How To Play Seven Card Stud

After the initial deal, there is a betting interval. Each active player receives three more face up cards and one more face down card, with a betting interval after each round of cards dealt. In the showdown, each player turns up all of their hole cards and selects five of their seven cards as their hand.
If you love to play cards, The Gardens is your place to get lucky! Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split. Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split. View Details Omaha Hi-lo Split.

How To Play Stud Poker
How To Play Seven Card Stud High Low
How Do You Play 7 Card Stud

Introduction

Stud poker first appeared as early as the 1860's in America. Formerly all poker games had been 'closed' - the cards were known only to the player to whom they were dealt. Stud poker is an 'open' game in which most of a player's cards are displayed on the table. Therefore players can form an idea of the strength of other players' hands and bet accordingly, although each player has at least one 'hole' card which remains concealed until the showdown. Since poker is a five card game it is natural that the earliest form of stud poker was five card stud. In this game each player's first card is dealt face down and known only to the owner, but the other four are dealt face up with a betting round after each.

Although Five Card Stud was overtaken in popularity in the late 20th century by Seven Card Stud and community card games such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, it is still played in some places.

This page assumes some familiarity with the general rules and terminology of poker. See the poker rules page for an introduction to these, and the poker betting and poker hand ranking pages for further details.

Rules for Seven Card Stud Ante. Before a game of Seven Card Stud begins, all players ante a nominal amount (the exact amount depends on the game). This is the cost of being dealt into the hand.

Players and Cards

A standard 52-card pack is used, and since only five cards per player are dealt, it is possible for up to 10 people to play.

The Play

The sequence of events is as follows (as usual the cards are dealt clockwise one at a time):

All players place an ante in the pot.
Each player is dealt one card face down and one face up, and there is a betting round.
Each player is dealt a third card face up. There is a second betting round.
Each player is dealt a fourth card face up. There is a third betting round.
Each player is dealt a fifth and card face up. There is a fourth betting round.
Surviving players show their cards and the best five-card hand wins the pot.

The concealed card - the first dealt to each player - is sometimes known as the 'hole' card.

Order of Betting

Traditionally, each betting round is begun by the player with the best hand showing. For this purpose pairs, triplets, two pairs and quads count in their normal poker order - so for example with three cards showing 3-3-3 is higher than 7-7-8, which is higher than A-K-Q. Incomplete straights and flushes do not count. If there is a tie it is resolved by comparing the suits of the highest cards in the tied hands using the ranking order clubs (low), diamonds, hearts, spades (high).

Some play that in the first betting round, the first player must place a compulsory bet, called the bring-in. In this case there may be no ante, though an ante is usually paid as well.

Some play that the first betting round starts with a compulsory (bring-in) bet by the player showing the lowest card. This is now the normal rule in formal games hosted by American casinos. The subsequent betting rounds are begun by the highest hand showing as usual.

Size of Bets

This is of course for the players to agree. Five Card Stud is often played as a fixed limit game with the following arrangements.

A small bet and a big bet size are determined - say for example $5 and $10.
When there is a compulsory bring-in bet, the ante amount is generally much smaller than the small bet - say $0.50 in the example.
The compulsory bring-in bet is normally less than the small bet but more than the ante - say $2 in the example.
The player who opens the betting has the option to place a full small bet ($5) instead of just the compulsory minimum $2.
If the opener just places the minimum bring-in, subsequent players have the option to complete the bet to a small bet ($5), to call the bring-in ($2) or to fold. Only if someone completes the bet are later players allowed to raise. If the opener chooses to begin with a full bet ($5), subsequent players can raise.
In the first betting round no big bets are allowed.
If there is no compulsory bet in the first betting round, then a larger ante should be used, and only full small bets are allowed in the first betting round.
Only one bet and a maximum of three raises are allowed in any betting round, if there were more than two active players at the start of the betting round. A bring-in of less than a small bet does not count as a bet for this purpose - after it is completed there can be three raises.
In the second betting round, when players have two face up cards, big bets ($10) are allowed if any player has a pair (or better) showing. In this case anyone can place a big bet or raise, even if they do not themselves have a pair.
Note that if the rule is played that each raise must be at least as large as the last bet or raise, then after a player places a big bet, only big raises are allowed in that round. However, many home poker games do not have this rule, in which case a player may respond to a big bet with a small raise, thereby 'using up' one of the three raises and limiting the potential size of the pot.
Some play that in the last two betting rounds, after players are dealt their fourth and fifth cards, only big bets are allowed. This is the normal rule in casino hosted games, but not in home poker games.

Variations

Sometimes Five Card Stud is played with the fifth card dealt face down, so that in the last betting round each player still has only three cards showing. In this case the final betting round will be begun by the same player who began the previous round.

Lowball

Five Card Stud can be played low (lowest hand wins). This game is sometimes called Lowball, though this name is also used for Draw Poker played for low. Any of the low poker ranking systems can be used. In American casinos ace-to-five ranking would be most usual. Many home poker players prefer ace-to-six ranking. Deuce-to-seven ranking would also be possible.

In the formal casino version, the player with the highest card showing (Ace counting as low) starts the first round of betting with a compulsory bring-in bet. Subsequent betting rounds are begun by the player with the lowest hand showing. Since a pair is not a good hand in this game, a player with a pair showing is not entitled to place a big bet. The remaining rules are the same as in ordinary Five Card Stud, as described above, except that in the showdown the lowest hand wins.

How To Play Stud Poker

Five Card Stud High-Low

The deal and betting are mostly the same as in ordinary five card stud. Some play that in high-low games, a pair showing does not give players the option of a big bet or raise.

In the formal version of this game, at the showdown, the pot is split equally between the highest and lowest hands, the odd chip going to the high hand if the amount cannot be divided exactly by two. Any of the possible low hand ranking methods can be used - see low hand ranking on the poker hand ranking page.

In home games, Five Card Stud High-Low is often played with declaration. After the final betting round each player has to declare either 'high', 'low'. This can be done either in sequence around the table or simultaneously - see the section on declaration methods on the poker betting page. Usually players are not allowed to dealer 'both' in Five Card Stud High-Low. Even if it were allowed it would be unusual, unless perhaps you were playing ace-to-five ranking (uncommon in home games) and a player had (or pretended to have) an A-2-3-4-5 straight which is good for both high and low.

In the showdown, the highest hand among the players who have declared 'high' shares the pot with the lowest of the players who have declared 'low'. See the section on the showdown in split pot games on the poker betting page for further details and variations.

Five Card Stud High-Low with a Buy

This home poker variant is exactly like Five Card Stud High-Low except that after the fifth card is dealt, each player in turn has the opportunity to 'buy' a card. The player discards one card and the dealer deals a replacement card, face up if the discarded card was face up but face down if the discarded card was face down. A player who buys a card must pay an agreed amount to the pot - for example one large bet. After everyone has had a chance to buy, the final betting round, the declaration and the showdown follow.

This game can be played with two rounds of buying, the second round being more expensive than the first.

Sökö

In Finland, one of the most popular poker games is Sökö. Elsewhere it is sometimes known as California Stud. It is the same as 5-card stud except for the hand ranking: there are two additional hands, ranking below a pair.

A 4-straight consists of four cards of consecutive rank and an odd card. When comparing 4-straights, compare the straights first: if they are equal the rank of the odd card decides.

A 4-flush consists of four cards of one suit and one card of a different suit. First compare the four flush cards in descending order and if the these are all equal compare the odd card.

The rank of hands from lowest to highest is:

high card
pair
4-straight
4-flush
two pair
three of a kind
straight
flush
full house
four of a kind
straight flush

Seven-card stud, also known as Seven-Toed Pete or Down-The-River^[1] is a variant of stud poker. Until the recent increase in popularity of Texas hold 'em, seven-card stud was the most widely played poker variant in home games across the United States,^[2] and in casinos in the eastern part of the country. Two to eight players is common, though eight may require special rules for the last cards dealt if no players fold. With experienced players who fold often, even playing with nine players is possible.

In casino play, it is common to use a small ante and bring-in. In home games, it is typical to use an ante only.

Seven-card stud is the 'S' game in HORSE and similar mixed game formats.

Rules[edit]

The game begins with each player being dealt two cards face down and one card face up. The player with the lowest-ranking upcard pays the bring-in, and betting proceeds after that in normal clockwise order. The bring-in is considered an open, so the next player in turn may not check. If two players have equally ranked low cards, suit may be used to break the tie and assign the bring-in (see high card by suit). If there is no bring-in, then the first betting round begins with the player showing the highest-ranking upcard, who may check. In this case, suit is not used to break ties. If two players have the same high upcard, the one first in clockwise rotation from the dealer acts first.

After the first betting round, another upcard is dealt to each player (after a burn card, and starting at the dealer's left as will all subsequent rounds), followed by a second betting round beginning with the player whose upcards make the best poker hand. Since fewer than five cards are face up, this means no straights, flushes, or full houses will count for this purpose. On this and all subsequent betting rounds, the player whose face-up cards make the best poker hand will act first, and may check or bet up to the game's limit.

The second round is followed by a third upcard and betting round, a fourth upcard and betting round, and finally a downcard, a fifth betting round, and showdown if necessary. Seven-card stud can be summarized therefore as 'two down, four up, one down'. Upon showdown, each player makes the best five-card poker hand they can out of the seven cards they were dealt.

Seven cards to eight players plus four burn cards makes 60 cards, and there are only 52 in the deck. In most games this is not a problem because several players will have folded in early betting rounds. If the deck does become exhausted during play, previously-dealt burn cards can be used when only a few cards are needed to complete the deal. If even those are not sufficient, then on the final round instead of dealing a downcard to each player, a single community card is dealt to the center of the table, and is shared by everyone. Discarded cards from a folded hand are not reused.

Unlike draw poker, where no cards are ever seen before showdown, stud poker players use the information they get from face-up cards to make strategic decisions, and so a player who sees a certain card folded is able to make decisions knowing that the card will never appear in another opponent's hand.

Variants[edit]

There are several variations of 7 Card Stud Poker in which each player is dealt a set number of cards. Not all of these variations can be found at poker rooms but they can be fun to play at home.

'Down the River' is the basic variation of 7 Card Stud Poker and this is the game played in poker rooms.
'Mississippi' removes the betting round between fourth and fifth streets, making only four betting rounds. This game also deals the fourth and fifth cards face up. This makes the game more closely resemble Texas Hold'em by having the same betting structure and the same number of down and up cards.
Another is 'roll your own', in which four rounds of two cards each are dealt down, and each player must 'roll' one card to face up, followed by a round of betting. Except for the first round, the card rolled may or may not be from the round just dealt.
'Queens and after': in this variant, all Queens are wild, and so is whatever card that is dealt face up that follows the Queen. All cards of that kind are now wild, both showing and in the hole. The fun part is that if another Queen is dealt face-up, the wild card will change to whatever follows this Queen. The former card is no longer wild.
'Baseball': in this variant 3s and 9s are wild, and a 4 dealt face up gets an extra card.
'Low Chicago': Low spade in the hole gets half the pot. Similarly, 'High Chicago' means high spade instead of low. Just 'Chicago' can mean either.
'Acey Ducey': aces and twos are wild.
One-eyed Jacks or Suicide King can be specified as wild.
Razz is a lowball form of Seven Card Stud, with the objective being to get the lowest hand possible.
In the variation called 'Seven-Card Stud High-Low', the pot is split between the holder of the highest and lowest hand if the low hand is topped by at least an 8. Alternative names to this variation are Seven Card Stud/8 and Seven Card Stud Split.^[3]

Sample deal[edit]

The sample deal below assumes that a game is being played by four players: Alice, who is dealing in the examples; Bob, who is sitting to her left; Carol to his left; and David to Carol's left.

All players ante 25¢. Alice deals each player two downcards and one upcard, beginning with Bob and ending with herself. Bob is dealt the 4♠, Carol the K♦, David the 4♦, and Alice the 9♣. Because they are playing with a $1 bring-in, David is required to start the betting with a $1 bring-in (his 4♦ is lower than Bob's 4♠ by suit). He had the option to open the betting for more, but he chose to bet only the required $1. The bring-in sets the current bet amount to $1, so Alice cannot check. She decides to call. Bob folds, indicating this by turning his upcard face down and discarding his cards. Carol raises to $3. David folds, and Alice calls.

Alice now deals a second face-up card to each remaining player: Carol is dealt the J♣, and Alice the K♥. Alice's two upcards make a poker hand of no pair, K-9-high, and Carol has K-J-high, so it is Carol's turn to bet. She checks, as does Alice, ending the betting round.

Another face up card is dealt: Carol gets the 10♥ and Alice gets the K♣. Alice now has a pair of kings showing, and Carol still has no pair, so Alice bets first. She bets $5, and Carol calls.

On the next round, Carol receives the 10♦, making her upcards K-J-10-10. Alice receives the 3♠. Alice's upcards are 9-K-K-3; the pair of kings is still higher than Carol's pair of tens, so she bets $5 and Carol calls.

Each player now receives a downcard. It is still Alice's turn to bet because the downcard did not change either hand. She checks, Carol bets $10, and Alice calls. That closes the last betting round, and both players remain, so there is a showdown.