Seven Card Stud

Seven card stud game structure

The players in a game of Stud Poker ‘ante up’ (every player pays an ante) before a hand is played.Every player gets 2 hidden and one open card. The player with the highest card pays the ‘bring-in’ and must make another bet (the size depends on the game played). Then action continues to the player on his left.

Suits are however not equal in Stud Poker if we look at determining who will pay the bring-in. If the highest card is the same for two players or more suits will be used from highest to lowest: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. So if two jacks are open in the beginning of the hand and they are the four of hearts and the four of clubs, the player with the jack of hearts will pay the bring-in.

After this players receive a fourth card which is open, called ‘fourth street’. The first player that acts is the player whose open cards have the highest poker value. This player can check or bet. If none of the players has a pair in his open cards, players can place a small bet/raise ($1 in a $1/$2 game). And if there is a player with a pair the betting can be opened with a big bet ($2 in a $1/$2 game).

After this ‘Fifth street’ is dealt, which is another open card. Again the first player acts with the highest open cards. Bets are in big bet increments from now on till the end of the hand ($2 in a $1/$2 game).

On ‘Sixth street’ the player gets another exposed card. The order in which players act is the same as previous streets, bets are in big increments.

The seventh and last card the players get is dealt face down, and only know by the player. The turn in which players act is the same as previous streets. If there is more then one player left after the final betting round, the last bettor or raiser reveals his card. If there was no bet in the final round, the player in seat 1 shows his hand, after that seat 2 going clockwise everybody shows his/her hand.

Purpose of the game

The best five card poker hand wins the pot. If two or more hands represent the same value, the pot is split. Seven card stud hi/lo This is the most common alternative to regular Stud Poker.

Stud Hi/Lo

With Stud Hi/Lo players need to make a five card hand that qualifies for Hi or Lo. The Hi hand winst half of the pot and the Llo hand winst the other half of the pot. If there is no Lo hand the Hi hand winst the whole pot. To qualify for the low hand players must have five cards that are unpaired and consist of cards less than or equal to 8. If there are no players that have this kind of hand, there is no Lo hand and the Hi hand wins the whole pot.