The Poker Star Proposition

True 7 card stud professionals know that the hand they are holding often does not matter. The holdings of the opposing players are far more important in a stud hand. Playing an opponent is far more important than playing the strength of one’s own hand. Remember that the strength of a players hand only depends on how strong their opponent is. If a player is holding the second nuts but their opponent is holding the nuts, the player’s hand is worthless. Reading hands also allow seven-card stud players to perform successful bluffs and get more value out of their good hands.

Making reads in Stud poker on PokerStar.net does not require some sort of black magic. The idea about reading a players hand in 7 card stud is to put the opposition on a range of hands. Players have to look at a few factors and have a logical explanation for opponent’s actions.

So the first thing a player should look for is an opponent’s exposed cards. Are they high? High cards could indicate high pairs or even a high straight draw. If your opponent’s up cards are all high, his hand could be more dangerous than if it consisted of low cards.

Are the up cards garbage? Uncoordinated low cards usually suggest a weak hand. Think how your opponent could have connected with his hand when receiving fourth and fifth street. Is it likely a villain could be holding a strong hand? Moreover, how likely is it that the up cards a player is holding could make a strong hand that beats your hand?

Next, a PokerStar player must look at what a player has represented with there bets on each street. Have they bet strong or have they been acting weak? If a player is acting strong throughout the whole hand, he is obviously representing a good hand. Playing strong could mean betting or reraising each street. An opponent acting weak (checking or calling) could be on a mediocre hand or a draw. Whatever the case is the hand is not strong enough yet for a player to warrant a raise.

Does their betting line make sense? If a player has been shifting between acting strong and acting weak, it is likely something is up. Either the opponent has a great hand and is trying to confuse the poker stud player, or he is trying to make a move with a bluff. Most opponents’ moves will be quite transparent until playing in higher stakes stud games.

Combining these elements will allow players to come to a logical conclusion about the sort of hand a player is holding. If something does not make sense, it is likely to be a bluff or a monster. A player must re evaluate their conclusion each street in stud games. It is very naïve to make a decision on third street about what an opponent has and then stick with it all the way through. Drawing a conclusion prematurely can be costly later on.