5 Card Stud plays much like its cousin, 7 Card Stud, but players are dealt a total of
five cards instead of seven.
A game of 5 Card Stud involves antes, a bring-in, and a
limit betting structure. For more on how limit rules work, check out our guide to Poker
Betting Rules.
Other than a difference in the number of face-down cards and total cards
dealt, the game plays identical to 7 Card Stud. Here’s a look at an example of a 5 Card
Stud hand.
(Note: This guide covers the rules of 5 Card Stud. You can also learn 7 Card
Stud here or Stud Hi-Lo here.)
5 Card Draw Rules
Antes and the Bring-in
Most stud games
use a structure involving antes and a bring-in. The small blind/big blind system used
in games like Texas Hold'em isn't used in 5 Card Stud.
For this example, let's say
we're watching a 5 Card Stud game played atR$5/$10 limits, with six players at the
table. AtR$5/$10 limits, each player might put in an ante ofR$0.50 before the hand. Any
amount can be used for the ante, but it's generally a small fraction of the small
bet.
After the antes are posted, each player is dealt two cards, one face down and one
face-up.
The dealer begins with the player on his/her immediate left, and deals all
players a face-down card, moving clockwise around the table.
The second card dealt to
all players is a face-up card, known as the door card.
The player with the
lowest-ranking door card (from deuce to ace) must post the bring-in. The bring-in is
usually half of the small bet, which isR$5 in ourR$5/$10 game. So the bring-in for this
game isR$2.50.
Initial Betting Round
The player with the lowest-ranking door card is
obligated to post the bring-in, but this player can also choose to complete, betting
the full amount of the small bet ($5 in this game).
After the first-to-act player
either posts the bring-in or completes, the next player on the immediate left has the
option to either call (match the bet), raise, or fold.
This option of call, raise, or
fold goes clockwise around the table until each player has had an opportunity to act.
In the first betting round, all raises must beR$5 (the small bet). The maximum number
of total raises is capped at three, and at that point subsequent players can only
call.
So for example, let's say the bring-in is posted, and the next players completes
toR$5. The next player raises toR$10, the next toR$15, and the next toR$20.
At this
point, other players can only call theR$20 bet, as the raises are capped after
that.
Third Street
After all players have acted in the initial betting round, the
dealer deals another card, face-up, to all players still in the hand. The player with
the best face-up hand showing starts the betting round, and can either check (put no
money in the pot and pass the action to the next player), or betR$5 (the small bet). If
this player has a pair showing, they can betR$10 (the big bet).
Subsequent betting
commences clockwise around the table, and all players left in the hand can either check
(if no one has bet or raised), bet (if the player before them checked), raise, or fold.
Raises are again capped at three, meaning the max bet on third street is eitherR$20
orR$40 depending on whether the small or big bet started the round.
Fourth Street
The
process repeats itself after third street is dealt, with all remaining players dealt
another face-up card. This fourth card is appropriately called fourth street.
Another
betting round takes place, and this time the big bet is always used as the opening bet
size. Once again, the player showing the best hand can either check or bet, and all
subsequent players can either check (if checked to), bet, or raise.
Fifth Street
After
fourth street, a final face-up card is dealt to each player. This card, known as fifth
street, precedes the final betting round. Once again using the big bet as the opening
size, the action starts with the player showing the best hand, then clockwise around
the table.
If on any street a player bets or raises, and all other players fold, the
player who bet or raised wins the hand, without a showdown.
If two or more players make
it through fifth street without folding, a showdown commences, and each player reveals
their hole card. The player with the best five-card hand, according to poker hand
rankings, wins.
Let's see what that face down card was throughout the article:
This
player has a pair of aces, which is a fairly strong hand in 5 Card Stud. As you might
expect, five-card poker hands like flushes and straights are very rare in 5 Card
Draw.
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