Pokerwiner.com → Better stud poker

FAQ's

Buying the Free Card on Fourth Street

1. What’s a standard play on fourth street that all good poker players make?
Against weak players, if someone bets on fourth street and you have any kind of scary board whatsoever, you should raise and then give yourself a free card on fifth street after he “checks to the raiser.”

2. What is this play especially correct?
When your hand is likely to bet last on the following round.

3. What else should you keep in mind?
That this play works better if the fifth street cards that would make you first (to act) on that round would be good for you.

4. Example?
Your opponent has ?? K♣ 5♠ and you have 8♥ A♦ 8♠ 7♥ . You should raise (as long as your opponent is a weak player ), even if you are positive that you are against a pair of kings. Notice that the only cards you can catch to make you go first on the next round are cards that improve your hand.

5. After making this play, if your opponent checks to you on fifth street, do you always have to check if you don’t improve?
No, an alternative poker strategy is to bet on fifth street and take a free card on sixth street when appropriate.

6. When would you not make this play?
Against a very good player you should often not make this play.

7. Why is that?
You might be reraised or just called, but then bet into on the next round.

8. Example?
You started with 4♣ A♥ 4♥ . Your opponent, whose door card is a face card, catches a non-threatening card on fourth street and bets. You can now raise, especially if your fourth street card appears to go well with your door card and/or you now have a three-flush.

9. A more risky example?
Your opponent has ?? J♠ 3♣ , and you have 8♥ 4♥ 8♣ 7♠ . Notice that a raise in this spot has some drawbacks, since a queen, a king, or an ace will not help you very much, but may force you to bet first.

10. Should you still make the raise?
Yes, you should still make this raise against weak opponents.

11. Why is that?
Because they are so likely to check to you on the next round.

12. What if you now catch a high card and have to go first?
You cannot get a free card unless your opponent is so timid that your raise on the previous round makes him afraid to bet even after you check.

13. What is the best counter strategy to the play we have been discussing?
Call your opponent’s raise on fourth street, and then go ahead and lead on fifth street when his card does not seem to help him and you think he was trying for a free card.

14. If raised again, do you give it up?
Your should still probably call. Remember, in seven card stud you are almost never drawing that slim.