7 Card Stud H/L Hand Selection Mistakes

It wouldn’t hurt most H.O.R.S.E and other mixed game players to brush up on their 7 card stud hi-lo hand selection skills every now and then.  One of my lady friends who happens to be a solid stud hi-lo player wrote me this article for my site due to a bet she lost. It contains a few common mistakes some player make when selecting hands to play in 7 card stud h/l.

Seven card stud hi-lo can be a complicated (but exciting) game that is complex at first look but becomes easier and more rewarding the longer than you play it.  The most commonly reported mistakes in seven card hi-lo are made by beginners that are used to other versions of seven card.  There is a learning curve to any game of hi-lo that has to be met before a new player can become profitable and bring home winning pots.  Knowing what to avoid can save the would-be seven card stud hi-lo player lots of heartache, and coincidentally, lots of chips, too.  Let’s look at the mistakes that many players make when selecting the hands that they will play in seven card stud hi-lo.

Playing too Many Cards

Perhaps the biggest mistake that can be made in the game of seven card stud hi-lo is playing too many cards.  A starting hand must be formed selectively, and the easiest way to lose money in this game is to inappropriate select your starting hand.  The best starting hands in seven card stud hi-lo are those that are formed with all three cards being good and working to form a dominant hand.  Fewer than three cards or cards that don’t work together are ineffective and form the foundation for a losing hand.

Going for Half Pots

As you may well know, any high/low game of poker can have two winners: one on the low end and one on the high end.  If you make the mistake of chasing only half the pot, then you are going to come up short and not even end up with much more in your bankroll than when you started. Successful seven card stud hi-lo players know that taking the full pot is the only way that they can be assured of increasing their bankrolls and making seven card stud hi-lo profitable enough to play consistently.  Win full pots consistently and you will see that seven card stud hi-lo is very, very rewarding.  Develop a seven card stud hi-lo mindset that has you seeking out versatile hands that let you cash in on both the high and the low end of action.

Failure to Fold

One of the most critical points in the game of seven card stud hi-lo is made on Fourth Street.  By this time, you have over half of your hand and it is now or never as far as folding is concerned.  In most instances, folding on Fourth Street is the best time to cut your losses.  Unless you pick up a fourth street card that is extremely helpful to the health of your hand, you must go ahead and fold.  Look for reasons to fold when you get to Fourth Street, if you find none, then continue. But chances are that it is on Fourth Street that you will be able to make a determination as to whether or not you should go forth.

Losing Track of Live/Dead Cards

If a card is still live, it can still help you if you have a need. If a card is dead, the card is in play or has been folded and can no longer help you.  If you fail to keep track of the cards that are live and the cards that are already dead or played, then you will lose track of what options you have for hand improvement.