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The
foregoing pages can be summed up simply in the following rules of
play, which like all rules of play in poker should be followed in
principle rather than blindly and invariably.
1. If you are the highest hand showing in the early stages, bet
the limit up to the size of the pot.
2. Don't stay in the early stages against any real bet unless you
can beat anything showing.
3. If you are first to act at the last card, check. 4. Don't raise
a possible cinch.
We might add that if everyone followed these rules religiously Five
Card Stud would indeed be a dull game!
If you rigidly follow the rules of play we have given in the foregoing
pages you will never play with a low card in the hole unless it
matches one of your early up cards. If opponents knew this for certain,
it would be a great help to them, for they would always have some
clue as to your hole card. Therefore you must sometimes break the
rules, just to "advertise." You must vary your play on
this and other points, and this is even more important in Stud than
in Draw, for in Stud you have so little to conceal. Just the one
hole card!
For instance, if you have immense concealed strength, say Aces back
to back, the correct technical play is to bet lightly in the early
betting intervals and so avoid driving out all your competitors.
But against a shrewd opponent this may be too obvious. He may correctly
interpret your small bets. This type of player is actually more
likely to stay against a big bet, which he will interpret as an
effort to protect your hand.
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