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