Fri, 02/04/2011 – 01:22 – PokerPages Staff

In 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo the high hand winner must split the pot with the player with the best qualifying low hand.  Here are some tips for the beginner poker player:

1)  The major key to winning is the first four cards.  If your hand develops, you are strongly favored to win.  If not, you can get out early.

2)  Scooping.  The objective for each hand you play should be to win high and the low pot.  The best starting hands contain low cards which are either suited or contain straight possibilities, since these cards can lend to winning both pots.

3)  As a rule, bet your playable hand.  Do not check a playable hand unless your intent is to get out of the hand should someone make a bet.

4)  Know your opponents’ playing style.  Are they typically a loose cannon?  Do they bluff a lot?  Do they have any tells that give insight into their hand?

5)  Know the pot odds and your outs.  A strong hand is directly affected by the all of the cards that you have seen.

6)  Bet your strong drawing hand.  Slow play is the incorrect strategy for strong drawing hands.

7)  Do not continue drawing to a weak hand.  By Fourth Street, you should a strong drawing hand, as betting increases after fourth street and drawing for a weak hand after fourth street is potentially damaging to your chip stack

To learn more, check out PokerSchoolOnline, the best source on the internet for poker related learning.  Then put those skills to work by playing for free at PokerStars.net.  Also, check out the PokerPages sections Poker Information and Poker Articles for more poker betting tips and strategies.