Players that are just learning to play Seven Card Stud 8 or Better tend to make a lot of mistakes while learning how to play the game properly.  I was no different than most players.  I took my own approach to playing the game until I was taught properly.  Today, lets look at a few mistakes beginning stud 8 or better players make.

The biggest mistake that most stud 8 poker players make is playing the game like stud high.  Playing hands such as pairs with big kickers, medium and high straights, and even high flush draws are all trap hands that will cost players money.  Some players will pick up a hand such as pocket queens or kings and then push them all the way to the river.

Another mistake players make is playing a lot of eight low draws.  Many players are confused as to why they shouldn’t play a lot of eight low draws.  They are of the mindset that if their opponent misses their draw, that their hand may be good.  This may be true, but you are relying more on luck in this scenario than on proper play.  There are times where you are going to chase down a hand with an eight low draw, but you need to stay away from playing every eight low draw that you come across.

Slow playing a rolled up set in stud 8 is a big mistake.  Stud high players are reading this with great confusion.  In stud high, you want to try and keep people in with your rolled up set as the hand is a very powerful starting hand.  In stud 8, rolled up sets are one way hands the majority of the time.  You want to play them fast to push out the mediocre hands and the weak low drawing hands.  A set is much more subsceptible to being outdrawn in stud 8 than in stud high.

Another mistake many players make is not paying attention to cards on the board when playing their hands.  When playing any stud game, you must keep track of the cards in other players hands.  This is more important in stud 8 than in other hands.  First you need to be able to determine which of your needed cards are potentially still available.  Next, you need to know what your other players are potentially drawing to.  When you know what is out there, you can make educated decision and calculated draws.  Otherwise, you are relegated to catching cards and gambling.

One mistake that almost every beginning player makes in stud 8 is trying to push players out when you hold the nuts.  When you have a hand where you have at least one side of the pot locked, you want to try and extract as many bets as possible.  Some players try to push players out in an attempt to win the pot right then.  That type of play will cost you bets.  When you have one side of the pot locked up, you need to do what you can to keep players in.