most likely is to fold. Properly you should know when calling with your starting hand exactly which cards will help you so that if they do not turn, you can easily fold or make a decision to call for one bet without hesitation.
  
  By simply looking at the cards in your hand, as soon as the next card is dealt out you should already know if the card was no help, if it provided you with possibilities for outs, or made your hand. You shouldn’t have to necessarily look across the board if you are playing tight combinations. You will know if your cards have hit or not regardless of what other cards are playing in another player’s hand.
  
  Definitely think about what you are doing, and at the same time do not let other players know it. Taking obvious periods of time to think about checking, calling or betting opens the door for your opponents to see weakness in your hand. At all times you must either represent that your hand is strong with multiple outs, or that you will fold.
  
  Alternatively taking a ‘think’ period or hesitating to call a bet or raise can be used as a strategy to hide strong hands and keep your opponent betting or calling into your made hand. This should be done under two conditions when you know that you know you have the winning hand; on later streets when the bets have graduated to the table maximum and a scare card comes up on your opponent’s hand so he has an idea of exactly why you need to take a moment to think. If your opponents are accustomed to your quick responses and all of a sudden you take a moment to think, it’s can be an obvious tell that you are slow playing a very strong hand.
  
  The second condition is if you have an early-made hand such as rolled up trips, aces- or kings-up on fourth street, or a fifth street hidden full house. With early-made hands, the rhythm of your betting should remain consistent at a medium or slow pace if you use hesitation strategy. When using hesitation strategy, bets and calls coming from you should not go at the speed of zero-to-sixty in split seconds if you want to get the most out of having your opponents continue to bet into the pot. Keep the rhythm and the pace even and consistently a tad bit slower than your norm from the time the bring-in is made at the table. This will give them the idea that you are on some sort of a draw or that you are really concentrating on their hand looking scary.
  
  When the opportunity calls and a player has shown weakness in their hand by thinking and you know that you have the better hand with live outs to make it even better, raise them if your position allows. You might even make your calls more quickly than normal to scare them off of the hand representing that your hand is dominant.

  
  

• Playing On The Defensive+ Show Spoiler +
  
  When you become the annoying little bastard who is check-calling nearly every street of every hand, do yourself and everyone at the table a favor and please sit out, or, for God’s sake, FOLD. If you’re constantly chasing your hands against already-made hands and you’re questioning your outs and if your card(s) will catch, this is very poor play. You’ll be taken advantage of, and you won’t see much as far as winnings are concerned. You’ll maybe break even if you’re that good at not losing an entire wad while playing that terribly. Being on the receiving end of this type of play is always welcome, however, you do not want to be the person giving away the free money, right?
  
  Playing “not-to-lose” is a terrible way to play, and often it means that you are on tilt from one-too-many bad beats or you’re mindset just isn’t with the game altogether. Sure, there are hands where you legitimately will be check-calling. For instance when you know that your cards are still live to a flush or a straight and someone has just turned aces up or three of a kind and you know they will definitely raise you.
  
  When check-calling becomes a habit or if it is already a habit, cut it out. If you are not playing confidently and want to win significant money, get back on your horse and start playing up to par. Otherwise, sit out, leave or continue the casual play if that’s what you’ve set out to do.
  
  The habit of this type of play at a micro-limit (penny and dollar tables) inhibits growth and necessary skills to advance when playing at higher limit tables. Having your chip stack whittled down while learning how to adjust is a very costly lesson and just may keep you at lower limits for lack of understanding about how the strategy changes at higher limit tables. (see Making the Move)
  
  To get back in focus, leave the past behind you. Re-identify the strong players at the table. (You are probably by now pegged as a weak one). Re-evaluate the starting combos, and pay attention to the door cards and start counting suits and numbers. If you are unable to stay focused on those things, it is not the best time to play. What you want to do with your money from there is up to you. Be disciplined and do not fool yourself into thinking that you’ll turn over a new leaf when you aren’t exactly confident that you will.
  
  Especially in tournament play at the higher levels after losing a significant amount of chips on a bad beat, defensive play may seem like the right strategy, yet in most cases it is not. If you have no business in a hand, get out right away. Tighten your strategy to stretch out the chips and bets, and when you do go into a hand play to win.
  
  A good deal of this is all learned, or, we become aware of playing defensively, in hindsight. Be attentive at all times of how you are representing your cards and presenting your play at a table. If you’re in a space where you are intimidated sit out and take a break until you regain confidence and you’ve let the past go. If you are in a tournament where time cannot be afforded to do so because the bet minimums are going up, your only save is to shift your thinking out of, “playing not to lose” mode straight into “playing to win” mode however you need to do it, and only you know how it can be done.

  
  

• Improving+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Having well-rounded skill is an important part of creating and maintaining profit while playing poker.
  
  Many professionals play more than one type of poker, each having their favorite. While Dave “The Devilfish” Ulliot, has earned a reputation in the No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker community, his favorite game of poker is actually Omaha!
  
  Playing different types of poker and getting a feel for each of their strategies helps in many ways. For me, although 7 card stud is my poker game of choice, I will not deny that the other types of poker that I play have helped develop my skill with 7card stud.
  
  The strategies are different for each type of game you play. Limit and No-Limit Texas Hold ‘em have different strategies between them even though they are basically the same game, just as 7 card stud and Stud 8/b have different strategies, as well as Omaha-Hi strategy is different than Omaha 8/b and even pot- limit Omaha games.
  
  Texas Hold ‘em is a lesson on playing position, and only playing with top quality hands. It also teaches one how to fold playable hands, such as having a bottom or middle pair on the board with overcards in multi-way pots. It is especially helpful with teaching the skills of bluffing, betting, and raising on the ‘come’ based on odds for straights and flushes.
  
  How this ties in to increasing prosperity at 7 card stud poker is; being under the pressure of paying an ante to see your first three cards every round, it can be tempting to call with any paired hand at times. Playing hold ‘em helps to discipline the temptation of a player to play lesser quality hands such as a pair of sixes with a Jack kicker, and other combinations depending on your position. Playing fewer hands with only the best combinations and consideration calling hands in a favorable position will increase your win percentage. It also offers the ability to raise and re-raise with less fear when your hand is currently dominant.
  
  Omaha offers the development of skill to read another player’s hand and understand what types of combinations are possible to open with. Each turn of cards can become increasingly more difficult to bet or call with, while players have so many cards in the hole. Sets, flushes, straights, and full houses are common in Omaha, which are the types of hands most preferable to strive for in 7 card stud. Learning Omaha strategy is especially helpful for stud players at middle and higher limits, training a player to be patient and only play with the best possible hands, identifying the best opening combinations, and folding down high two pair with high possibilities of better hands in play.
  
  While these are the most popular types of poker, basically any additional type of poker game that is played, is a skill enhancer for your poker game of choice.
  
  In the ‘Top Recommendations’ section of this site, Poker School is listed exactly for this reason.; enhancement of skill and increasing experience while not having to spend a lot of income to learn. While the money at the Poker School tables is not real money, the ranking system and their play chip money restrictions sets a guideline for players to play competitively, and skillfully.
  
  What unfortunately took me many dollars over time to gain experience at the real money tables with, I would have learned through Poker School Online, had it been around earlier, or had I been aware of the benefits of playing at the site sooner. I encourage anyone and everyone to learn and practice the skills required of other types of poker, take the knowledge, and convert it while playing any one specific card game.
  
  Whether through Poker School Online, strategy literature, audio lessons, online and offline software, or all of the above, going beyond your current knowledge of or focus on one type of poker game points you in a direction of greater benefit.

  
  

• Moving up limits+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Play strategy when moving from lower to higher limit tables changes for 7 card stud. In Texas Hold ‘Em, it is argued that your starting hands, betting and play strategy should remain consistent at any limit table. This idea is not true for 7 card stud.
  
  At a full 8-player micro-limit table, (penny and dollar limits) there may be 6-to-all-8 players seeing the fourth and fifth street cards. The play is looser in the sense that the pots are more multi-way (a lot of people in the hand), and players are less likely to fold even when the obvious flushes and straights are on the board and a few players have hit two-pair.
  
  Many times the bring-in is not raised out and everyone gets a chance to play. The micro-limit tables are a casual and fun way to play and get experience on all of the possibilities that can occur, and an opportunity to understand when you are beat and when to lay down a hand. Early and middle round raising rarely occurs at micro-limit tables. Usually raising and re-raising will occur on the last two streets of the hand when a player has 3 of a kind or better.
  
  ‘Chasing’ as it is known, or checking-and-calling to see the next card for as inexpensively as possible to stay in a hand to the river is a very common practice at micro-limit tables. Many tables will have players seated that are known as a “calling station". To paint an example picture of, “calling station” play; with 8 people in a hand, 7 people check around the table, the last person bets, and all 7 people call behind the bettor for nearly each round to the river.
  
  At the higher limit tables underestimating or having a lack of understanding for the betting strategy is not so forgiving. Players with Kings or Aces-up by fifth street will not hesitate to re-raise over players betting out with flushes and straights showing. Even a meager pair of 5’s will take the opportunity to re-raise over a pair of 9’s or anyone with two pair in the hopes that if there are weak or scared players in a hand, they will drop out and lay down the better hand increasing the most aggressive player's opportunity to take the pot.
  
  This more advanced type of betting strategy is known as “protecting a hand”. When a high pair or two pair make someone’s hand they will raise and re-raise in early rounds to get other players at the table to fold down so they will not be over-drawn on later streets.
  
  This strategy works well as a scare tactic because it makes it difficult to tell what exactly the hand is that they are playing. They could be raising or re-raising with simply a single high pair, two pair, three of a kind, a one card draw to a flush with odds for it hitting. You will not know necessarily by what cards or out, just simply by the 'feel' of the player by their previous play history at the table and the history of wins at the showdown.
  
  I do not suggest using hand-protection strategy for micro-limit tables with multi-way pots because of the unlikely ness of players to fold in the middle rounds, often causing your nice pair or two pair to become overturned by better cards in other people's hands on later streets.
  
  Heads-up at micro-limit tables, and definitely at higher limit tables, I do recommend that putting hand protection strategy to use.
  
  I have included an example hand from my own personal hand history on how hand protection strategy works, at the end of this article.
  
  All-in-all when moving from a lower limit table to a higher limit table, be prepared to adjust to different sets of opening cards that you would otherwise not normally play; a pair of 4s with an 8 kicker vs door card 10s and above that have completed the bring in bet, for example. Know that the strategy changes mostly to “bet, raise, or fold” with little, if any, checking, and definitely know when to fold. Do not be afraid when you have hit two pair that you should protect your hand early to any draws that may be coming for straights and flushes by betting, raising or re-raising. Most likely with a one-card draw to a flush on fourth street you should raise at any opportunity possible at the possibility of it hitting to increase your pay-off down the line.

  
  

• Stud Poker Odds+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Based on the probability of how many ways particular hands that can be dealt at a table with seven cards from a 52 card deck, the way that you want to play your combinations is to achieve the higher ranking hands where probabilities aren't out of the range of 'realistic'. You also don't want to be playing hands that are far too common and can be easily beaten.
  
  Hand 7 cards
  
  Straight Flush 41,584
  Four of a Kind 224,848
  Full House 3,473,184
  Flush 4,047,644
  Straight 6,180,020
  Three of a Kind 6,461,620
  Two Pair 31,433,400
  One Pair 58,627,800
  High Card 23,294,460
  
  Looking down the chart which is arranged from the highest possible made hand to the lowest hand, you see that there is a large mathematical leap between ways that a four-of-a kind hand and a full house can be dealt with seven cards. The range of realistically catching better than a full house comes to a screeching halt. There is another large gap between three-of-a-kind and two pair.
  
  The starting hand combination strategy used for winning seven card stud hands, promotes aspiring to achieve the median; three of a kind or better. The odds of catching the median hands differ depending on how many players are at a table, how many players continue on to later betting rounds, and the type of hands that any player at a table is striving to achieve.
  
  In my experience at fully seated low-stakes tables, it is not uncommon that players are using combinations that will make two pair or better. When playing for two pair, naturally you will want to have the highest two pair, and strategy is adjusted accordingly.
  
  The table below shows odds for flushes and straights. You can determine your odds based on the number of persons in a multi-way pot. For example, if you have one card to draw to a flush, your best odds to catch your flush is to have 4-5 people calling bets. Straights happen most often at stud hi/low tables because there are so many people in the hand at a time, more closely matching the odds needed to catch that particular hand.
  
  Draw one card with Odds
  
  Four cards to a flush 1 in 4.5
  Double open-ended straight 1 in 5
  Open-ended straight (1 end) 1 in 11
  Inside Straight 1 in 11
  Double open-ended straight flush 1 in 23
  Open-ended straight flush (1 end) 1 in 46
  Inside Straight Flush 1 in 46
  Rolled up with 3-of-a-kind 40% chance of improvement to a full house by the river.

  
  

• Comparative Hand Value+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Making adjustments for dollar values between players when raising occurs, is highly important to take into consideration.
  
  I've folded down many a winning hand in middle and late bet rounds to re-raisers because I haven't adjusted the value of my dollar to the dollar value another player may place on the cards in their own hand. It can be a challenge to push through top pairs vs. other two-pair if I'm not keen to the value another player places on particular cards in play.
  
  We all pretty much know by now that getting a feel for the players around the table is critical, and the sooner the better. An adjustment that needs to be managed immediately is observing the bet value that other players place on particular cards. Especially opening single pairs and two pair on later streets.
  
  At the door, a pair of hidden or split Jacks may very well be worth completing the bring-in bet, especially if there are no Aces showing. However, for me, it does not warrant re-raising a player that has made a complete bet under average circumstances. For example, a door card 8 completed the bring-in bet in early position. I am in late position with my pair of Jacks. I would personally just call and not re-raise over the 8’s completed bet, whether or not Aces are showing at the door or if I have an Ace in my hand.
  
  To another player, re-raising a completed bet with a Jack showing at the door may be a tell as to the dollar value that they place on that particular hand, letting you know that they will raise when they have a pair of face cards to open with. Adjustments can be then made when participating against a player so that you are not continuously raised out of a hand that may just be the best one. Some players will three bet when they have any high pairs with live outs to three-of-a-kind. Simply keep an eye on players who are three-betting at the door and what they are showing down with. Someone three-betting a pair of 8's to make you fold down your split pair of tens to open may be costing you.
  
  In some stud 8 games at the door, lows can be likely to raise and re-raise with a draw to a low, perhaps disguising a flush draw, or straight draw as well.
  
  It’s not to say that re-raising over the 8 with a pair of Jacks would not be correct under favorable circumstances. What I am pointing out is that in general, while a pair of Jacks in my hand doesn’t warrant a re-raise by my personal strategy for a full table or a multi-way pot to open, doesn’t mean that it is the same for another player’s strategy. Re-raisers may often believe that the hand they are carrying at present is truly the best hand. A raise of $5.00 means differently from one person to another.
  
  So just as an FYI, a reminder, or however you want to view it, keep in mind to be aware of the dollar values players put on their hands and include it into your evaluations so that you aren't folding down the winning hand out of fear when there may be nothing to fear at all.

  
  

• Counting Cards+ Show Spoiler +
  
  The idea behind counting cards in seven card stud is to create an advantage for determining hands, and calling and raising bets. Counting cards and suits becomes easier with experience, and over time, becomes more and more second nature.
  
  Counting cards in stud isn't necessarily making a check-list of all of the cards that are out of play and having to memorize the cards for each and every hand. Don't give up on this strategy because it sounds difficult. It is probably one of the most important strategies to use to increase your winnings.
  
  The more people that are in the hand, the easier it is to determine which cards are live, and what type of hands are playing. If you are playing online and have selected the option of using the four-colored deck, card counting is much easier.
  
  The method of card counting that I use at low limit tables and stud 8/b with family pots can be compared to "connect the dots". With this type of card counting you are using your own hand as the main reference for knocking dead hands and cards off of the list of possibilities.
  
  When the first round deal is completed, look at all of the door cards. Read which cards are out that you would need to make any type of connected straight, inside or out. You do not need to memorize these numbers. Just know that you should probably consider the cards dead if you have one or more of them in your hand and you need it/them to make a pair or better. If you have 69J, you will be looking at door cards on the table for any 5, 7, 8, T, and Q, as well as any other 6, 9, or J to pair your hand.
  
  With the example starting hand above you are not playing for a straight when you are counting the cards. (I would hope you would pick a better opener for a straight) You are only using this as a reference of what cards are out. At the end of the first comparison you have now potentially either added or eliminated 8 cards from the deck not including the card numbers in your own hand.
  
  Count the number of same suits in comparison to your hand to make a flush. This will give you a general idea of what type of flush is dead, and which type of flush is still live. You do not need to memorize how many of each suit is out, just what type of flush is potentially dead and what is live.
  
  On fourth street:
  
  Once again you will be looking at the cards at the table for anything that would have potentially given your hand a straight or a flush to eliminate cards from the deck, the types of hands being played, and how live the cards in your hand are. This potentially eliminates another 8 cards from the deck as well, and begins to give you an idea of what hands other players are betting and calling with so that you have a better idea of when to fold. When checking the flush draws you will be looking at any double suited 4th street cards in a hand.
  
  For example, if there were too many hearts on the table at the door and you see a hand that has two hearts up on fourth street with yet more hearts on the table, most likely the possibility for a heart flush is not a threat. It is especially evident that a player is on a draw if they are calling with low or medium cards with other overcards at the table. Also beware of higher pocket pairs and potentially two pair on fourth street which leaves the possibility open for an early full house.
  
  On fifth street:
  
  The type of hands being played becomes more obvious. Find the cards again that would have potentially given your hand a straight or a flush. Check for the live or dead cards that would make your hand. Use the past information you have collected to determine who is drawing to straights and flushes. Be aware of overcards to your hand that are calling. Pay attention to who is checking and where to perhaps get an idea of which card was potentially their strength. (For example someone checked when they turned a J and bet when they turned a 7).
  
  Check the cards for anything that is duplicated on the board such as a K appearing in three different hands. There should be several duplicates on the board between fifth and sixth street and they can usually be considered dead to being paired in someone's hand. This is especially helpful when determining if the King that re-raised the bring-in was bluffing a split pair or has a high pocket pair and used the king for leverage to intimidate other medium paired starting hands.
  
  If you or anyone else has cards in their hand that would make someone else's straight, they are still potentially on a draw, however do not underestimate that they may have made their straight on fifth or still have one live inside or outside card for that hand to be made.
  
  On fifth street beware of any pairs appearing on the board that could potentially have given a player three of a kind. Also beware of any straight draws. At a full table with a lot of callers you have seen nearly half of the deck of cards. Determine if any fifth street flushes that appear are still potentially live.
  
  With practice, by fifth and sixth street at a low limit stud-hi table, you will most likely know what type of hands are playing a good percentage of the time.
  
  You will also have a solid grasp of what cards are still live for you to make a weak hand stronger, or possibly out draw players with early made hands by the river.

• Slow-Playing Aces and Trips+ Show Spoiler +
  
  You may hear it around the table… “aces suck”. Depending on how tight the table is, how many people are in the hand, if other aces are still live, and what position you are in (in relation to the bring-in), you can too often over-estimate them with a raise even though it may very well be the best starting hand at the table.
  
  There’s an old saying to never slow play your aces, however, with only three cards in each hand the early investment on hoping to catch two pair, when flushes and straights show up on later streets, it could be just as beneficial to just call with them and raise later on when there are no threats of flushes and straights on the board.
  
  Especially if you are playing to win money and are not just there for practice or just to kill some time, the name of the game is to manipulate money out of players getting them to call to the river with lesser hands, and tilt them with your strategy so that they are spending even more money trying to get back at you or get their money back. Humility with this strategy is a must. Getting too cocky after winning a few hands like this may get you in trouble later on, ending up tilting you instead, so it is important to mix up your strategy.
  
  Heads up, three-way, and short handed at a loose table, you do not want to slow play a pair of aces.
  
  When in late position with many callers, it is a very rare occasion that I have seen the lot of players who just called, actually fold a late position raise at the door. In late position with many callers, raising the bring-in only commits players to the pot. They’ve already invested early with one call, so calling a raise from an ace usually isn’t enough to scare people at the door when the deck is nearly completely live. Especially when seeing fourth street is still an inexpensive round allowing most players to see the next card.
  
  Additionally, when you are in late position with your aces, you may consider catching a third ace as dead (odds of catching trips is slim), under the assumption that a player has called an opening combination that includes an ace in their hand.
  
  Consider raising with your door card ace only if you are in early position, or late position with few callers, and in middle position if there are other face cards behind you that want to take a stab at out-turning your aces.
  
  If you raise your ace in middle position and callers behind you have medium door cards showing, they are inclined to think that you are either bluffing, or have high hidden pocket pairs, flush, or straight draws if they call.
  
  Potentially it’s beneficial to you to slow play a door card ace by simply calling so that the pot piles up bigger, with hands calling to the river.
  
  Mix up the raising to confuse players on your strategy. After showing down a few winning aces-up hands, that are slow played, raise the bring-in every once in a while with a door card ace or even marginal hands such as Jacks or even 8’s to keep them guessing on when exactly it is that you raise.
  
  Slow-playing trips is more difficult to do. Most times you have paired to board to catch them which often puts you in first position for betting. If the trips are small or medium, you may make an attempt at a check raise if there are plenty of over-cards on the board, although I don’t recommend doing that unless someone for sure has two high pair and thinks that you’re afraid that the pair you have showing isn’t good enough to beat theirs.
  
  If you have a pocket pair and have just turned three of a kind on fourth street, I recommend that you do not raise until you have hit fifth street to commit the players to the pot to the river. Raising on fourth street makes it easier for the players to fold down decreasing the potential money going into the pot.
  
  Expect that after your raise if you are not in betting position that the players will check and call, wanting to see the river, however not wanting to spend the money calling your raises to do it.
  
  The difference between raising on fourth and fifth street could be a few extra dollars because players are not yet committed to the hand on the expensive streets. By all means, if the players at the table will call anything with just about any type of hand on the board, raise on fourth.

  
  

• Adopting Strategies+ Show Spoiler +
  
  Strategy sites such as this one, as well as media articles, and books with information on 7 card stud poker, are becoming easier to find with the current explosion of popularity for playing the game. When reading about strategy, a few questions should be asked before adopting it for your own use. With all of the information out there, I’d like to offer some tips on how to sift through which strategies are most likely to help you succeed with what your goal is.
  
• Does the strategy being presented to you for a particular type of hand fall into alignment with making money or simply breaking even?
  
  Identify how the consistent use of the strategy will work in the long-run as opposed to how it will work short-term at the table limits you currently play at. When moving up to a higher stakes table, consider if the strategy you are accustomed to will adjust to fit the strategy of the higher table limit. Depending on how high you move up in stakes or if it is a tournament table vs. a ring table, the strategy may change completely.
  
  
• Does the strategy fit with the goal you have chosen for your play sessions?
  
  If your goal is to play for the social and casual reasons and the hope is to break even or perhaps gain a small profit, the strategy you use will create just that. If you are sitting down with the intention to create a large profit, your strategy fits to create that as well.
  
  
• Does the strategy being presented to you back its claims for success or failure based on known variables in the game such as odds? Does the strategy express under what circumstances it should be used or not used?
  
  Claims made on why to use or not use a strategy should make sense in accordance with odds and specific situations. Being advised not play a certain way with no reference to pot odds or odds to catching a card, should be elaborated, since many variables can influence the outcome of a hand. Keep in mind that using specific strategies will affect your bankroll.
  
  
• Would this strategy be one that a professional player would use?
  
  If a professional were playing in a tournament or at the same table limit you are playing, would they be likely to use this strategy to create an advantage vs. the players at the table?
  
  To summarize, make a determination on whether or not to use a strategy based on it’s earning potential, if it is something to be used with consistency or only under specific circumstances, if the strategy proposal supports its claims to use or not use it based on drawing or pot odds, and if it is a strategy that a professional player would put to use. It’s easy to read about something that makes sense for a game in general. Be sure that the strategy use not only makes sense for the game, but makes sense for the type of tables you play at.

Tiltbuster Vid
Deuces Cracked Video on FT Mods

Wiki+ Show Spoiler +

Deck:+ Show Spoiler +


* Make sure FT client is closed while changing/renaming images.

How to use Card Mod's.

1. Open My Computer to - C://Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/gregElements

2. Create Folder called - Originals

3. Move (Cut/Paste) cards0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and cardsmall.png from elements into your new Elements/Originals folder

(The cardsmall.png is used for the hole cards, in the hand replayer. Cards0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 make up the deck you play with. All 7 images are different sized.)

4. Go to the wiki page - download your preferred deck - you have to open all 8 images and right click > save image as.. separately. Save the new images to a new folder on your PC (Fozzy-10.0 for ex).

5. Copy/Paste all 8 new images, properly re-named, into the elements folder.

6. Restart FTP client and make sure the MOD is working.

6.a. If some of your cards show up as blanks, go to FTP Lobby > Options, and change your Four Color Cards setting.

Tables:+ Show Spoiler +


How to use the Table Mod's below.

1. Open C://Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/Elements

2. Move (Cut/Paste) table.png for classic view mods, and TableRT.png for RT mods, from elements into your new elements/originals folder.

3. Download the 794x547 transparent table file below. Copy and paste it into elements and rename it Table.png or TableRT.png depending which view you prefer.

4. For RT view - Go to - C://Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/RaceTrack. There are separate folders for each table view in RT. Download new tables from the wiki - make sure you follow all the table links, until the table is in highest resolution, then right click > save image as.. . Make sure you rename the default backgrounds - to something like Table-Orig.jpg. Paste a copy of the new table mod into the respective folder (i.e. marble, etc) and rename it to table.jpg

5. For classic view, go to C:/Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/Backgrounds. Then same basic steps as above to replace/rename the images.

When clicking on a table image, make sure to click the "Image in higher resolution" link below the image to get the full sized version of the table.

If the table background already includes the table image (the case with most mods), you need to replace your table image with a transparent table to get rid of it.

794x547 Transparent Image

* Save as Table.png and TableRT.png and put in Elements folder to replace the Original table.

1x1 Transparent Pixel

* If the above transparent tables cause the FT Poker client to crash - try using this 1x1 Pixel.


Greg777+ Show Spoiler +


You probably already know this crap, but for those who don't...
I recommend making a copy of your graphics folder before doing anything, in case something goes whack.
Go into:
C://Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/Elements

And rename TableRT to something else, I made mine TableRT1

You have to rename so it isn't found by FT.

Then exchange the Cards file with this one:

(rename to Cards after saving)
Then go into:

C://Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/RaceTrack/Red Carpet

(or whichever color you are using)

Then exchange the Table file with this one:

(rename to Table after saving)
Then go into:

C://Program Files/Full Tilt Poker/Graphics/Table/Avatars

Rename SeatRT_On to something else, I made mine SeatRT_On1

Then make a copy of SeatRT_Off and rename it SeatRT_On

This will eliminate the active player's box from changing from blue to white.

Some multi-tablers may not want to change this mod. I did because the colored lights under the player's name when they are active is good enough for me.
(Seat mods:      Table      RT)

Wiki+ Show Spoiler +


Uno:

Waffle:


Rayo Cards: + Show Spoiler +



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Tiltbuster Vid
Deuces Cracked Video
DeathDonkey's Guide+ Show Spoiler +