Slowplaying Seven Card Stud
You are playing Seven Card Stud, you haven't won a pot in a while, and all of a sudden you are dealt three Aces in the hole. You may be tempted to slowplay this hand, i.e. not raise or otherwise act aggressively in hopes of bringing more money into the pot.
Slowplaying a strong 7 Card Stud hand can be a strong choice, but you really have to pick your spots. After all, those three Aces could be all you get for that hand if your other cards come out blanks. In that case, you may regret not causing other players to fold when you had the chance.
Here are some things to consider when you're considering slowplaying a 7 Card Stud hand:
The Pot Should Be Small
In order to justify a slowplay in Seven Card, the pot should be small. Generally speaking, the larger the pot, the more aggression you should show in trying to win it now if you're holding the best hand now.
Following the example of the three Aces, on third street, you well might want to just put up a standard bet from early position, rather than raise, so that players in back of you will toss chips into the pot.
Hopefully one or two players in late position would raise, allowing you to "reluctantly" call as the betting comes back around to you…and so the pot is built.
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Their Hands Should Look Strong
Secondly, it's important to look at your opponents' door cards and evaluate how strong their hands are likely to be. When you're sitting there with three Aces in the hole, it's not wrong to hope that Kings and Queens will be showing on the board, because that induces bets.
Thus increasing the size of the pot further, and thus further justifying your slowplay approach.
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Your Hand Looks Second-Best
Taking matters from the perspective of your opponents (and of course you must do this), you also have to think about how your door cards look to them.
Rarely would you want to slowplay a powerful hand like three Aces when your door cards are showing all rags. In that case, your opponents would be likely to look at you and wonder why you are even still in the hand, what could you have?
Likewise when your door cards look strong--something must be fishy if you're being passive.
Slowplaying on later streets is typically much more effective when your door cards suggest that you may be betting a second-best hand; for instance, if your door cards suggest a mid-level straight.
Looking second-best makes it more logical that you would stay in a hand without premium hole cards, and this can therefore cause your opponents to in effect do the betting for you.
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Slowplaying Wild Players
Speaking of doing the betting for you, this brings us to the next key factor that can justify slowplaying a strong hand: if you're playing with wild, aggressive opponents.
This is especially true if the loose one is in later position than you are. This type of player may have been on a winning streak, they think they can run over the whole table, and they are good for a big bet raise on pretty much every street.
The presence of loose players increases the potential value of a slowplay.
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You Can't Be Beat
Beware of slowplaying a Seven Card Stud hand when you can be beat multiple ways. Don't fall in love even with those Aces when your opponents' door cards suggest hands that could beat you if they hit their draw cards.
For example, let's say that instead of three Aces in the hole you have three 10s, you're on fifth street with no paired cards having hit you yet, and one of your opponents' is sitting there with two 3s on the board. This person could already have a full house or be drawing at one.
This is not a ripe situation for slowplaying. Bet and make your opponent pay to draw more cards. Slowplaying should not be an excuse to play poker incorrectly.
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