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7 Card Stud |
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Just for a change, here
are a few notes on one of the other
variations of poker. Nowadays, Texas Hold'em
is by far the most popular game, but 7 Card
Stud used to hold that title in the not so
distant past. When I started to play poker
competitions in the casinos of England
over 20 years ago, there would be twice as
many 7 Card competitions as opposed to
Hold'em competitions. Although it has
steadily declined over the years, it is
still often played, and I find it a very
enjoyable change. So if you fancy having a
bash on the 7 Card tables here are a few pointers.
Whilst trying to get everyone up to a
reasonable level at Hold 'em, I have
laboured on about starting hands. The reason
for this is because most beginners at poker
want to play every hand. When you are
starting out, discipline is the most
difficult attribute to master.
Unfortunately, 7 Card Stud is similar. You
really don't want to go to war without some
decent armoury.
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Again just like Hold'em
the type of staring hands you can play
varies considerably depending on the amount
of players at the table.
If you are playing 8 handed then I would
suggest you need:
a high pair of Kings or Aces
a medium pair with an ace kicker
three cards of the same suit including the
ace
If you were playing 4 handed then I would
suggest
any pair is playable
any three cards to a suit (providing they
are 'live')
any three high running cards (providing they
are 'live')
AK or AQ with any other card
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And obviously if you are
playing 5, 6 or 7 handed then you have to
find a balance between the two examples. The
importance of the ace kicker in the
example one, and the ace within your flushing
cards, is obviously that you may hit an Ace.
A pair of Aces, or Aces up is very strong in
7 Card Stud. (When you are playing 8 handed,
you have to be very careful with Kings, and
Queens are very dangerous.) Often in 7 card
you may start trying to make a flush or
straight, but end up winning the pot with
two pair. The chances of this happening
depend on how 'live' your cards are:
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7 Card has an interesting additional factor.
You can see everyone's open card. This is
valuable information concerning your hand as
well.
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If you can see that two of your opponents
have an Ace showing, and you have one
hidden, you know it's unlikely that either
of them have a pair of Aces. More
importantly though, there is much less of a
chance of you pairing your ace. It is not
'live'.
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If you have been dealt three spades, but you
can see three of your opponents were dealt
an open spade as well, the chances of you
making a flush is greatly diminished. I
don't play flush draws if I can see two
others from the same suit dealt to my
opponents.
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Should you be dealt
10,J,Q, you may be trying to make a
straight, but if you can't see any 10s,Js or
Qs then you have a very 'live' hand, and
could just as easily make a winning two pair
or full house.
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7 Card also has the same
positional similarities to Hold'em. If you
have been dealt a pair of Kings, but two of
your opponents behind who haven't acted yet,
are showing an open Ace, then you have to
tread very carefully indeed. As your
opponents have been dealt three cards as
opposed to two cards to start, the chances
of someone having Aces are far greater in 7
Card than Hold'em.
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| Where 7 Card becomes
interesting though, is when the game
progresses through the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th
cards. As the cards are dealt, you are
constantly being fed information. The odds
on your opponent having improved are there
right in front of you. And of course the
odds on your hand improving are changing
depending on what cards you can see. |
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A typical starting hand may
be J,J, Ace showing. You suspect your
opponent may have a pair of Aces, but there
are no open Jacks. It would be really nice
to be dealt a Jack to match your hidden
cards. There is no way your opponent can
read you for three Jacks, and you will
probably get paid all the way. It may well
be correct to call on third and fourth
street because you cant see any Jacks. But
often you will then see one or both the
remaining Jacks pop out being dealt to
opponents on your right and left. Very
frustrating, but it now makes your hand an
easy pass. The chances of you making a
winning hand have now shrunk enormously.
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Likewise with your flush and
straight draws. If your first four cards are
8,9,10,J but you can see two 7s and two Qs
out, then you will be lucky to make your
straight. Conversely, if you can't see any
7s or Qs, then you have to fancy your
chances, and it is probably worth gambling
against better hands.
Have a go, 7 Card Stud is fun.
See you next week folks,
Dave |
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