Starting hand requirementsA strong starting hand consists of either a high pair, three of a kind, three cards to a flush or three cards to a straight.
Live cards
In seven card stud poker it is important to notice when other players get the cards you need. Suppose, for example, that you are dealt three hearts. You would like to stay in the hand and draw to a flush, but if other players receive a lot of hearts, your chances of making the flush diminish. Or if you have a pair of kings, your chances of hitting one of the remaining two kings almost vanish if you see one of them in the hand of another player.
Can you beat what you see?
If you cannot beat the part of a hand that is face up in front of a player, you certainly cannot beat that hand with the concealed cards included.