What to avoid - Seven Card Stud Poker

  1. Playing too many starting hands.
  2. Not paying attention to which cards are out.
  3. Not folding with modest holdings.
  4. Not raising with premium holdings, thus letting too many drawing hands in.
  5. Drawing for cards that are likely to give you a second-best hand. For example, calling an opponent, who raised holding a King, with a hand like (5-5) J. Hitting two-pair in this scenario could easily make you a second-best hand.
  6. Paying exclusive attention to your own game and not that of your opponents. How many players are in on Fourth Street? Did someone raise on Third Street? What type of players is left in the pot? These are all questions to consider during play.
  7. Not aggressive enough on Third (take initiative), Fourth, and Fifth Streets (to follow through/protect hand).
  8. Calling all the way to the river without proper pot odds.
  9. Calling too often, instead of raising, when you have the best hand.