Starting Hands in Pot Limit 7-Card Stud

For those of us who have been walking this earth for more than just a couple of decades, it is not difficult to look back on our semi-recent history and recall the days in which 7-Card Stud was by far the most popular poker variant in the world. Though we currently live in an era when Texas Holdem reigns supreme as the big daddy on the professional circuit (and in home games as well) there was a long and glorified epoch in which 7-Card Stud was unquestionably the game you would be most likely to find in poker matches of just about any sort.

The good news is that 7-Card Stud has not disappeared underneath the long shadow of Texas Holdem. Not by long shot. In fact, certain people who keep their ears to the ground (such as Floyd Manning) can sense a roaring comeback in the works. It may be some time before 7-Card Stud overtakes Texas Holdem as the biggest poker game around - and before that happens there may be a brief day the sun for Omaha - but rest assured this future trend is undeniable.

Let’s prepare ourselves by taking a moment to address the issue of good starting hands in a game of 7-Card Stud. For the purpose of specification, I would like to look particularly at the pot limit version of Stud. There are some critical differences that come into play here, as opposed to a fixed limit game.

As you undoubtedly know, in 7-Card Stud you will be dealt two cards face down, followed by one face up. The first player to make a bet is the person with the highest ranking upcard. If there is more than one player with the same upcard, then the order of betting is determined by a clockwise rotation.

What you are looking for in your starting hand is obviously high pairs. That will factor in as one of the best things to be holding, such as two cowboys or two ladies. Your upcard should ideally match the suit of what is in your hand, but not necessarily be of an intimidatingly high value. In other words, if you are holding a king and a jack in your hand, you do not necessarily want another king face up. Even though this would give you a very strong pair to start with, it will invariably affect the way in which you are perceived at the table, and may even scare some of your competitors into thinking that you are too strong to compete with. Therefore, if I’m holding a king and jack, I would much prefer to have another jack or even another suited card of low value, say a three or four. This way, it is possible to begin the process of building a devastating hand, but in a rather subtle (and lethal) fashion.