How to Play poker

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7 Card Stud

Older than Omaha and Texas Hold’Em, 7 card stud Poker is a demanding game of skill, memory and raw talent. A large number of cards are on the table, each Street requires a different approach and the betting can move from modest to sweat breaking in a matter of minutes.

The game begins with all of the players posting the ‘ante’ – a predetermined amount that each player contributes to the pot before the cards are dealt. After the ante is posted, each player is dealt 3 cards - two cards face-down and one card face-up. The face-up card is known as the 'door card'. The player with the lowest door card is forced to make a 'bring-in' bet that is approximately half of the smaller betting limit. In a R10/R20 stud game, the bring-in bet would be R5. If two or more players have the same lowest card, the person who brings it in is determined by suit. The rank of suits in ascending order is Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades. The player who makes the bring-in bet also has the option of completing for the full amount. In the example above, completing the bet would make it R10.

The game is made more interesting with additional hole cards, extra betting rounds, no community cards on the board and the players can see some of the others’ cards. This game is played with a maximum of eight players in addition to the virtual dealer and each player has their own individual hand. In the fixed limit games, there are two bet limits.

Action then moves clockwise from the low card on the table. If the low card does not complete the bet, all players have the option of folding, calling the bring-in bet or completing the bet. Once any player completes the bet, the smaller betting limit is used for all raises in the rest of the first round. There is a maximum of three raises in each betting round.

A card is dealt face-up to each player that still remains in the hand. This card is known as 'Fourth Street'. From 'Fourth Street' on, the highest hand showing begins the action by checking or betting the smaller betting limit. However if any player pairs his door card, all players are given the option of making either a single or double bet. If a player makes a single bet, the other players may call, raise the single bet, raise the double bet or fold. If a player makes a double bet, all subsequent raises must be in the amount of a double bet.

Another card is dealt face-up to those who remain in the hand. This round is also known as 'Fifth Street'. For this and all remaining rounds, the larger betting limit is used. Once again, the highest hand showing starts the action by checking or betting. Another card is dealt face-up. This round is also known as 'Sixth Street'. The highest hand showing again starts the action by checking or betting.

The final card, also known as the 'River Card' or 'Seventh Street' is dealt face-down. The exception to this rule is if there are not enough cards remaining in the deck to give one to each player. In this situation, a community card that can be used by all players in the hand is dealt face-up. The highest hand showing starts the action by checking or betting. After the final round of betting, players turn their cards over and the best hand wins the pot. (The pot may also be won by someone who bets without being called at any time during the hand.). Hands are made by using the best five of seven cards.

A Winning Hand Can Be Made In Either of Two Ways:

  • Five cards from the seven dealt to you
  • One board (community) card and four of the cards dealt to you.

7-Card Stud uses the traditional hand rankings for poker to decide a winner. If two or more hands are the same ranking, the winner is the one having the higher cards. For example, an Ace-high flush beats a King-high flush. If the Poker hands remain tied, then the highest card not being held in common determines the winner.

In case of ties, suits are not considered when deciding on the winning cards. If two or more poker hands are absolutely identical besides the suits, the pot is split evenly between the two or more winning players. If there is an odd amount, it is awarded to the winning player closest to the left of the dealer.

Three of a Kind (aka Trips) is the best opening hand in 7-Card Stud and the higher the rank the better. They can often win you the round without improvement and leave you great flexibility in your betting and positioning in the coming streets.

If anyone at the table knew you held Trips right off, they would almost certainly fold. The usual recommendation is to take it slow and hide what you've got. Bet modestly, check or call as necessary, until you're in the high streets (5-7th) where you can drag more money into the pot. You want to keep as many players in as long as possible because you're probably going to beat them. This is called the ‘slow play’ and is designed to maximize the pot.

If you're holding a set of ‘scare cards’ (Aces or Kings) or highest door card, keep in mind that everyone is expecting you to raise, so if you don't they are going to wonder why.
At ‘the turn’ (fourth street), you should continue to play modestly, keeping the other players in. Once you hit fifth, it's time to make the others pay to stay. If they are still in at the fifth, the chances are that they'll want to see the ‘river’ (Seventh Street) and they will not be scared off by the steeper action you provide. As ever, watch your opponents’ cards for anything that could honestly threaten your potential win.

After Trips, a High Pair (10’s or better) is the best starting hand you could hope for. If the paired cards are in the hole (face down), then this is even better: open cards are worth less since the others can see or surmise what you've got. This is a solid position for an opening bet or raise or even a re-raise if you hold highest door, Jack or better.

Do not be afraid of strong betting in Third and Fourth Streets because you want to eliminate as many players as possible while it is cheap to do so. You still need to improve on your hand so you don't want anyone to pull cards for free. If there are better door cards on the table—for example you have got holed Queens and there is a King and an Ace on the table—it is probably wise to leave it at a single raise. If there are two Aces, for example, on the table, do not hesitate since it is already looking like a broken threat.

If you door card is reasonable, say a 10 or Jack and the High Pair is buried you are in an ideal situation. Your raise will look like you're moving on the paired 10s and the other players will respond accordingly. You are in an excellent position to pull them in deeper in the later Streets. By the Fifth, the remaining hands that do not have an obvious strong position (non-paired opens) are probably draw hands. Raise in order to knock them out.

In the Sixth and Seventh: if you are not beaten by the open cards and you have improved on the Pair, then raise. Otherwise, you have to consider folding or at least check if there are no raises to match and nothing on the table looks threatening.

Three cards to a Flush is a ‘drawing hand. You need cards to make anything worthwhile. That said, it is worth a raise but how much money you can put behind it without giving yourself away is largely determined by your door card. If your door-card is Faces or Aces (A, K, Q, J), then the raise will look as though you are backing a high Pair. If your door leads, following a raise and re-raise will probably pass without being suspected.

The ‘head’ cards or highest of the held cards also affect how you play the hand. Assuming that you do not have High Door as above, you want Jack or better in the Flush to justify the betting. This way you are drawing to both the Flush and a High Pair to balance the expense. If you have got a weak Door or no High cards, you need to get to Fourth Street as cheaply as possible as you are facing 5 to 1 odds against completing your hand. Consider mucking if any of the cards you need are ‘dead’ (in another player's hand).

If Fourth Street brings you a fourth card for the Flush you're facing 1.5 to 1 against completing, which are good odds at this point and worth a raise. Consider mucking if two or more of the cards you need are ‘dead’ or if you have got no High Pair possibilities as an out.

Fifth Street: you must have that fourth to the Flush by this point in order to justify further betting. If you get it and especially if there's a High Pair out consider raising. The odds are still reasonable that you'll complete (2 to 1 against). By the sixth, the odds are swinging against you at 4 to 1 to complete. You can only justify staying in if it is cheap and there is still some chance of an out, otherwise muck.

When talking about a draw hand, this one is a lot tougher to complete than the 3-Card Flush. If you have got two or three High cards, you stand a chance at a High Pair as an out. This hand can sustain a raise or even a re-raise if it is an Outside Straight (can be completed from either end). But do not let A-K-Q fool you – that is an Inside Straight (only open at one end) and is better played for its Pairing possibilities. Throughout the round it is important to study the other players’ cards for anything that could kill your Straight. If any one of the cards you could use is dead, it will seriously detract from your completion chances.

At Fourth Street you want another (consecutive) card in your Straight. If you don ot get it, fold unless all of your cards can beat the up cards. If you have still got an Outside Straight you're facing 1.3 to 1 odds against completing and this is worth continuing to play. If you draw a fourth to the Straight and it leaves you with an Inside Straight, consider folding unless you are holding the two highest up cards.

At Fifth Street you are facing 2 to 1 odds against completing. If you still have two of the highest up cards, then it is worth checking or calling to continue to the Sixth, otherwise fold. Four to a Straight is tempting to chase but it's not nearly as good a bet as it looks.

By Sixth Street, you're facing 5 to 1 odds and there is no justification to continue unless all necessary cards are still ‘live’ (in play and not ‘dead’). If your open cards still lead, it is worth a raise. Muck if you face a double raise.