Going Low with The Low Hole Card Wild Card

The Low Hole Wild Card in Poker is indeed a wild game.

If you are a Poker expert, and played this slam-bang variation of Seven-card Stud, you know you usually need at least four of a kind to win the pot.

The standard dealing procedure for Seven-card Stud is followed in Low Hole Card Wild. Each player gets two cards in the hole and one card open, before the first round of betting.

If a player stays all the way, and the temptations are many, he gets his seventh card in the hole.

The lowest hole card in a hand at the finish, and all open cards of the same rank in that hand, are wild for that hand. The assassin in this variation may be that seventh card.

For example: you have four three in the hole and A A three three open.

Your threes' are wild at this stage, so you have five A's - - a lock! Or is it? The seventh card, in the hole, is a two. Now, your two is your only wild card, and your hand has become four three's: very far from a lock. Revolting development.

The stakes in this group are one chip ante by each player; two chip limit until a pair shows or the last card is dealt; then the limit is increased to four chips.

Say, you have 10 10 in the hole and four open. Stay or fold?

Fold. Your last hole card will probably be lower than your 10's: there are more lower than higher cards outstanding. You do not figure to catch anything better than four 10's which is not much of a goal in this variation.

Now, you have three Q in the hole and Q open. Stay or fold? Stay with enthusiasm. The odds are long against your catching a last hole card below your three. You know where you are going, and your prospects are bright.

You have A A in the hole and seven open. Stay or fold? The A's may be tempting, but you should fold. Your last hole card is almost certain to be lower than your A's.

You will have no way of evaluating your prospects as you go along, unless you catch a third A. It is folly to stay when one cannot know what one is doing.

This time -- you have two seven in the hole and A open. Bet or check? Check, and if anybody opens, fold. You must catch another A or two in a hurry to have a reasonable chance, and the odds are against you.

You have two two in the hole and three open. Stay or fold? Stay and bet vigorously. You have two wild cards which will remain wild; your potential is tremendous, despite that open three.

On this one, there are four stayers and the fourth card is dealt. The open cards are: C - A seven; E - Q eight; H - eight K; and You - J three.

C bets, E calls, and H raises. You have J three in the hole, what do you do -- raise, call, or fold?

Raise. You can beat what you can see, and your wild three's will almost certainly stay wild, whereas your opponents' hands may be wrecked when that last card is dealt in the hole.