7 card stud short-handed games are a breath of fresh air when a player realizes how to play them. Looking at poker from a logical point of view, it can be seen that in a game such as Texas Holdem, regardless of the amount of players at a table the starting pot stays the same. However, in 7 card stud, the fewer players in a hand the less antes being paid, and thus the less money in the pot. Although it takes a lesser strength hand to win in short handed stud games, the pots are generally much smaller.
In Texas Holdem, it makes sense to raise it up more often on short tables, because that puts more money in the pot and it requires a poorer hand to have the best of it. In seven-card stud, even though it does require a lesser strength hand to win, the pot is much smaller. As a result, there is little point in raising too much to steal a smaller pot. What all this boils down to is that players who raise too often in stud games risk too many poker chips for the opportunity to win fewer chips. Though not raising may feel like a player is giving up antes he could be stealing, he will make most of them back when up against an aggressive player that is trying to steal too often at these short tables. The bottom line is raising it up too often short handed is leaking chips to opponents.
What many 7 card stud, poker star players struggle with when playing short handed is playing those mediocre hands that are not usually played in full ring 7 card stud. If an aggressive player in a full ring 7 card stud game is raising a lot to steal antes, players do not have to deal with it as much. As the field thins, players are required to start playing back at these players.
For instance, if an aggressive opponent is betting often and a 7 card stud player is dealt a small pair with a weak hand showing, they may be inclined to call. If fourth and fifth street bring blanks, the player must play back at his opponent. Calling down with a small pair simply does not work, because an aggressive opponent might pair up. The best bet is to fire back at him on fourth or fifth street to induce a fold, especially in the short-handed games.