Seven Card Stud Strategic Advice

1. Be very selective with your starting hands: nothing is more important than choosing the correct starting hand for a certain situation.
   
   
2. Table selection: only play in games where you have an edge. You want at least a couple of weak players at the table when you sit down.
   
   
3. Play the player and make sure to quickly assess the opposition: who plays inferior hands, who folds at aggression, who bets with draws, who calls bets with weak hands and long-shot draws, who can be bluffed, who bluffs, etc.
   
   
4. Pump it or dump it and fold or bet/raise (if the odds are with you). You should avoid calling unless you have a good reason (like trapping an opponent).
   
   
5. Remember the upcards: be sure to look at all of your opponents' upcards and remember them. It is very important to know if the hands are "live" (none or few of the key cards are gone) or not.
   
   
6. Raise with your strong draws: whenever you hit a good draw, like a four-flush on Fourth Street, always consider raising instead of just calling. This move can make your opponent lay down the better hand while you remain on a strong draw.

1. Playing too many starting hands.
   
   
2. Not paying attention to which cards are out.
   
   
3. Not folding with modest holdings.
   
   
4. Not raising with premium holdings, thus letting too many drawing hands in.
   
   
5. Drawing for cards that are likely to give you a second-best hand. For example, calling an opponent, who raised holding a King, with a hand like (5-5) J. Hitting two-pair in this scenario could easily make you a second-best hand.
   
   
6. Paying exclusive attention to your own game and not that of your opponents. How many players are in on Fourth Street? Did someone raise on Third Street? What type of players is left in the pot? These are all questions to consider during play.
   
   
7. Not aggressive enough on Third (take initiative), Fourth, and Fifth Streets (to follow through/protect hand).
   
   
8. Calling all the way to the river without proper pot odds.
   
   
9. Calling too often, instead of raising, when you have the best hand.