Seven Card Stud certainly isn’t as popular as it was a decade ago, but that doesn’t mean nobody is playing it. In fact, there are still plenty of Seven Card Stud tournaments out there including some major WSOP events. Seeing as how Stud isn’t totally irrelevant, let’s take a look at some tips for how to get started with this game.
Remember Everyone’s Face Up Cards
One big difference in Seven Card Stud, as opposed to Texas Hold’em, is that you get to see a face up card from all of your opponents. However, when an opponent folds, that face up card gets mucked and you’re forced to remember it. This is where some players make the mistake of only concentrating on their own hand. But when you do this, you’re missing out on opportunities to correctly count your outs. That’s why you need to pay attention to every face up card and memorize it.
Bet Frequently
Stud is a drawing game and so players like to see cards as cheaply as possible. That’s why you need to bet frequently whenever you hold the advantage. If you’re sitting in the driver’s position, you don’t want to give this advantage up by letting several drawing hands into the pot. At the very least, you’ll be making opponents pay to chase their draws.
Bluffing rarely works
Bluffing is always thought to be a major part of any poker variation. But in Seven Card Stud, you’re often wasting your time (and chips) by bluffing. This is especially true in the lower stakes where the only people who play are either going to call with every draw they have or play all of their hands straightforward. There are few bluffing opportunities that arise in a Stud game so you’re very unlikely to make anyone fold. About the only time you can truly bluff people in a Seven Card Stud hand is when a flush draw is showing on the board.
