Seven Card Stud High/Low
- Published 2006-02-04
- Author Pokeraddict
Seven Card Stud High/Low is a game that I enjoy playing daily. In my opinion it requires a large amount of skill. When a player is bad at seven card stud it affects their play even more then in any other poker game. It is not like in Holdem where a player can get lucky and make a flush out of their suited rag hand or get lucky and catch an ace into an ace rag to crack pocket kings. When a player plays Seven Card Stud and does not know what they are doing they will make many more mistakes.
My first, and up to this point my only World Series of Poker event was the $1000 Seven Card Stud High/Low. There was more dead money then I have ever seen in a large tournament, live or online. These players constantly called raises on 3 rd street with any three low cards, any three cards that made an ace high straight, any ace or any pair. This made for some great action in the first few hours and gave me an opportunity to build a nice early chip lead. I made it to the final two tables and even when players were in the money they made terrible mistakes.
There is one more betting round in Seven Card Stud then there is in Texas Holdem or Omaha. These games only have four betting rounds; Seven Card Stud has five betting rounds plus an ante. The lowest up card bets what is called the bringin. This is 30-50% of the bet. The two is the lowest card and if there are two up cards that tie then the suit decides the lowest card. This is decided by alphabetical order. The order is clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. The bringin has the option to make a full bet. For example in $3/$6 a player may bringin for a dollar or bet the full $3 amount. If a player decides to raise the $1 bringin they may make it $3 (a raise of $2) but the next raise would be the full amount making it $6.
In Seven Card Stud High/Low a player must have the discipline to select the correct hands to play. These hands include three cards to a wheel (five high straight which is the perfect low), three cards to a six-eight high straight, three suited cards eight or lower, three cards to a straight flush, an ace high flush, or a pair higher then any window card. There are of course situations where it is a good idea to try and steal the antes and bringin or hands that are string heads up but the above hands are the best starters to come in with on third street. Keep in mind a winning low must be five cards eight or lower that do not pair. Aces play high or low.
The key to third street is figuring out whether you want to thin the field or whether you would prefer a large field of player. Hand like a high pair should thin the field. You want to make players drawing for lows, straight or flushes to have to pay for the chance to draw out, but a hand like suited low cards or straights need more players to make the draw worth while.
Fourth street can be a great chance to steal the pot. If your two door cards show any strength and the other player or players draw a brick then this may be a great chance to bet out the other players. For example you show an a ace and a two, the other two players had low cards showing on third but drew a nine and a ten then this is a great chance to win the pot right now. Even if they call they are probably drawing to a huge underdog hand.
If you have made a winning hand on fifth street you must bet and raise any other drawers out. For example you have made an eight low and the board tells you no one else can have a low yet then you must try to make the low drawers pay to try and draw out, this is not a time to slow pay. This can be a great time to sandwich a player between the low and high hand raisers and create a huge pot. If you are heads up on fifth an the other player is obviously high because he shows no possibility of making a low then it is time to freeroll them. When a player is freerolling another in high/low this means he is guaranteed half of the pot, but can win the entire pot if the right cards come. If you have made a low then you always have the possibility to make a straight but could also possibly make a flush, or even win by making two pair or three of a kind. This is a great situation to be in. Sometimes you might even get a player with just a pair to fold.
Sixth street is the most difficult street to bet in my opinion. A player must study the up cards and determine whether they are still the favorite. If there are two other players in and it is obvious one of the players is still drawing this is the chance to make them pay even more for their draw, yet another chance to make the pot even bigger. If you are heads up and it is obvious you will split then you should probably not bet here as you will just be paying rake for no reason.
Seventh street is when you receive your last card down. Depending on the number of players this bet is often require no thought. You will often be heads up and you will need to determine whether you have a chance to win the entire pot. If you feel you are guaranteed winning at least half the pot or if you feel you opponent(s) may fold a weak hand here so a bet here is a must.
Seven Card Stud High/Low is a great game for any serious poker player to learn. It takes a great degree of skill to succeed but many online players already possess this skill. Many poker rooms offer this game in micro limits so this is a great way to learn the game without any risk. Good luck!