Be Thankful for That Luck Factor

Hi. Come on in. My hold'em students and I have been eating a lot of fried chicken together, so I've microwaved a batch of Oriental marinated beef. Don't ask about the recipe, because I just make it up as I go along. Dig in.

A world-class poker player has been heard saying, "If it weren't for luck, I'd win every one [tournament]." I won't call out his name here, but his initials are Phil Hellmuth.

I think Phil could be right. After all, he is a great player – one of the best in the world. (And he is actually a nice fellow.) If I ever want to commit financial suicide, I'll challenge him to a game. But I won't do that, as I know better. I know my place in the poker world.

But Phil, without luck in the game, it would soon die. Be thankful that the players with less skill do get lucky now and again. If they didn't, they would soon stop playing. Then, it would be only good players knocking heads against good players, taking turns winning. There would be no "live ones." The game would die a quick death, and lots of good poker players would have to find real jobs.

The very best players would win from the merely good players. Soon, the merely good players would also have to give up the game. Then, after a while, Phil, you'd be sitting alone in the cardroom, saying, "Where did everyone go?"

Be thankful for that luck factor.

Change of subject: I've received some questions about how to play a starting hand of three to a straight flush in seven-card stud. Players can easily argue about the various ways to play the hand. Here's mine.

Your board observation must be very quick when you start with three to a straight flush, because there are so many more exposed cards in other players' hands that are of interest to you: the three card values that will pair you, the number of cards of your suit that are out, and how many of your straight cards are lying there.

Your first realization should be that you're not going to make a straight flush. At least, it's not very likely. After all, how many have you made during your poker life? OK, OK, it is possible. It'll happen about one out of 67 times that you start with this hand, which is approximately a 1.5 percent chance.

You can play the hand in a couple of ways. If two (or three) of your three big cards are overcards to the board, and they are "live," consider raising, especially in late position with three or four players having already limped in. If you eliminate most of them, you have provided protection for your hand if you pair up on fourth street (and you've gotten some dead money into the pot). If most of them stay in, you have good pot odds for drawing to a straight or flush (or even the straight flush) if one of those hands falls to you on fourth street.

If you're in early position, your raise's purpose is to narrow the field in anticipation of making an overpair on fourth street. However, if your cards are not really "live," you'd be cutting your own throat with a third-street raise. There wouldn't be much of a chance for the overpair, and there probably wouldn't be enough money in the pot to give you the correct pot odds for drawing to a straight or flush. In this case, limp in.

Bear in mind that if this starting hand does not have overcards, it really isn't as strong a hand as most players think. The opportunity of making an overpair doesn't exist. So, I recommend setting aside the thought of the straight flush until it happens. Then, it's a bonus. What you have here on third street are two starting hands: a small three-straight and a small three-flush. That situation will get many players' hearts thumping – being able to go for two hands.

However, maybe they don't have as much as they think they do.

Neither of the hands is at the top of my "thrilled to hold" list. I dislike small straights. I wouldn't touch them with a golden teaspoon. There is no way that a small straight draw can become a big straight. At least a small three-flush can become a big flush by catching big suited cards. I might call a raise with this hand, but I won't be the raiser.

I guess I should have given you a fork and spoon instead of chopsticks. Now I need a nap. Wash your hands and face and kill the light on your way out.

Roy West, best-selling poker author, continues giving his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas for both tourists and locals. Roy's toll-free number is 800-548-6177 ext. 03. In Las Vegas call 873-7574.