Winning at any poker table is a challenge! But winning at seven stud high-low will test your poker skills to the max! If you haven't tried the games lately, or ever, go online to your favorite casino and give it a shot! If you enjoy it like the hundreds who play every day, why not request that your poker room spread it in your favorite land-based casino? It's nice to see the "pros" endorsing all forms of poker; after all, why limit the greatest gaming experience in the world to only one or two types of games?
Yep...more and more hold'em players are switching to the game; in chat rooms they indicate they find it much more challenging than either limit or no-limit hold'em. I am of the opinion that stud or stud high-low requires far more poker skills than hold'em. (For hold'em players: if you're rolling your eyes as you as read this article, just try it!) One of the obvious challenges is to "scoop" the pot, both the high and low hand. This feat is much easier said than done! Pocket aces...I abhor them...although most of us just can't part with them. (They are, however, one pair.) I swear it seems I lose with them 99% of the time. If you don't have a high enough hand to beat your opponent(s), you still gotta chance with low to win half the pot. Do I win? Yes. Do I lose? Yes. Do I enjoy the game? It's a pure delight!
Challenge: Beware the River! Taking the plunge or letting it roll by depends on many, many things: How many opponents, cards already in play, pot size and, of course, your hand. I tend to go to the river with a low hand (seven or better) and look carefully at my high hand.
Challenge: "Read" your opponents. Unlike hold'em, there are no community cards. It's your seven cards against your opponents'. Some have indicated it's too difficult to read opponents online; I wholeheartedly disagree! There is no "body language" but there are many, many tells if you watch carefully. These become even more significant when you play with many of the same players day after day. You learn their betting habits, when he or she is a "solid" player and when he or she is a bluffer or very loose player. Don't be misled when a player says something like: "I know I'm gonna lose because this is my first time playing." I always think, "Said the shark to the fish." Don't be the fish ... go fishing!
Spread YOUR fun and money around; try different online casinos as you have literally hundreds to choose from. Play at several of them, but beware of your spending limits! (Be sure to read carefully the requirements for the deposit "bonus". Some do not apply to tournament play!) And the Final Challenge: PATIENCE... never forget that poker is a game of patience. If you have little or none, you will consistently lose!
Look at the ads in this issue of Poker Player to find those innovative poker managers who are advertising stud high-low, both online and in your favorite land-based casino; you'll find a myriad from which to choose!
I'll see you online at the seven-card stud high
