How to Play Seven Card Stud
7 Card Stud, sometimes referred to as
just Stud, was quite likely the most well known and widely
played variety of poker in the world until it was overtaken
by Texas Hold'em. Stud is different from Texas Hold'em and
Omaha in a several ways. Primarily, Stud is not a community
card game. Each player is dealt seven cards throughout five
betting rounds with the best five-card poker hand winning.
7 Card Stud is only played with a limit betting structure
and therefore an ante must be posted by each player to ensure
there is money in the pot. Occasionally, when there are a
lot of players left until the river card is dealt there may
not be enough cards left to give each player their own river
card. In this situation the dealer will turn one card face-up
to be used as a community card.
The Terms
Betting Rounds
First Round - In 7 Card Stud, a disc known
as the dealer "button" serves to recognize which
player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular
hand. After all players have placed their ante they receive
their initial cards. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction
from the dealer button. Each player is dealt three cards (two
of them face down and one face up). The player with the lowest
face up card is known as the "bring-in" and must
make a wager of half the small blind. (For example, in a $4-$8
game, the bring-in is $2). The other players then must decide
to match this amount beginning clockwise from the bring-in.
If two players are tied for the low card the card rankings
are broken by suit, with the order being spades, hearts, diamonds
and clubs (in descending order).
Second Round (Fourth Street) - Next, each player is dealt
another face up card, known as "fourth street".
In this round the first person to act is the player whose
face up cards, comprise the highest poker value. This player
may either check or bet. The bet amount is determined by the
value of the face up cards on the table. If there is no pair
exposed then the amount will be the small bet (For example,
in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $4). However, if there is a face
up pair then the amount is the big bet ($8 in the previous
example).
Third Round (Fifth Street) - Each player is dealt a third
face up card in this round, called "fifth street".
Starting in this betting round and all subsequent betting
rounds all wagers are in the big bet amounts (For example,
in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $8). The first person to act is
again the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest
poker value.
Fourth Round (Sixth Street) - Each player is dealt a fourth
face up card in this round, called "sixth street". The first
person to act is again the player whose face up cards, comprise
the highest poker value.
Fifth Round (Seventh Street) - Each player is dealt a seventh
card called "seventh street" or the "river".
This last card is dealt face down. The first person to act
on the river is the player whose face up cards, comprise the
highest poker value.
Showdown - If more than one player remains after the fifth
round of betting is completed then there is a showdown and
the last player to bet shows their cards first. If no one
acted then the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest
poker value, shows their cards first. The player with the
best five-card stud poker hand wins the pot. In the event
of identical poker hands, the pot will be equally divided
between the players with the best hands.
How to play 7 Card Stud Hi Lo
7 Card Stud Hi-Lo is a poker game that combines the strategies and game play of 7
Card Stud and the possible split pot aspect of Omaha Hi-Lo. The same 7 Card Stud rules apply to 7 Card
Stud Hi-Lo with the exception that the pot may be shared between a player holding the high (Hi) hand and
a player holding the qualifying low (Lo) hand. A low hand must have a high card "8 or better" to qualify
to be the low hand. That is, to be eligible to win the low, the highest card must be an 8 or lower. Upon a
tie with the high card, the hand goes to the player with the next lowest high card. Any hand that is high
card 9 or higher cannot qualify as a low hand. In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo the same player can also win both pots
for the Hi & Lo hand when there is no qualifying low hand. The straight ace to five is the best possible low
hand with the straight four to eight being the worse possible qualifying low hand. The ace can be used as a
high and low card in 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo. Straights and flushes are not considered when evaluating a low hand.
The Terms
Betting Rounds
First Round - In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, a
disc known as the dealer "button" serves to recognize which
player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular
hand. After all players have placed their ante they receive
their initial cards. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction
from the dealer button. Each player is dealt three cards (two
of them face down and one face up). The player with the lowest
face up card is known as the "bring-in" and must make a wager
of half the small blind. (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the
bring-in is $2). The other players then must decide to match
this amount beginning clockwise from the bring-in. If two
players are tied for the low card the card rankings are broken
by suit, with the order being spades, hearts, diamonds and
clubs (in descending order).
Second Round (Fourth Street) - Next, each player is dealt
another face up card, known as "fourth street". In this round
the first person to act is the player whose face up cards,
comprise the highest poker value. This player may either check
or bet. The bet amount is determined by the value of the face
up cards on the table. If there is no pair exposed then the
amount will be the small bet (For example, in a $4-$8 game,
the bet is $4). However, if there is a face up pair then the
amount is the big bet ($8 in the previous example).
Third Round (Fifth Street) - Each player is dealt a third
face up card in this round, called "fifth street". Starting
in this betting round and all subsequent betting rounds all
wagers are in the big bet amounts (For example, in a $4-$8
game, the bet is $8). The first person to act is again the
player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Fourth Round (Sixth Street) - Each player is dealt a fourth face up card in this round, called "sixth street". The first person to act is again the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Fifth Round (Seventh Street) - Each player is dealt a seventh
card called "seventh street" or the "river". This last card
is dealt face down. The first person to act on the river is
the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker
value.
Showdown - If more than one player remains after the fifth
round of betting is completed then there is a showdown and
the last player to bet shows their cards first. If no one
acted then the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest
poker value shows their cards first. Players use five of their
seven cards and the player with the best five-card stud poker
hand wins the pot. The highest hand wins 50% of the pot and
the lowest qualifying low hand wins 50% of the pot. If no
low hand qualifies then the highest hand wins the entire pot.
In the event of identical poker hands, the pot will be equally
divided between the players with the best hands.
Poker
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