Avoid seven card stud mistakes

[NFI]

When you play 7-Card Stud the first thing you want to do is avoid making mistakes. Most players lose at 7-Card Stud poker is because they make a ton of mistakes. Playing too many hands, not reading the board properly, falling in love with straights, going on tilt and slow playing big pairs are some of the big mistakes that losing Stud players make.

You must avoid these mistakes if you want to win at 7-Card Stud.

The first mistake made by poker players, not just Stud players, is that they play too many hands. Some Stud players will get involved in nearly every hand and that is simply foolish.

You can't play every hand in Stud and expect to win. Inexperienced players will get into every hand hoping to hit a draw. Those players will occasionally hit a hand, but in the long run they will lose money.

The second major mistake that many players make is to not read the board. It is very easy to fall in love with your own hand and not see what is happening with other hands. Many players focus only on their own hand and the possibilities of hitting something, while totally ignoring what everyone else has.

Another big mistake made by Stud players is falling in love with straights. Playing for straights is plain and simple bad strategy. You are going to lose so many hands trying for straights. The odds rarely support getting involved when a straight is what you are trying to hit.

Remember that when you fall in love with a straight you are always at risk of getting beat by a flush.

7 Card Stud players often make two other major mistakes. They fall in love with small pairs and slow play big pairs. You can't do either of these things and expect to win at Stud. Small pairs just don't win very often. Conversely, these same players don't aggressively raise with big pairs and leave everyone in the hand trying to draw out on them.

If you have a big pair, bet early and often. You can't have everyone hanging around looking for a draw, because the more players in the pot, the worse your big pair looks. These same players also fall in love with Aces and Kings, not realizing that it takes more than just a high card to win.

The final major mistake most players make in Stud is letting their emotions run their play. A bad beat will send them right over the edge and get them doing insane things at the table. Keep your emotions in check and you will win more money.

[SnappySam]

Good advice there, DEALMESUM.

I only ever play 7-Stud in the context of a mixed game tourney - usually HORSE or 8-Game. Although I have not studied this game I have read up on and played a lot of Stud Hi/Lo, which is a big help. I think playing fairly tight is mandatory in both games - unlike HE it's difficult to end up with a good hand if you start with rubbish. And paying attention to what cards are out is also required - but what an advantage! To be able, by sixth street, to see two thirds of everyone's hand has got to be a big bonus if you are paying attention.

Basically, like DMS says, bet hard with a made hand, just call along with a draw - so long as that draw will likely result in the best hand if you hit it.