Poker Playable Starting Hands
Remember, when we play a hand, we want to play with the odds in our favour, and by selectively choosing which starting hands we play we can ensure this. Of course if we just waited for the two or three best poker starting hands then we wouldn’t actually play many hands as the probability of these cards being dealt is only once in a while.
One of the top 7 Card Stud Poker strategies is to determine which starting hand can be played and which ought to be folded to cut further losses.
- Dominating Poker Hands A texas hold'em hand is dominated if it has 3 or fewer outs against a hand it faces, like AQ against AK. In this example only a Q can help AQ, an A will not. A hand like AK is a 3 to 1 favorite over hands it dominates like AQ, AJ, A9, KQ, KT, etc. 32 is only a 2 to1 favorite).
- AA – The best starting hand in holdem.Playable from any position. KK – The second best starting hand. Holds roughly 70% equity versus any ace. QQ – Great strength preflop but becomes difficult to play post-flop when overcards hit. AKs – This is the fourth strongest starting hand, and the strongest unpaired holding. Even against KK, this hand holds 34% equity – and is a coinflip.
Players can do this by first finding out if the cards needed to create the desired hand are live or not. A card is termed as “live” when it is still in play. To put it quite simply, players cannot create a desired hand with their starting hand if the required cards are not live, and in this case, it is better to fold the hand and quit the game.
For example, a player has a Ten of Clubs, an Eight of Diamonds, and a Nine of Spades. The player can play his/her starting hand if the seven cards are still live.
Therefore, live cards are very important in Seven Card Stud, and before playing their starting hand, players must determine if the cards they require to create a winning hand are still live.
For starters, here is a brief list of excellent starting hands for Seven Card Stud Poker:
- Three of a kind
- Large pairs such as a pair of Jacks or a pair of Aces. If the staring hand contains a hidden pair, it is very difficult for opponents to play against it. Players must understand that the kicker also has an important role to play. For example, a pair of Jacks with an Ace is a much better starting hand than a pair of Jacks with a deuce.
- Large suited connectors such as a King of Spades and a Queen of Spades with a Jack of Spades
- Medium pairs such as eight pairs and ten pairs as well as medium suited connectors such as Ten of Spades, Nine of Spades, and Eight to Spades
- Large suited semi-connectors like Ace of Spades, King of Spades, and Ten of Spades
Study the basic rules of 7 Card Stud Poker by watching this video
This video has been provided by expertvillage
The starting hands for Seven Card Stud Poker can be placed in the following categories:
Rolled Up Hands
Rolled up hands are hands in which there are three cards of a kind. This is a very good starting hand and can be played to the end of the game as it could end in a full house and help players win.
Pairs
While having a pair in one’s starting hand is good, not all pairs are valuable in case of Seven Card Stud. The starting hand is playable if it contains a pair of nines or a pair of eights or better along with an Ace.
Three Flushes
A starting hand with three high-value cards is usually playable as it could lead to a flush. However, the hand might not lead to a flush if it contains more than two suited cards. Usually, Stud players play to a flush with a starting hand containing low-value cards that are either semi-connected or connected.
Three High Value Cards
Players can play a starting hand with three high value cards such as Ace, King, Queen or King, Queen, Ten or Ace, King, Jack provided at least two of these cards belong to the same suit. This starting hand can be improved to straights, flushes, and pairs.
Three Card Straight
If the starting hand contains three connectors such as four, five, and six, the hand is playable provided the cards required to make it a better hand are live. If there are plenty of threes, deuces, eights, and sevens on board, it is better to fold the hand and quit the game. However, if the cards are still live, this is a great hand to play as the potential to create a winning hand is great.
Patience is the Key
Seven Card Stud is a game for players with a lot of patience. Players need to employ a tight and aggressive style of play, and they should not hesitate to fold all cards that simply cannot be transformed into better hands. The top 7 Card Stud strategy is to choose one’s starting hand wisely, taking into consideration the value of the cards in one hands, the cards on board, and the live cards. As previously mentioned, the strength of the starting hand depends on the live cards.
In a nutshell, players can play high-value cards, high pairs, three of a kind, or low pairs, depending on the gaming situation
Most Commonly Asked Poker Questions
Not sure what beats a full house or what a straight can beat? Here are the answers to the most commonly-asked poker questions this side of the Strip.
Does a flush beat a full house?
No. A full house beats a flush in the standard poker hand rankings. The odds against making a full house in a game of Texas Hold’em are about 36-to-1, while the odds against making a flush are 32-to-1. The full house is a more rare hand and beats a flush.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. Using the standard poker hand rankings, a flush beats a straight, regardless of the strength of the straight. The odds against making a straight in Texas Hold’em are about 21-to-1, making it a more common hand than a flush (32-to-1 odds against).
Does a straight beat a full house?
No. The odds against making a full house in Texas Hold’em are about 36-to-1, while the odds against making a straight are about 21-to-1. Both are strong five-card hands, but a full house occurs less often than a straight. A full house beats a straight in the poker hand rankings.
Does three of a kind beat two pair?
Yes. Both three of a kind and two pair can make a lot of money in poker, but three of a kind is the best hand when it goes head to head with two pair. The odds against making three of a kind in Texas Hold’em is about 20-to-1, while the odds against making two pair is about 3-to-1.
Does three of a kind beat a straight?
No. The odds of making both of these hands are very close in a game of Texas Hold’em. The odds against making a straight are 20.6-to-1, while the odds against making three of a kind are 19.7-to-1. The straight comes about slightly less often, making it the winner against three of a kind in the poker hand rankings.
Does a flush beat three of a kind?
Yes. The battle of strong hands between a flush and three of a kind sees the flush as the stronger hand. The odds against making a flush in Texas Hold’em are about 32-to-1, with odds against making three of a kind at around 20-to-1.
Does a straight beat two pair?
Yes. The poker hand rankings dictate that a straight is a stronger hand than two pair. The straight occurs with about 21-to-1 odds against in Texas Hold’em, while the odds against making two pair stand at about 3-to-1.
Does four of a kind beat a full house?
Yes. Both four of a kind and a full house are among the strongest poker hands, but four of a kind is a much rarer holding. Texas Hold’em odds against making four of a kind are 594-to-1, while you have about 36-to-1 odds against making a full house.
Does three of a kind beat a flush?
No. When the flush and three of a kind go head to head, the flush comes out as the best according to the poker hand rankings. The odds against making three of a kind sit around 20-to-1, with the odds against hitting a flush at 32-to-1.
Does a full house beat a straight in poker?
Poker Starting Hands By Position
Yes. The full house comes in less often than a straight. In Texas Hold’em, the odds against drawing a full house are around 36-to-1, while the odds against making a straight are around 21-to-1.
Does a straight flush beat four of a kind?
Hands To Play In Poker
Yes. Four of a kind is an exceedingly rare hand in poker, but the straight flush is an even more elusive five-card hand. The odds against making a straight flush in Texas Hold’em is about 3,590-to-1, much rarer than four of a kind (594-to-1 odds against)