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The Later Streets

Fourth Street

If you think you have the best hand on fourth street you usually should try to eliminate players. For instance, suppose after receiving your second upcard you have what you believe is the best poker hand, are first to act in a three-person pot, think the second player is weak, and are sure that the third player will bet. Your play is now to try for a check-raise.

Here’s an example. Suppose you limped in with

are called by the 7♣ , and are raised by the Q♠ (meaning a probable pair of queens). If you happen to catch a king on the next round, and your two opponents catch seemingly non-threatening cards, you should try for a check-raise if the probable pair of queens is last to act. However, if the queens will act directly after you, it may be best to bet, hoping that the queen will raise, which should eliminate the third player from the pot.

However, trying for the check-raise is sometimes wrong. This could be true if you raised coming in on third street or if you catch a scare card on fourth street. Your threatening board may cause the last player to check.

Another thing to keep in mind when trying to make this play is that the opponent on the end needs to be an aggressive player. Don’t check to someone who might be afraid to bet because of your initial raise or because of the overcard or scare card you may have just caught.

It is also important to try to add deception to big pair play on fourth street. For example, suppose you have two aces and your board is ace baby. By betting, you are telling your opponent that you most likely have a big pair (unless your opponent’s board is weak, in which case your bet becomes somewhat automatic).

If you check in this situation and your opponent bets, you should occasionally flat call. However, it is usually best to raise. A raise not only will get more money into the pot immediately, but also may commit your opponent to go all the way, even if you catch cards that indicate he should get out. The main problem with just calling is that you will be first to act on fifth street, and if you check again, your opponent may now check behind you, saving a bet and giving himself a free card.

Now suppose you have a fairly good hand and your opponent catches a suited card that goes well with his medium upcard. If you are high, consider checking. By checking, there is a good chance that your opponent will bet. He either has a good draw or is likely to represent one.

Here’s an example. You have:

Your opponent started with

and catches the

You usually should check and call. If you check, the money almost always will be put into the pot anyway.

If a good player calls on third street against a possible steal raise and it is then checked to him on fourth street, he usually will bet. This means that if you raise in a steal position on third street with, let’s say, a king up, are called, then catch a complete blank on fourth street, and your opponent catches something even mildly scary, you almost always should check, whether you have mildly scary, you almost always should check, whether you have a hand or not. Furthermore, you should usually not raise as the better play is to wait and see what develops.

Unlike Texas hold’em, where you can steal fairly often on the flop, you cannot steal a lot on fourth street in seven card stud. If someone calls on third street, he usually doesn’t fold on the next card. (Distinguish this from the player who raises on third street to steal and then folds on fourth street when he is caught.)

Now suppose you have a hand like:

Your opponent started with

You usually should throw your hand away if you are facing a bet from something like ace-queen suited. This would be correct even if your kickers were better. The only hands that you should call with are those holdings that can improve to very large hands, specifically hands that can beat aces up. Playing hands like the one illustrated is a common fourth street error, and can be very costly.

Realize that if your opponent catches an ace on fourth street, he has caught a dangerous card. This is because many players call with high cards or with a small pair and an ace kicker especially if there was no raise on third street and even if your opponent hasn’t paired his ace, he may pair it down the road. So when someone catches an ace and bets into you, be caution.

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