Advanced 7 Card Stud Tactics

In seven card stud, the disparity between an amazing player and an average or bad player is gigantic. An excellent seven card stud player will literally rip up the table with less experienced players. That is why it is critically important that you learn some advanced techniques and strategies so you have the tools necessary to beat not only excellent players but so you can hold a devastating advantage over the poorer players. This article will cover some advanced topics and other important considerations to keep in mind when play seven card stud.

Watch that Door Card

The door card is the first up card any player has. The reason it is so important is because it is part of the players starting hand. The thought is there is a good chance that the door card is already paired with another down card, otherwise the player wouldn’t really of had a reason to enter the pot. Obviously there are exceptions to this, but what you need to keep in mind is that when you see someone pair their door card, there is a good chance that the player might all of the sudden have trips. If you can’t beat trips of whatever card paired your opponent’s door then you better get out of the hand or have significant evidence to suggest otherwise.

Pay Attention to the Antes

Most players just think antes are antes and that it. That’s not the case, paying attention to the size of the antes in relation to the size of the bets is critically important to your game plan. Generally speaking when the antes are low in relation to the size of the bets, as in most low limit games, you can stick to a tight strategy and wait for good starting hands to come. In mid to high limit games however the antes can be very high compared to the bets and in these situations you absolutely must play more hands. Look to add hands that include face cards, aces or anything that could give you some kind of an advantage. Realize however that sometimes you are just going to have to take a shot regardless of what you hold! If you fail to do this, the antes will run you out of money so fast you wont know what hit you!

Bet and Raise Without Remorse

When you get to the point in seven card stud where you are playing middle to high limits or you are just trying to extract more money from low limit opponents, you ultimately have to bet and raise aggressively to limit your competition and take down more pots. With an aggressive betting strategy you can keep your opponents on edge and make them fear you. You have to have guts and money to be able to do this though. You are also betting and raising to increase your chances of winning with mediocre hands or hands that are vulnerable to being drawn out on. By aggressively betting and raising you discourage drawing players from continuing and increase your chances of winning. Keep in mind that if you are drawing or on the come, betting and raising early builds the pot and ultimately pays you off better if you happen to complete your hand.

Game Specific Strategy