Rules for 7 Card Stud

      The basic how to play strategies for 7 Card Stud Poker shown here are those generally agreed to and recommended by the experts on flat limit games.

      An understanding of these basics is needed for all levels of competitive play.

      Solid intermediate and expert level poker normally requires extensive study of the more advanced game tactics and considerable hours of actual casino or online playing experience.

      Seven Card Stud is a HIGH card game. More winning hands are decided by the highest pair of two pair or just the highest pair, than by straights, flushes and other big hands.

      So if you start with a straight or flush draw, it should have at least two high cards or at least one card that is higher than anything up on the board.

      These draw hands and low pair starting hands need to improve or turn a high pair quickly to justify continued play.

      Any time your high hand is beaten on the board, fold, unless you think you still have the best draw hand.

      Fast play early high hands ( that could win without improvement) to thin out the competition.
      Slow play draw hands to keep other players in to increase the pot odds in case you hit.

      HIGH CARDS - 10 thru A .
      LOW CARDS -9 thru 2
      SPLIT PAIR - Starting hand with one of your pair cards down and the other up.
      CONCEALED PAIR - Starting hand with both of your pair cards in the hole and your side card kicker up.
      DOOR CARD - The exposed upcard of a starting hand.
      DEAD CARDS - Cards that have been revealed and no longer in the deck.
      FAST PLAY - Bet, raise and re-raise to get as many other players out as possible.
      SLOW PLAY - Just check and call along to keep other players in the game and increase the pot odds.
      CHECK-FOLD - Check when you can and fold if you are bet into. Gladly accept all free cards offered.

      Normally Playable Starting Hands:

      HIGH TRIPS - (AAA down to 101010). Fast play these. Your opponents will put you on a high pair.
      LOW TRIPS - (999 down to 222). Slow play until your 5th street bet. Keep 'em guessing.
      HIGH PAIR - (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010). Fast play these, split or concealed, if they are not overcarded on the board. Try to narrow the field and play fast until threatened by a higher hand.
      LOW PAIR/ High Kicker - Slow play split or concealed low pairs with a kicker that is higher than any upcard on the board. Fold this hand if two or more of your key cards are dead. Check-fold if you don't get trips or two pair on the next card.
      CONCEALED LOW PAIR/ No High Kicker - Slow play for trips on 4th street. Fold if one or both of your pair cards are dead. Check-fold if you don't make trips or two pair on the next card.
      HIGH OVERCARDS - Two or three high cards that are higher than anything on the board. Slow play and check-fold if they don't make a high pair on the next card.
      HIGH 3 CARD FLUSH - (2h 10h Kh). Must have at least two high cards. Fold if three or more cards of your suit are dead. Slow play and check-fold if you don't make a four card flush or a high pair on the next card.
      HIGH 3 CARD STRAIGHT - (9 10 J ) to Q K A). Slow play and check-fold if you don't make a four card straight or a high pair on the next card.
      ANY 3 CARDS TO A STRAIGHT FLUSH - (5d 7d 9d). Fold if four or more of your key straight and flush cards are dead. Slow play and check-fold if you don't make any four cards to a straight or a four card flush.

      Seven Card stud is a complicated poker game that will require some unique skills in order to be successful.

      Strategy Tips:

      -In Seven Card stud Hi Lo it is important to play starting hands that have a good chance of becoming both a low hand and a hi hand.The problem with high starting hands in Seven Card stud Hi Lo is that they are generally harder to adapt into a low hand.
      -The most important basic strategy concept we can stress in Seven Card stud Hi Lo is that of adaptability. You need to play hands that are versatile and simply fold ones that aren’t.
      -Study your opponents, especially when you are not playing hands and can pay careful attention
      -Try to find reasons to fold
      -Discipline is another very important skill; In addition to having the discipline and patience to wait for good starting hands, you must also be able to recognize the situations that are bad and realize you need to fold the hand, regardless of how good it might be if you complete your draw.

      Pauline Davis - Poker Expert say :

      The Seven Card Stud Poker Rules allow a maximum of eight online poker players to play in a hand but given there are only 52 cards in the deck you will run out of cards if everyone sees it though to seventh street. Such being the case if you run out of cards you are allowed to use a community cards which is placed in the middle of the table. There are some other slight variations with Seven Card Stud Poker Rules but for the most part this is all you need to know.

      Seven Card Stud strategy is a lot different than Texas Holdem or Omaha strategy. This is what makes the game so appealing to players that understand the game. The average 7 Card Stud player tends not to understand the basic strategies that should be used so the action is typically very soft