Seven Card Stud

Seven card stud is a lot of fun. I wish I knew how to play better, because the game has some of the same qualities that have made Texas Hold 'Em so popular: bluffing, semi-bluffing, value betting, restealing, drawing, etc. There's also a ton of psychology, maybe even more than hold em. I think it's more similar to hold 'em than most people think. I felt comfortable from the beginning even though I have very little experience playing. I got off to a good start before I lost a huge pot by pretending to have a flush, then making two pair, then getting sucked out on, then making an ill-advised value bet. Every hand of seven card stud can be an adventure like that.

I then doubled up with the Jh(9h8h) against a bare ace, then doubled up with 4(KK) against J(JT). My key hand was very complicated but it basically went like this: I started with three to a flush and my opponent started with an ace in the hole and two low cards. On fifth street my flush draw had turned into two pair and he paired his ace. On the river he made three aces and I called his bet with three pair. Seems like three pair should beat three of a kind, right?

I was gone the hand after but Wolf and Kwickfish were both making big runs towards the money. Wolf went from a very short stack to a huge stack in two hours, then lost three huge pots and went out 30th. The Fish never had many chips but he kept winning his all-in coinflips before taking a couple beats and busting a disappointing 20th with 16 getting paid.

Play of the day:
The Fish brings it in with a 3 showing. Folds to a late position fellow who raises with a Q showing. The two players left to act were showing a T and a 6. The Fish makes a physical read that this guy is trying to steal the pot, and sees that he has a three in the hole so he can beat a bluff. He raises and the raiser calls. Fourth street doesn't appear to help either player. The Fish bets and the other fellow immediately raises. The Fish still refuses to believe this guy has any sort of a hand and three bets it with a measly pair of threes. The other guy calls, and the last of Fish's chips go in on fifth street. He gets called by a complete nothing, something like QT742 with no flush draw, and somehow the pair of threes holds up and the Fish drags a huge pot to double up with about 32 players left.

Tomorrow is the $300 no limit hold em.