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Strategy: 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo

How to play the 3rd Street

by PokerStrategy.com

Introduction

In this article you will learn

Which hands are strong hands
When to play weaker hands
When to raise and when to call

This article will cover the 3rd Street in Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. This is the stage where you are dealt your first three cards. Due to the complex nature of Stud8, as well as the many possible combinations and the effect of dead cards (cards which can't be dealt), there is no Starting Hands Chart to follow.

This article will show you how to put a starting hand in the right category and give you suggestions on how to continue playing the hand.

We can roughly place all starting hands in one of three categories:

Very strong hands
Strong hands
Marginal hands

Next article: How to play the 4th Street

That's not the entire article...

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Comments (6)

#1 Ulfatron, 02 Nov 08 13:40

I disagree with the way the mediocre hands have been listed.
I hold small pairs with a low kicker for much stronger than pure low or high draws. These hands have a potential to scoop the pot, but their main advantage is that they can hit a strong hand on 4th street (a set) were as the drawing hands need two cards to make a hand.

#2 mouse89, 03 Nov 08 20:59

#3 TeraRex, 17 Mar 10 09:26

Small pocket or split pairs with low kicker are a total waste. It's like playing a pair in razz. If u hit a small set u can stll be beat by straight, flush, or bigger set. You need a full boat to beat those and if u have a full house u cant win the lo part of the pot.
If your small pair is a split pair and u pair your door card people see that and become vary that u can have a set or a full and dont call or raise unless they have u beat or drawing to get u beat.

Small pairs give no profit at all. Dont play them unless u have Ace or King kicker, and them kickers are live cards.

#4 TeraRex, 17 Mar 10 09:29

Besides if u have a set one paint kills your hand and u cant win the lo pot.

#5 RainmanTrail, 20 Sep 10 12:42

33A is considerably stronger than 257. It's not even close.

#6 NoOneSpcl, 28 Jun 11 01:44

I'm confused - are you saying that simply the categorization of these two at the same "level" is wrong? that the 33A belongs among one of the stronger categories? (for RainManTrail)

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Strategy Sections

Article Contents

Introduction
Category 1: Very strong hands, almost always playable
Category 2: Strong hands, generally playable
Category 3: Mediocre hands, sometimes playable
When should you raise? When should you call?
Conclusion

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