Play Poker Place » Stud Poker http://www.playpokerplace.com The Place to Play Poker Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:39:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Seven-Card Stud – Assessing Your Hand http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-assessing-your-hand/ http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-assessing-your-hand/#comments Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:40:06 +0000 admin http://www.playpokerplace.com/?p=47 Evaluating the value of your cards is a hard task in itself.  Added to that is the fact that you can’t see your opponents’ cards which, for all you know, may be a lot better than your cards.  It is therefore necessary for you to employ the proper techniques of assessing your hands in Seven-Card Stud to answer the most crucial question: should you call, raise, or fold?
Face Up Cards and Face Down Cards
Your face up cards constitute the bulk of your cards at hand.  Face up cards are also important because this is the only way for you to see what cards your opponents are holding.  Suffice to say that face up cards constitute the only visible way for you to compare and contrast your progress in the game, relative to your opponents.
The value of your face up cards can either make or break you.  You may have very good face up cards, which is openly seen by your opponents, but your face up cards, however, may be pulled down by your face down cards.  Always remember that face up cards are not everything.  If you think the value of the face up cards can still compete with the highest ranking combination of face up cards, maybe that means you should continue fighting until the showdown.
Junk Hands and Not
What you should always keep a close look out for are junk hands.  These are hands that will not give you an opportunity to win at all.  Simply put, there are no possible combinations for cards that do not have the same suit or cannot be paired in number.  This perhaps is the best time for you to fold than to further suffer the consequences and try to fight for a card combination that doesn’t even have any value.
A Close Look
The best possible to way to assess your hand in Seven-Card Stud is to assess it relative to your projections of what your opponents might have.  If they have a pretty good combination of face up cards, try to project if it can get even better with their face down cards.  Never underestimate your competition, as it may close in on you the moment you least expect it.
Also, make sure that you understand the values of card combinations used in Seven Card Stud.  All will be useless if you don’t know the commensurate values of the card combinations.

]]> http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-assessing-your-hand/feed/ 0 Seven-Card Stud – Hand Values and Rankings http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-hand-values-and-rankings/ http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-hand-values-and-rankings/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:32:11 +0000 admin http://www.playpokerplace.com/?p=37 In Seven-Card Stud, the main assumption is that you know the values and rankings of the card combinations.  However, this assumption is usually negated by the fact that most people don’t even know which card combination is higher than which.  This result to utter confusion and, sometimes, unresolved issues in the end.  This scenario is especially true in online Seven-Card Stud, and the problem is further impeded by the fact that face-to-face interaction is impossible to establish.  Therefore, let this be your personal refresher and guide to the hand rankings in Seven-Card Stud.
Straight Flush
This consists of five cards with the same suit and of a numerical sequence.  The highest possible hand ranking in Seven-Card Stud is the royal flush, in which a T, J, Q, K, and A of the same suit belong to a player’s hand.
Four of a Kind, Full House
Popularly known as quads, four of a kind refers to four cards that have the same rank or numerical value.  On the other hand, full house refers to a combination of five cards: three cards of the same rank and two cards of a same rank.  An example is Q-s, Q-d, Q-h, 5-h, 5-d.  This can be read as “queens full”.
Flush, Straight
Flush refers to having five cards of the same suit but not necessarily of the same sequence.  This means that so long as the cards belong under one suit, its value is considered as a flush.  If there ends up to be a battle of flushes, the winner will be the one whose highest ranking card has the higher value.
A straight means that five cards are of a sequence, albeit the suit under which it belongs.  A 1-2-3-4-5 is a straight, regardless of their suits, be it a Heart or a Spade.
Three of a Kind, Two Pair, Pair
Three of a kind or trips are three cards of the same rank, regardless of the suit.  A two pair refers to a combination of five cards in which there are two pairs of cards with the same rank, regardless of the suit.  The one other card can be any card in particular.  A pair is two cards of the same rank.
A High card wins when, in the showdown phase, none of the mentioned values are remotely present.  In such an occurrence, the highest cards will make its player the winner.

]]> http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-hand-values-and-rankings/feed/ 0 Seven-Card Stud – Unique Perspectives http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-unique-perspectives/ http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-unique-perspectives/#comments Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:31:38 +0000 admin http://www.playpokerplace.com/?p=36 In Seven-Card Stud, there are numerous identities you can assume.  These identities each have a unique capacity and trait that can help you win in certain rounds.  The purpose of listing these perspectives is not for you to copy it verbatim, but for you to figure out what kind of identity you will assume from these perspectives.  Often, winning in Seven-Card Stud entails a combination of the perspectives to be mentioned.  These perspectives are characterized by skills and personalities.
Calm and Composed
This perspective requires you to be calm, regardless of your face down or face up cards.  This can be hard to exhibit in online poker but is totally possible.  You can show your opponents that you are calm and composed by consistently calling.  This will give your opponents the idea that you don’t have the best combination, but probably a good one.  Being calm and composed can also be exhibited by calmly chatting with your opponents and not overtly giving statements that you are nervous or agitated.  It can also help you gain friends in the long run.
Vengeful and Merciless
Being vengeful and merciless means raising your bet as much as you can.  This can be exhibited rather easily in online seven-card stud poker.  All you have to do is bet after the third, fourth, and fifth streets until you finally reach the showdown phase.  This kind of identity can also be equated to being brash.  This technique will definitely work if you have a good combination of face up cards.  If you’re face up cards have a low value but your face down cards are capable of pulling you up, you might want to employ this identity.  Be careful, though.  This identity can be dangerous if your cards are obviously weak, and your opponents can see through that fact.
Neutral and Apathetic
Being neutral and apathetic means being cool and passive.  You can show this by not commenting anything at all or being as quiet as you can.  This can be a good technique, as your opponents will have a hard time trying to figure you out.  In this perspective, you’re going to show as little of yourself as possible.  This will give the idea that you are a mysterious poker player, of whom very little is known.  Therefore, your opponents will tend to be weary, as you can’t easily be predicted.  A downside of this, though, is that you gain a lot less friends in the end, as you have shared very little of yourself.

]]> http://www.playpokerplace.com/seven-card-stud-unique-perspectives/feed/ 0 Razz Rules http://www.playpokerplace.com/razz-rules/ http://www.playpokerplace.com/razz-rules/#comments Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:03:08 +0000 admin http://www.playpokerplace.com/?p=31 Razz Rules

General Background
Razz is a game of drawing to the best low hand.  Each player receives seven cards throughout the play of a hand.  They are dealt three cards down and four cards up, which gives other players in the hand an idea of what their opponents have.  The object of Razz is to have the lowest five-card hand made of the seven dealt to you.
Betting
Betting occurs six times in a full Razz hand.  Betting occurs in a clockwise pattern, and continues until everyone has folded, put in all their chips, or matched the amount bet by all players.
If a player is first to act, they can check.  Checking is the act of passing on a bet, or a bet of 0.  The next player can also check.  If every player checks then the betting round is over and the hand progresses.  Pre-flop, only the big blind will have the option to check, unless he faces a raise.
The act or wagering more chips than the current bet is known as a raise.  A raise has to be at least two times the current bet.
In the event the player wishes to match the current bet, it is known as a call.
Hand Play
First, three cards are dealt to each player.  The first two cards are dealt face down, and the third card is deal face up.  After this, there is a forced bet known as the bring-in.  The bring-in bet is a small wager equal to half of the minimum bet, and the player with the lowest card showing has to post it.  The player making the bring-in also has the option to complete the bet which is equivalent to two times the minimum bet.  From there, betting continues clockwise until everyone has called, folded, or moved all-in.
Fourth Street
The next card is dealt face up to everyone in the hand still.  The person with the highest card is dealt to first. After a card is dealt to each player, the person with the best two card hand starts the betting.  Betting continues clockwise until completed.
Fifth Street
Another card is dealt face up to everyone in the hand still.  The person with the highest two card hand showing is dealt to first. After a card is dealt to each player, the person with the best three card hand starts the betting.  Betting continues clockwise until completed.
Sixth Street
Another card is dealt face up to each player.  The person with the highest three card hand showing is dealt to first. After a card is dealt to each player, the person with the best four card hand starts the betting.  Betting continues clockwise until completed.
Seventh Street (the “river”)
The next cards are dealt face down off the top of the deck.   The final round of betting takes place, starting with the player with the best 4 card hand showing, and the hand is over.  The pot – or the chips at stake – is then awarded to the player with the best hand (see hand ranks).  In the event of a tie, or split pot, the chips are evenly distributed to the winning players.

End Hand Ranks
The quality of a players hand is determined by a combination of five cards picked from the seven cards in the players hand to make the lowest hand possible.  Yes, this sounds weird, but the object of the game is to get the lowest hand.  The best hand you can have is A-2-3-4-5, known as a 5 low.  A hand of A-2-3-4-6 is known as a 6 low.  The higher your highest card is the more combinations there are, so the hand moves to a two card system.  Example: A-2-3-4-6 vs. A-2-3-5-6    – (46 low) beats a (56 low)

]]> http://www.playpokerplace.com/razz-rules/feed/ 0 7 Card Stud Rules http://www.playpokerplace.com/7-card-stud-rules/ http://www.playpokerplace.com/7-card-stud-rules/#comments Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:00:16 +0000 admin http://www.playpokerplace.com/?p=29 7 Card Stud Rules

General Background
Stud is a game of drawing to the best hand. Each player receives seven cards throughout the play of a hand. They are dealt three cards down and four cards up, which gives other players in the hand an idea of what their opponents have. The object of stud is to have the highest five-card hand made of the seven dealt to you.
Betting
Betting occurs six times in a full Stud hand. Betting occurs in a clockwise pattern, and continues until everyone has folded, put in all their chips, or matched the amount bet by all players. If a player is first to act, they can check. Checking is the act of passing on a bet, or a bet of 0. The next player can also check. If every player checks, the betting round will end and action will progress as usual. Pre flop, only the big blind will have the option to check, unless he faces a raise. The act or wagering more chips than the current bet is known as a raise. A raise has to be at least two times the current bet. In the event the player wishes to match the current bet, it is known as a call.
Hand Play
First, three cards are dealt to each player. The first two cards are dealt face down, and the third card is deal face up. After this, there is a forced bet known as the bring-in. The bring-in bet is a small wager equal to half of the minimum bet, and the player with the lowest card showing has to post it. The player making the bring-in also has the option to complete the bet which is equivalent to two times the minimum bet. From there, betting continues clockwise until everyone has called, folded, or moved all-in.
Fourth Street
The next card is dealt face up to everyone in the hand still. The person with the highest card is dealt to first. After a card is dealt to each player, the person with the best two card hand starts the betting. Betting continues clockwise until completed. A “double-bet” is also allowed here if any of the players have a pair showing. That person can bet the regular amount, check, or throw out a bet double the size of the blind.
Fifth Street
Another card is dealt face up to everyone in the hand still. The person with the highest two card hand showing is dealt to first. After a card is dealt to each player, the person with the best three card hand starts the betting. Betting continues clockwise until completed.

Sixth Street
Another card is dealt face up to each player. The person with the highest three card hand showing is dealt to first. After a card is dealt to each player, the person with the best four card hand starts the betting. Betting continues clockwise until completed.
Seventh Street (the River)
The next cards are dealt face down off the top of the deck. The final round of betting takes place, starting with the player with the best 4 card hand showing, and the hand is over. The pot is then awarded to the player with the best hand (see hand ranks below). In the event of a tie or a split pot, the chips are evenly distributed to the winning players.
End Hand Ranks
The quality of a players hand is determined by the best combination of five cards picked from the seven cards in the player’s hand. The following are the ranks of hands from best to worst.

The quality of a hand is determined by the size of the highest card. For example, a straight from 3 to 7 is weaker than a straight 5 to 9. Also, a pair of tens beats a pair of nines. But, the suit of a card has no influence on hand strength. 8♥ 8♣ and 8♦ 8♠ have the same exact strength.

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