Seven-card stud is a high card game in bonus poker strategy. More winning hands are decided by the highest pair of two pair or just the highest pair, than by straights, flushes and other big hands. So if you start with a straight or flush draw, it should have at least two high cards or at least one card that is higher than anything up on the board.

On bonus poker strategy, these draw hands and low pair starting hands need to improve or turn a high pair quickly to justify continued play. Any time your high hand is beaten on the board, fold, unless you think you still have the best draw hand. Fast play early high hands (that could win without improvement) to thin out the competition. Slow play draw hands to keep other players in to increase the pot odds in case you hit.

Here is the order of best possible hand to the lowest hand in 7-card stud bonus poker strategy

1. Straight flush — Five connected/consecutive cards, all of the same single suit. 87654 of clubs would be an example of a straight flush in bonus poker strategy. AKQJT of diamonds would be a royal (straight) flush, which is the highest possible hand in any poker game.

2. Four-of-a-Kind (Quads) — Four of one card number in a single hand in bonus poker strategy. 7777 would be an example of four-of-a-kind. A seven card hand of 7777222 has gone beyond a full house and is read as; four-sevens with a 2 kicker.

3. Full House (Boat) — A full house consists of a combination of three-of-a-kind plus one pair. QQQ44 would be an example of a full house. It would also be called ‘queens full of fours’. If it were up against another full house which can (and does!) occur, such as; 999KK (nines full of kings), the winning hand is determined by the highest three cards of one kind between the hands. In this case, three queens beats three nines in bonus poker strategy.

4. Flush — Any five cards in a hand of the same suit. J9423 all of hearts would be an example of a flush. The flush in this example would be called a ‘Jack-high’ flush. If it were up against another flush which also occurs, such as A9865 of spades (an ‘Ace-high’ flush), the winning hand is determined by the highest card in the flush hand, not the highest of the seven cards in your hand. If another flush were playing, for example AKQ52, the winning hand between the ‘ace-high’ flushes would be determined by the next highest card in both hands. AKQ98 all of diamonds (king kicker) would beat A9865 all of clubs (nine kicker). Suits do not have a hierarchy and are considered equal in bonus poker strategy.

5. Straight — Five connected/consecutive off-suit cards (cards of any suit). QJT98 off-suit would qualify as a queen-high straight. An A2345 (wheel/bicycle) straight against this hand would qualify as a ‘five-high’ straight. The ace in this hand qualifies the hand as the lowest possible straight with 2 being the next card to make the straight connect. AKQJT would be the highest off-suit straight possible, where the ace plays high. The king in this hand is the next connector to make the straight in bonus poker strategy.

6. Three-of-a-Kind — Three of one card number in a single hand without another pair. 555 would be an example of three-of-a-kind. In the event that the three-of-a-kind couples with another pair in your hand it qualifies as a full house. (see full house) If the entire 7 card hand was A955543, you see that there is no second pair to couple with the three-of-a-kind to boost the hand. (see terminology for ‘set’ and ‘trips’). Aces qualify as a high-card kicker in bonus poker strategy.

7. Two Pair — A pair of one type of card, coupled with another pair of cards in the hand. AAKK would be an example of the highest two-pair hand possible. If this hand were up against another two-pair hand such as; KKJJ, the winning hand is determined by the hand containing the highest single pair of the two players. The AAKK hand in this case would be the winning hand, aces being high. If your 7 card hand looked like this: 443322A this does not qualify as “three pair”, as only the best 5 cards will qualify any type of hand. The hand would be read as two pair, fours and threes (Ace qualifies as a high kicker). This hand also does not qualify as a straight since 5 consecutive cards are necessary to make a straight. Two-pair is probably the most commonly won type of hand in low-stakes limit stud-hi at a full table in bonus poker strategy.

8. One Pair- A pair of cards not coupled with another pair in your hand. 99 would be an example of a pair in a seven card hand of 9987643. This hand does not qualify as a straight since 5 consecutive cards are necessary to make a straight. (5 or T would make this hand a straight). In a one-pair hand the ace always qualifies as a high-card kicker in bonus poker strategy.

9. High Card — The highest single card in a hand of seven cards containing no two of the same numbered cards against another hand. For example, AT96532 would rank this hand as an ace high. Against a hand of KJ87643, the ace-high hand would be the winning hand. If the king- high hand were up against KQT8542, the queen in this hand being the highest next card would beat the KJ87643. The winning hand would be read as; king high, high kicker in bonus poker strategy.

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