7-Stud....profitable?

Timmah120

Timmah120

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So, recently, I've started taking a closer look at the game of 7-Stud. Not a lot of people play this game anymore, but I absolutely love it.

Lately, I've been doing my research, including Ken Warren's 7-Stud book. I've been playing it every day for the past week (I know, not a lot of hands to really judge) and have been following this basic strategy:

1. Starting with premium pairs (10+), drawing hands (9+ straights, open-ended and at least K high flush draws) and small pairs with a higher kicker than anyone else's door card.
2. If I don't improve a drawing hand by 4th, I fold.
3. If too many of the cards I need to improve any hand are dead, I fold.

Basically, tight-agressive. I have not come out profitable once this week. Not once. People always seem to "get there" by the river or 6th. I know they are not paying attention to my style, because they still call all my bets/raises with worse starting hands all the way. Yes, I've won a few, but not enough to show a profit.

At the same time, I'm watching people get 30 or 40 dollars up ($0.50/$1.00 Limit) within the hour by starting with a high door card....that's about it. They *seem* to make their trips, flushes, or boats. Is it because they are just calculating their odds based on their live cards very well? Seems hard to believe...especially when you are habitually starting with things like (2 7) Q.

I'm starting to get a bit frusterated...

Any advice?
 
T

thebigslade

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I'm hardly the most knowledgeable when it comes to Stud games, but I would tell you not to worry about it.

What you're describing can be the same for Hold'Em. I've gone weeks missing draws etc., and there's nothing you can do. If you have a solid foundation to any poker game you play, you should become a winning player over the long term (months and years, not weeks).

Having said that, revisit the books, read up on your strategy, and make sure you're playing to the best of your abilities. If you're just getting unlucky, there's nothing you can about it except keep plugging away.
 
Timmah120

Timmah120

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Thanks....sometimes I think it helps to hear some reassurance. I'll look back at my hand histories and see if I notice anything funny....I've got a poker buddy that helps with that sometimes. Second set of eyes never hurts.
 
Makwa

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The starting hand you described is (things like (2 7) Q.) generally not playable in Stud, unless bluff raising on 3rd with just an overcard such as Q, in position.

Read Roy West and Zee on 7 card stud. Is a straightforward game. GL.
 
Timmah120

Timmah120

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Thanks for the book suggestion, I'll look into it.

The (2 7) Q I mentioned was in reference to what my opponents are starting with, then getting there miraculously. As bigslade mentioned, it might just be me experiencing some "bad luck." I know enought to fold (2 7) Q.
 
c9h13no3

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1) Your starting hands sound stagnant. You should be altering what you consider playable based on the number of players in the hand quite a bit. Hands like 2c3c_9c and 7c7s_5s are money losers heads up, but are very profitable in multiway situations.

2) This is wrong. You can draw 1 more to 5th roughly 2/3rds of the time. It depends upon a lot of factors, but as long as your draw is still live and you can get to 5th for 1 bet, you usually have odds to continue unless your opponent improved a lot.

You can totally make money playing stud hi. Expect to win about 1BB/100. I've written a lot about the subject of starting hands here. But truthfully, the bible here is [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Card-Advanced-Players-David-Sklansky/dp/188068523X"]Sklansky, Zee & Malmuth[/ame].
 
Timmah120

Timmah120

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Thank you for the input c9. I appreciate the help without the "omfg ur so dumb" comments....which is why I turn off chat when playing online.

Again, I appreciate the help!
 
darkassassin89

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Keith sexton, google him. He is the best stud player in the game. Look at his graph and its purely stud. Goes strait up
Figure out what he does, and repeat lol
Gl
 
c9h13no3

c9h13no3

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Thank you for the input c9. I appreciate the help without the "omfg ur so dumb" comments....which is why I turn off chat when playing online.

Again, I appreciate the help!
Yeah, hit me up on aim or skype if you want more specific advice. My username on both is c9h13no3hcl. I really enjoy talking poker, especially the stud games.
 
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GWU73

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This is not my best game, but the section about 7 stud in Super System helped me be a lot.
 
otari

otari

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I think every poker game can be profitable. Everybody plays holdem so it might be the least profitable, but games like omaha/ hi-lo, stud/ hi-lo, even razz-- people might sit down that might not comprehend the gamer fully, and someone who does can make some easy money off of them.
 
Lady_Ist

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The same story with me ;) I've recently opened for my self HORSE tournaments, so Stud Razz and Omaha :) and I can say I loved them! Especially Stud! As for me it-s a bit easier to analize your opportunities and results you may have at the end of game! I-ve tried to play omaha money tournaments but unfortunatly Had a small bankroll so played low limits tournaments :( ... I didn't get the reason WHY but game was just raise raise all in and May chance will come ;)))

But still Omaha and Stud r my favourite kinds of poker ;))) One more advantage;) they r not so overloaded like Texas holdem:) So have more chances to win ;)
 
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tohos

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It is definitely profitable so long as you have an edge over your opponents. I personally stay away from Stud because the variance in Stud can really tilt me. I don't mind razz though.
 
babydrago9

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Yeah your range is very small when playing 7 card stud IMO. If you get a hand like 5d5cAd I would play the hand. 1) the hand can potentially make straights or flushes and 2) the possibility of a set is not too unlikely. The fact that the ace is the card which others see is also a factor as they can assume you started with a pair of aces if you play it aggressive.
 
OldschoolSteinhausen

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I'm told by friends that 7 stud is a very soft game, BUT there is some more variance to it than Hold em.
 
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