There is a distinct difference between Seven Card Stud poker players who just want to have a fun time and those who really want to learn serious strategies and master the game. Much of one's strategic development process is simply a matter of playing hundreds of hands of poker. There are, however, some core Seven Card Stud starting strategies that you can learn that will shorten the learning curve.

Like most poker games, the biggest skill a player can learn is to know when to lay down a hand. In Seven Card Stud, all players are first dealt three cards. Two of these cards are face down, and the remaining card is dealt face up. A good starting rule of thumb is that one of your three cards should be higher than everyone else's exposed cards.

If you keep this simple rule in mind, you will save yourself a lot of money. There are, of course, other strategically important starting hands. Three cards of the same suit is a very powerful starting hand, as you will only need two other cards of the same suit to hit your flush. Additionally, three suited connectors and even three off-suit connectors can be very strong starting hands, as they can ultimately lead to straights.

These are just basic first steps towards an overall Seven Card Stud strategy. For example, trips--or three of a kind--starting cards are also powerful, but they can cause you trouble if you do not ultimately make a full house. As a general rule, high cards are good, and suited high cards are better since they give you more "outs," or ways of ultimately winning the pot. To better learn the ins and outs of the game, sign up at VIPpoker.com.