Variants of the betting card game
Stud poker is any of a number of poker variants in
which each player receives 💲 a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple
betting rounds. Stud games are also typically non-positional games, meaning 💲 that the
player who bets first on each round may change from round to round (it is usually the
player 💲 whose face-up cards make the best hand for the game being played). The cards
dealt face down to each individual 💲 player are called hole cards, which gave rise to the
common English expression ace in the hole for any hidden 💲 advantage.
History [ edit
]
Stud poker variants using four cards were popular as of the American Revolutionary
War. Five-card stud first 💲 appeared during the American Civil War when the game was much
played among soldiers on both sides, and became very 💲 popular. Later, seven-card stud
became more common, both in casinos and in home games.[1] These two games form the
basis 💲 of most modern stud poker variations.
Play [ edit ]
The number of betting rounds
in a game influences how well the 💲 game plays with different betting structures. Games
with four or fewer betting rounds, such as five-card stud and Mississippi stud, 💲 play
well with any structure, and are especially well suited to no limit and pot limit play.
Games with more 💲 betting rounds are more suited to fixed limit or spread limit. It is
common (and recommended) for later betting rounds 💲 to have higher limits than earlier
ones. For example, a "$5/$10 Seven-card Stud" game in a Nevada casino allowsR$5 bets
💲 for the first two rounds andR$10 bets for subsequent rounds. Also common is to make the
final round even higher: 💲 a "$5/$10/$20" game would allowR$20 bets on the last round
only. Another common rule is to allow the larger bet 💲 on the second round if there is an
"open pair" (that is, at least one player's upcards make a pair). 💲 Some casinos
(typically in California) use the smaller limit on the first three rounds rather than
just the first two.
It 💲 is a common convention in stud poker to name the betting rounds
after the number of cards each player holds 💲 when that betting round begins. So the bet
that occurs when each player has three cards is called "third card" 💲 or "third street",
while the bet that occurs when each player has five cards is "fifth street". The final
round, 💲 regardless of the number of betting rounds, is commonly called the "river" or
simply the "end".
Specific variants [ edit ]
As 💲 mentioned above, seven-card stud is
probably the most common form of the game, with most other games being variants of
💲 that, although five-card stud is also a basic pattern upon which many variations are
built.
Six-card stud [ edit ]
Six-card stud 💲 is usually played as identical to
seven-card stud, except that the last face-up round is removed (thus it is two 💲 down,
three up, one down). With Flip, the last card is dealt face-down, but one of the
face-down cards must 💲 be flipped face-up. Six-card stud can also be played as 1-4-1,
where the first betting round occurs after only two 💲 cards are dealt (one down and one
up). This latter form more closely resembles five-card stud with an extra
downcard.
Razz 💲 [ edit ]
Razz is a variant where the lowest hand wins the pot instead of
the highest. Versions differ in 💲 the rules for treating straights and flushes as high or
low. London Lowball is a popular version that counts straights 💲 against the
player.
High-low stud [ edit ]
High-low stud is played using high-low split betting,
where the pot is split between 💲 the player with the highest hand and the player with the
lowest hand. In the most common form, known as 💲 "eight-or-better" or "stud eight", an
8-high hand or lower is required to win low. If there is no qualifying low 💲 hand, high
hand takes the entire pot.
Another form of high-low split stud is played under the same
rules as stud 💲 eight, but there is no qualifier required for the low half of the pot.
Often referred to as Q, it 💲 is much less common than stud eight, and is generally played
at higher limits.
Mexican stud [ edit ]
Various forms of 💲 roll your own five-card stud,
often with a stripped deck and wild cards, are called Mexican stud, Mexican poker, or
💲 stud loco. One such variant played by the Casino San Pablo in northern California has
these rules: 8s, 9s, and 💲 10s are stripped from the deck, and a single joker is added
(the deck therefore contains 41 cards). The 7-spot 💲 and the J become consecutive, so
that 5-6-7-J-Q is a straight. A flush beats a full house (with fewer cards 💲 of each
suit, they are harder to get). The joker plays as a bug if it is face up, and 💲 fully
wild if it is face down. The game is played as five-card stud choose-before roll your
own. It is 💲 usually played with a very high ante, and the high card on the first round
pays the bring-in.
The game of 💲 Shifting sands is Mexican stud in which each player's
hole card (and all others of that rank) are wild for 💲 that player only.
Caribbean stud [
edit ]
Caribbean Stud Poker is a casino game that has been developed using the poker
💲 hands and general rules of 5 card stud poker. The game combines poker elements and
standard table game elements in 💲 that each player dealt into the hand is playing against
the dealer. Originally invented by gambling author David Sklansky using 💲 the name Casino
Holdem with some slight rule variations,[2] the game was first introduced at the Grand
Holiday Casino and 💲 eventually all the remaining hotels in Aruba in the
1980s.
Miscellaneous [ edit ]
Five-card stud played high-low split with an added 💲 twist
round is called Option alley or five-card option.
or five-card option. The game
Scandinavian stud or Sökö is five-card stud 💲 with two new hand values added: Four-card
flush and four-card straight. Hand ranking is therefore: High card, one pair, four-card
💲 straight, four-card flush, two pair and then on as usual. A four-card straightflush is
not a hand in itself, it's 💲 merely counts as a four-card flush.
or is five-card stud
with two new hand values added: Four-card flush and four-card straight. 💲 Hand ranking is
therefore: High card, one pair, four-card straight, four-card flush, two pair and then
on as usual. A 💲 four-card straightflush is not a hand in itself, it's merely counts as a
four-card flush. The term English stud is 💲 used ambiguously to refer to several games,
including six-card stud played 1-4-1 with a twist (also called six-card option), London
💲 lowball, and a seven-card stud game where both sixth street and seventh street are
twist rounds.
is used ambiguously to refer 💲 to several games, including six-card stud
played 1-4-1 with a twist (also called six-card option), London lowball, and a
seven-card 💲 stud game where both sixth street and seventh street are twist rounds. In
the game of seven-card flip , each 💲 player is dealt four cards face down, and chooses
two of them to turn up. All cards are turned up 💲 simultaneously after everyone has
chosen. As this point, the game proceeds as if it were standard seven-card stud
starting on 💲 fourth street.
, each player is dealt four cards face down, and chooses two
of them to turn up. All cards 💲 are turned up simultaneously after everyone has chosen.
As this point, the game proceeds as if it were standard seven-card 💲 stud starting on
fourth street. Kentrel , or "48", is a seven-card stud variation which starts with each
player being 💲 dealt four downcards. Each player must then discard one, choose one of the
remaining three to turn face up (leaving 💲 two down and one up as normal), and then
proceed as with eight-or-better high-low stud.
, or "48", is a seven-card 💲 stud
variation which starts with each player being dealt four downcards. Each player must
then discard one, choose one of 💲 the remaining three to turn face up (leaving two down
and one up as normal), and then proceed as with 💲 eight-or-better high-low stud. The game
of Show Hand , which is not commonly played but made famous by Hong Kong 💲 gambling
films, is a twist in 5 card stud. Players with the highest face up cards decide whether
to check 💲 the round or raise; or, if the player with the highest face up card or hand
checks, it will proceed 💲 to the next street. However, the last round of betting after
the river is dealt is unlimited. In Show hand 💲 poker the last card is dealt face down.
Players now choose from 1 of the 2 face down cards to 💲 reveal to other players. This
variant is usually played with a set time-limit and bet limit to prevent players from
💲 taking advantage of checks and not betting to prolong the game.
, which is not commonly
played but made famous by 💲 Hong Kong gambling films, is a twist in 5 card stud. Players
with the highest face up cards decide whether 💲 to check the round or raise; or, if the
player with the highest face up card or hand checks, it 💲 will proceed to the next
street. However, the last round of betting after the river is dealt is unlimited. In
💲 Show hand poker the last card is dealt face down. Players now choose from 1 of the 2
face down 💲 cards to reveal to other players. This variant is usually played with a set
time-limit and bet limit to prevent 💲 players from taking advantage of checks and not
betting to prolong the game. The game of Chicago is seven-card stud 💲 in which the high
hand splits the pot with the player who has the highest-ranking spade "in the hole"
(among 💲 his downcards). There is also Little Chicago (also called Southside ), in which
the lowest ranking spade in the hole 💲 splits the pot; players who play Little Chicago
call the high spade variant Big Chicago . This also known as 💲 Chicago high by night and
Chicago low by night . In Chicago by night the Deuces and One-eyed jacks are 💲 usually
called as wild cards.
is seven-card stud in which the high hand splits the pot with the
player who has 💲 the highest-ranking spade "in the hole" (among his downcards). There is
also (also called ), in which the lowest ranking 💲 spade in the hole splits the pot;
players who play Little Chicago call the high spade variant . This also 💲 known as and .
In Chicago by night the Deuces and One-eyed jacks are usually called as wild cards. The
💲 Bitch is a variant on Chicago above, played with a combination of up and down cards,
usually two down, four 💲 up, and one down. The twist is that the Queen of Spades is
designated as the highest ranking Spade, followed 💲 by the Ace, King, Jack, and so on.
Also, if the Queen of Spades is ever dealt as an upcard 💲 to any player, all players turn
in their cards, re-ante, and replay the game. This can lead to quickly increasing 💲 pots,
especially if the re-ante amount is increased on each iteration. The high hand splits
the pot with the high 💲 spade.
is a variant on above, played with a combination of up and
down cards, usually two down, four up, and 💲 one down. The twist is that the Queen of
Spades is designated as the highest ranking Spade, followed by the 💲 Ace, King, Jack, and
so on. Also, if the Queen of Spades is ever dealt as an upcard to any 💲 player, all
players turn in their cards, re-ante, and replay the game. This can lead to quickly
increasing pots, especially 💲 if the re-ante amount is increased on each iteration. The
high hand splits the pot with the high spade. Several 💲 different games played only in
low-stakes home games are called Baseball , and generally involve many wild cards
(often 3 💲 s and 9 s), paying the pot for wild cards, being dealt an extra upcard upon
receiving a 4 , 💲 and many other ad hoc rules (for example, the appearance of the queen
of spades is called a "rainout" and 💲 ends the hand, or that either red 7 dealt face-up
is a rainout, but if one player has both red 💲 7s in the hole, that outranks everything,
even a 5 of a kind). These same rules can be applied to 💲 no peek, in which case the game
is called "night baseball". See main article: Baseball Poker.
, and generally involve
many 💲 wild cards (often s and s), paying the pot for wild cards, being dealt an extra
upcard upon receiving a 💲 , and many other ad hoc rules (for example, the appearance of
the queen of spades is called a "rainout" 💲 and ends the hand, or that either red 7 dealt
face-up is a rainout, but if one player has both 💲 red 7s in the hole, that outranks
everything, even a 5 of a kind). These same rules can be applied 💲 to no peek, in which
case the game is called "night baseball". See main article: Baseball Poker. Cowpie
poker is 💲 played as seven-card stud until after the seventh-street bet. All remaining
players then split their hands into a five-card hand 💲 and a two-card hand. The five-card
hand must outrank the two-card hand, and the latter must contain at least one 💲 downcard.
After the split there is one more betting round and showdown. Upon showdown, the
highest five-card hand and the 💲 highest two-card hand split the pot. The name of the
game is a pun on Pai Gow.
is played as seven-card 💲 stud until after the seventh-street
bet. All remaining players then split their hands into a five-card hand and a two-card
💲 hand. The five-card hand outrank the two-card hand, and the latter must contain at
least one downcard. After the split 💲 there is one more betting round and showdown. Upon
showdown, the highest five-card hand and the highest two-card hand split 💲 the pot. The
name of the game is a pun on Pai Gow. Number Nine is a variant of seven-card 💲 stud in
which 9s are wild, and any two number cards that add up to 9 may make one wild 💲 card, at
the player's option. Aces count as 1 for wild card purposes. The player is not obliged
to make 💲 any wild cards, and can play cards that could make 9s at face value or as wild
cards, at his 💲 option. Cards used to make wild cards may not figure in the resulting
hand twice. The player cannot add three 💲 or more cards. Sometimes, 9s themselves are not
wild, and wild cards can be made only by addition.
is a variant 💲 of seven-card stud in
which 9s are wild, and any two number cards that add up to 9 may make 💲 one wild card, at
the player's option. Aces count as 1 for wild card purposes. The player is not obliged
💲 to make any wild cards, and can play cards that could make 9s at face value or as wild
cards, 💲 at his option. Cards used to make wild cards may not figure in the resulting
hand twice. The player cannot 💲 add three or more cards. Sometimes, 9s themselves are not
wild, and wild cards can be made only by addition. 💲 Dr Pepper is a stud variant where
10's, 2's, and 4's are wild (the name comes from one of the 💲 original Dr Pepper
advertisements of the 1920s: "Drink a Bite to Eat at 10, 2, and 4 o'clock").
is a stud
💲 variant where 10's, 2's, and 4's are wild (the name comes from one of the original Dr
Pepper advertisements of 💲 the 1920s: "Drink a Bite to Eat at 10, 2, and 4 o'clock").
Draft (or "socialist poker") is usually a 💲 variant of seven-card stud in which the
second and subsequent upcard rounds are dealt this way: for each player remaining, 💲 one
upcard is dealt to the center of the table (not to any specific player). The player
with the worst 💲 showing hand gets to choose which of them he will take for his next
upcard, then the player with the 💲 second-worst showing hand chooses his upcard from
those left, and so on, until the player who previously had the best 💲 showing hand takes
the remaining card. Then betting occurs as normal. In seven-card stud, this makes for
three "draft" rounds 💲 (the first three cards are dealt normally, as is the final
downcard).
(or "socialist poker") is usually a variant of seven-card 💲 stud in which the
second and subsequent upcard rounds are dealt this way: for each player remaining, one
upcard is 💲 dealt to the center of the table (not to any specific player). The player
with the worst showing hand gets 💲 to choose which of them he will take for his next
upcard, then the player with the second-worst showing hand 💲 chooses his upcard from
those left, and so on, until the player who previously had the best showing hand takes
💲 the remaining card. Then betting occurs as normal. In seven-card stud, this makes for
three "draft" rounds (the first three 💲 cards are dealt normally, as is the final
downcard). Auction is a similar variation in which each upcard round (or 💲 possibly just
those after the first) begins with an "auction" phase. Instead of dealing each player
one upcard, the first 💲 card is dealt to the center and all players bid on it; the player
who bids the highest amount places 💲 that amount into the pot, and then has the right to
either keep the auction card as his own upcard, 💲 or designate another player who is
required to take it as his. After the first card is auctioned off and 💲 placed, the
remaining players are dealt a random upcard as usual, and betting proceeds as usual.
This variation is commonly 💲 played as high-low split, so it is common for a player to
"purchase" a high card to force it upon 💲 an opponent seeking low, for example.
is a
similar variation in which each upcard round (or possibly just those after the 💲 first)
begins with an "auction" phase. Instead of dealing each player one upcard, the first
card is dealt to the 💲 center and all players bid on it; the player who bids the highest
amount places that amount into the pot, 💲 and then has the right to either keep the
auction card as his own upcard, or designate another player who 💲 is required to take it
as his. After the first card is auctioned off and placed, the remaining players are
💲 dealt a random upcard as usual, and betting proceeds as usual. This variation is
commonly played as high-low split, so 💲 it is common for a player to "purchase" a high
card to force it upon an opponent seeking low, for 💲 example. Telesina is a stud variant
which is played with a stripped "French" deck. The play follows most five card 💲 stud
games except that after the fourth betting round a 6th community card called the vela
card is placed in 💲 the center of the table. The vela card may be used by all players to
improve their hand after which 💲 another round of betting occurs. The standard hand
ranking applies with the slight difference in that a flush beats a 💲 full house because
it is easier to get a full house than a flush. This is because instead of 13 💲 cards per
suit there are only 8 having the cards from 2-6 removed.
