Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is a classic poker game which can take a lifetime to
master. In Seven Card 1️⃣ Stud, players are individually dealt seven cards throughout the
course of the hand, but only the best five-card poker hand 1️⃣ possible for each player is
used to determine the winner. View the Poker Hand Rankings for Seven Card Stud.
Unlike
Texas 1️⃣ Hold’em and Omaha, Seven Card Stud is usually played with a Limit betting
structure, in which the bets are in 1️⃣ fixed increments. For example, in aR$2/$4 limit
game the bets are in increments ofR$2 on the first two betting rounds, 1️⃣ and increments
ofR$4 on the subsequent three betting rounds. PokerStars does not offer Pot Limit or No
Limit Stud games 1️⃣ at this time.
Rules for Seven Card Stud
Ante
Before a game of Seven
Card Stud begins, all players ante a nominal amount 1️⃣ (the exact amount depends on the
game, and is displayed in the table’s title bar). This is the cost of 1️⃣ being dealt into
the hand. For example, the ante isR$0.15 in aR$1/$2 game.
Third Street
Each player is
initially dealt three cards, 1️⃣ two hidden hole cards and one face up. The player with the
lowest exposed card is the ‘bring-in’, and is 1️⃣ forced to start the action. They must
make either another nominal bet (the exact size of the bring-in depends on 1️⃣ the game)
or, if they choose, a full bet of the lower betting increment. Action continues
clockwise around the table 1️⃣ until betting is complete for the round.
Fourth Street
Each
player now receives another exposed card, called ‘Fourth Street’. The first player 1️⃣ to
act is the individual whose exposed cards have the highest poker value. For example, a
player with an exposed 1️⃣ pair of Kings would act first, if no other player is showing a
pair of Aces or better. This player 1️⃣ may either check or bet the lower structured
betting amount (for example,R$2 in aR$2/$4 game). Please see the ‘Additional Stud 1️⃣ Rules
and Situations’ section below for an exception to this rule. There is a round of
betting.
Fifth Street
Each player now 1️⃣ receives another exposed card, called ‘Fifth
Street’. Again the first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have 1️⃣ the
highest poker value. There is a round of betting. Starting on Fifth Street and for the
rest of the 1️⃣ hand, all bets are in big bet increments ($4 in aR$2/$4 game).
Sixth
Street
Each player now receives another exposed card, called 1️⃣ ‘Sixth Street’. Again, the
first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have the highest poker value.
There 1️⃣ is a round of betting.
Seventh Street (or the River)
Each player now receives a
seventh and final card, which is dealt 1️⃣ face-down and known only to the player to whom
the card is dealt. The first player to act is the 1️⃣ individual whose exposed cards have
the highest poker value. There is a final betting round, and if more than one 1️⃣ player
remains, we reach the Showdown.
The Showdown
If there is more than one remaining player
when the final betting round is 1️⃣ complete, the last bettor or raiser shows his or her
cards first. If there was no bet on the final 1️⃣ round, the player in the earliest seat
shows his or her cards first (Seat 1, then Seat 2, and so 1️⃣ on). Further hands involved
in the Showdown are exposed clockwise around the table. The player with the best
five-card poker 1️⃣ hand wins the pot. In the event of identical poker hands, the pot will
be equally divided between the players 1️⃣ with the best hands. After the pot is awarded, a
new online game of Seven Card Stud poker is ready 1️⃣ to be played.
Player Betting
Options
In Stud, as with other forms of poker, the available actions are ‘fold’,
‘check’, ‘bet’, ‘call’ 1️⃣ or ‘raise’. Exactly which options are available depends on the
action taken by the previous players. If nobody has yet 1️⃣ made a bet, then a player may
either check (decline to bet, but keep their cards) or bet. If a 1️⃣ player has bet, then
subsequent players can fold, call or raise. To call is to match the amount the previous
1️⃣ player has bet. To raise is to not only match the previous bet, but to also increase
it. Bets and 1️⃣ raises in Limit games are in pre-determined amounts.
Additional Stud Rules
and Situations
For the purpose of determining the bring-in in Seven 1️⃣ Card Stud, ties in
card rank are broken by suit. The suits are ranked in alphabetical order – clubs
(lowest), 1️⃣ diamonds, hearts and spades (highest). The lowest suit breaks a tie, so if
the deuce of hearts and deuce of 1️⃣ clubs are visible at the beginning of the hand, then
the deuce of clubs would have the bring-in. (Note: The 1️⃣ ranking of equal hands at the
Showdown is not determined by this rule.)
If the player with the lowest card showing 1️⃣ on
Third Street is all-in for the ante and they are consequently unable to make the
required bring-in bet, the 1️⃣ bring-in moves clockwise to the next player at the table,
regardless of the value of that player’s exposed card.
On Fourth 1️⃣ Street, if any player
shows a pair, the betting can optionally be opened or raised for one big bet (for
1️⃣ example,R$4 in aR$2/$4 game). Once someone makes the ‘big bet’ in this situation, the
bigger bet amount continues for the 1️⃣ remainder of the Fourth Street betting.
Because
Stud games are played with eight players but there are only 52 cards in 1️⃣ the deck, it’s
possible to run out of cards before Seventh Street can be dealt. In this very rare
instance, 1️⃣ a single ‘community card’ will be dealt face-up on the table, which will be
shared by all remaining players.
Other Stud 1️⃣ Variants
A variant of Seven Card Stud,
called Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo (aka ‘Stud Eight or Better’ or ‘Stud/8’) is also 1️⃣ available
in PokerStars poker room. In this variant of Stud, there are two potential winners in
each hand, one person 1️⃣ for holding the best high hand and one person for holding the
best low hand, provided the low hand is 1️⃣ an eight-low or better. PokerStars also offers
Razz. In this variant of Stud, the entire pot is awarded to the 1️⃣ best low hand, with no
qualifier.
Learn How to Play Seven Card Stud for Free
