Seven Card Stud Discussion Board

[flafishy]

As far as trying to remember the cards, just concentrate on remembering what cards were FOLDED. The cards that aren't folded are right there in front of you, so just remember the cards that were folded and use the ones that weren't as a point of reference.

Don't try to remember the folded cards exactly, say for instance, King of spades/7 of hearts/3 of diamonds.

Just remember the values of the folded cards. 7 3 K 5 2. And notice if more than one of them were of a particular suit. So on fourth street, you're thinking to yourself "73K52 were folded, and three hearts are gone."

I find it easier to remember the values in order that they were folded instead of trying to rearrange them. I make it a sort of mantra: "73K52/three hearts ... 73K52/three hearts." And as I look around the table, I can evaluate the threat potential of hands that are still live by matching them up with my mantra.

I don't have the gift of a photographic memory, and I struggle with trying to remember cards. This is the best way I know how to do it. Wenchy, if you have a photographic memory and have no trouble remembering cards, you've already got a huge edge on most stud players. You should be running to a stud table right now.

I don't agree with some of what Pete said about starting hands -- particularly when it comes to three connectors and three suits. In general, if there are no Broadway cards (TJQKA) in such hands, I'll limp in with them, especially in a particuarly passive game. But I won't play them to a raise, nor will I hold onto them if I brick fourth.

You'll throw a lot of money away chasing straights or flushes that have little backup potential -- especially if you do happen to catch the fourth on fourth street. It's very difficult to throw away a hand when you have four suits on fourth street -- and that fifth one never comes. And the odds are that it won't. So if you're playing a hand such as 5c2c8c and catch 3c on fourth, you have to be amazingly disciplined to toss it if you're facing a couple of opponents who are betting out with big pairs. If you miss your flush but pair up a couple of your cards, you still have a very marginal hand.

However, if you're playing a hand such as JcAc3c and catch 5c on fourth, you still have potential to make a decent hand even if your flush does miss. Catch another A and another 3 along the way, and now even if you do miss your flush, you've still got a hand with a decent chance to win at showdown.

Read any expert advice ... Sklansky, Zee, Adams, West ... they'll all tell you the same thing. 5c6c7c sure looks pretty, but longterm it's a loser -- and an expensive loser. That's a great starting hand for Stud hi/lo, but it's a lousy one for stud high.

Most of the time, if I get to showdown with a straight or a flush, I've happened to catch it accidentally while I was playing a big pair or something. I rarely head into fifth street chasing one.

I don't play much Omaha, but I think stud and Omaha share the concept that your drawing hands need to be versatile. If the only real chance to win a hand is to nail the highest straight, you're going to need big pot odds to keep drawing. But if you're working on a hand with two or three different draws and already have at least a marginal made hand, you can get aggressive and don't need big odds.

[Hurricane Ham]

It's very difficult to throw away a hand when you have four suits on fourth street -- and that fifth one never comes. And the odds are that it won't.

If your flush cards are pretty live, say only 0 or 1 dead, aren't your chances of making the flush near 50%? I'll definitely take those odds, especially with some big cards.

And 5c6c7c is can be a decent stud hand as long as you're drawing live. Catch that 8c or 4c on 4th, and you're a favorite over just about any hand at that point, no? Plus it's so damn pretty!

[flafishy]

It's very difficult to throw away a hand when you have four suits on fourth street -- and that fifth one never comes. And the odds are that it won't.

If your flush cards are pretty live, say only 0 or 1 dead, aren't your chances of making the flush near 50%? I'll definitely take those odds, especially with some big cards.

And 5c6c7c is can be a decent stud hand as long as you're drawing live. Catch that 8c or 4c on 4th, and you're a favorite over just about any hand at that point, no? Plus it's so damn pretty!

NEAR 50% means that it's not going to hit you more often than it will. And that's if your flush cards are completely live and stay completely live to the river. But with a big card or two, you do have more outs, which was my point. Without big cards, it's a losing proposition unless you're drawing against at least three opponents.

And "as long as you're drawing live" is a key point here. But this thread is an introduction for beginners, and I wouldn't advise those new to stud to get in the habit of playing those hands because it's very easy to get into trouble with them. It's very difficult for even experienced players to throw those hands away when they need to be tossed.

It's the equivalent to playing something like A5 suited or KQ or something in holdem. Beginners and even a lot of experience players tend to want to go to the mat with hands like that.

[pm_french]

If you're asking for another site, obviously we will not advertise it here.

But if you want to talk about 7-Stud, there are a few players here (myself included), who are interested in discussing it.

Sorry, a bit late replying here.

Fair enough dude, however, lets be honest, the players on here are predominantly HE players. I want to discuss matters with 7CS players who play a lot more of this than they do HE for instance and this board probably cannot supply this. I've been reading this forum for a while now (with the odd posting) and cannot fault it at all for HE advice.

Anyways...one question I do have.......

What's the typical amount in (relation to the betting structure) you need to be sitting down with. For instance, if you were going to be playing on a 0.50/$1 what would you need?

[Hurricane Ham]

Anywhere from 20-40 big bets is usually fine. I tend towards the 25-30 range, but leaning higher could never hurt. Antes + more streets = you needing more to have some wiggle room.