A buried pair is exactly what the named implies. It is a pair that is made by your two down cards in a Stud game. Many players get this type of hand and are unsure how to play it. Let’s talk a bit about playing buried pairs.

I play my hole cards a little different than a lot of players. Most players will wait until they get their entire hand before looking at their cards or they wait until it is their turn to act. Personally, I look at the first card as soon as it’s dealt and then do the same with the second. This allows me time to be able to look at everyone’s up cards as they come out. If you make a habit of looking in your cards in this way, it will be hard to put you on a hand.

First, let’s talk about buried small pairs up to nines. When you are dealt this type of buried pair, you are hoping for two things, you either want the bring-in or you want to be in later position so that you can be one of the last to act. Unless your door card is a high card, you are really looking for this hand to hit a set. The first thing you want to do is look and see if any of your cards are out. If so, then there is little sense in playing this hand any further unless you happen to have the high card showing or are in late position facing the bring-in. At this point, you would represent a pair of your door card.

If none of your cards are out, let’s consider your kicker. If your kicker is small, then you will likely want to limp along. Also, is anyone else holding your door card? If nobody else is, you may be able to take the pot on fourth if you pair your door card. Players will likely give you credit for a set and fold. If any of your door card is out, you are really wanting to hit your set now. If there is a raise, you will want to get out of the hand as you only have 2 outs for true improvement.

What do you do if you hit your set with your buried small pair? At this point, I will tend to bet out or even raise. Many players will figure you had a pair of your door card and that you hit a second pair. If you show an 8 and catch a four, they will likely call along. They may even raise if they have a big pair in the hopes to build the pot if they pair up one of their other cards. One you hit set with your buried pair, you best bet is to push the action until you have a reason to slow down.

Buried pairs 10 and above are a little trickier to play. Some people will just play their hand aggressively and raise, but if you are sitting at a table and a 6 completes or raises into other big cards, you are going to put them on a big pair, usually Aces. How I play my big pair will depend on my door card and the action ahead of me.

If there is a lot of action ahead of me from cards that are lower than my buried pair, I am going to raise. I am also going to do the same if my kicker is a high kicker, especially an Ace. I am going to represent that pair and try and push players out. If you raise someone with a low door card and then catch a king or ace, there is a good chance that they will fold. However, If you raise with an Ace or King with buried 10’s and catch a 10, you will likely get called down by another pair hoping to catch good.

If I limp into a pot with a big pair with a low door card and my door card pairs, then I am going to bet the hand. I am going to represent that I just hit a set and try to either take the pot there or punish players that feel like chasing me.

A mistake that I see a lot with people that play buried pairs comes from the bring-in. Some players will do a straight completion from the bring-in with a buried pair. This sort of play tells everyone that you have a big hand in the hole and in most cases, all you are going to win is the ante’s. Now if you are short stacked, this is a fine move as chances are you will be called by someone hoping to catch lucky. Otherwise, this is a mistake. A similar mistake is made by a bring-in that re-raise with a buried pair. With the exception of a late position raiser trying to steal the ante’s, this is usually a bad move as well. You are telegraphing your hand, and will cost yourself money.

Now, I would like to give you a word of caution, especially at lower limit Seven Card Stud. If you play a buried pair and hit your set, be careful of your opponent pairing their door card. If your opponent has a door card higher than your hole cards and pair’s up, in many cases you are behind to a higher set. At this point, slow down and just call down the opponent if they bet. Also, if you are playing a relatively tight player and then they start raising you after catching what seems a harmless card, they have likely hit a set with a buried pair. If the card they just caught is higher than yours, slow down.

Buried pairs can be tricky hands to play at times, but when they hit they are among some of the more profitable hands in Seven Card Stud. Good luck to you at the tables.