Here is a common mistake I see many beginners make. The mistake costs them the pot, don’t let it happen to you.

I was at a Limit Texas Hold ‘Em game when there were only three players in. The river card has just been displayed and one player bet. He had nothing and was trying to buy the pot.

The next player to act had made a pair of dueces, and he called the bettor.

 The third player had made a pair of sevens, and there was a Jack and a 10 on the board. he thought a moment and then called.

The bluffer showed his Ace high, whereupon the next player to show turned over the duece in his hand that matched the duece on the board. He then exclaimed, “I knew you were bluffing!”.

Well as we know the third player showed his middle pair and took the pot.

Had the second player, who had correctly put his opponent on a bluff, RAISED instead of called, he would have won the pot as the middle pair could not call a bet and a raiser with two overcards on the board.

So here we had a case of a player who read his opponent correctly, but failed to make the proper play. Don’t let that happen to you.

OK since I’m on the topic of bad plays in Stud Hi-Lo, here is another.

One player has four low cards showing, another player has high cards showing. One player bets the other raises. Now, everyone else in the pot folds and the bettor calls.

The two players chop the pot. The raise gained no extra profit! That is a stupid play. Even if you have a monster hand, if it is obvious your opponent is going the other way, just call and get all the extra callers to donate to your hand.

I’ve been playing a lot of Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo lately. Primarily because the players are so bad the money just rolls in.

Here is something I see a lot of players do and it just makes no sense (but it does add a lot of $$ to my pocket).

After four cards, the play gets down to heads up. My opponent will have (let’s say the game is $2-$4 but this could apply to a any limit) maybe $3 invested in the pot. I have a big high hand, or perhaps 4 really good low cards. I bet out out.

My opponent is drawing to either a high or a low hand. Either way if he makes his hand he gets half the pot. So now in a $2-$4 game, he is willing to invest $12 more to get his $3 back. If he doesn’t make it, he loses all $15.

My take on this is, unless you can scoop, why chase $12 just to get your money back? The best strategy here is to just fold the hand, lose the $3, but save your $12.