7 Card Stud

About the Game

Seven-card stud is a popular game, especially on the East Coast of North America. It's likely that if you've ever played any type of poker at all, it was probably 7-card stud.

How to Play

ANTE (a forced bet before the start of the game)

Players must fix the ante before any cards are dealt. The amount of the ante reflects the limits set at each particular table - the lower the limit, the lower the ante. $0.50/$1.00 tables have no ante, $10.00/$20.00 tables have a $1.00 ante.

There are five rounds of betting in 7 Card Stud. You are dealt two down cards (pocket cards) and one up card. Other players can't see your pocket cards. The player showing the lowest up card by suit must bring-in the first round of betting with a forced bet of half the lower limit. The suits are ranked in the following order, from highest to lowest: spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Don't worry too much about who goes first as the software will prompt the player who is to begin the betting. After the initial betting round, three more up cards are delivered, with a round of betting after each card. Then the final card is dealt face down after which the final round of betting starts.

Order of Play

• All participating players must ante.
• The dealer deals each player two cards face down (pocket card) and one card face up.
• The first betting round takes place.
• The dealer deals the second face up card to each player.
• The second betting round takes place.
• The dealer deals the third face up card to each player.
• The third betting round takes place.
• The dealer deals the fourth face up card to each player.
• The fourth betting round takes place.
• The dealer deals the fifth face up card to each player.
• The fifth betting round takes place.
• Showdown.The best five-card hand is determined.
• The winner takes the Pot.

7 Card Stud Rules

Betting Structure -

The stakes being offered at the particular table determines the limit or maximum bet on any player's turn. Example: at a $1-$2 table, the limit on any bet is $1 on the first two betting rounds and $2 on the final three betting rounds. Betting rounds consist of a bet and three raises. The final raise is capped and a player has only the option to call or fold once capped.

Note: The betting action of the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the table structure. The exception to this rule is when a player shows One Pair after the Fourth Street. All players have the option to bet the higher limit for the second round of betting. If a player does bet the higher limit, subsequent bets or raises must also be at the higher limit.

THE SHOWDOWN

The first person to show his hand is the last person to show strength with a bet or raise. The winning hand is the highest 5-card hand using any combination of the seven cards that are available. The player holding the highest poker hand wins the Pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is divided equally.

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Note: It is important to note that our 7 Card Stud tables allow 8 players to be seated The total number of cards needed for all the players to receive their own seventh card face down would not be available in a standard deck of cards. In this case the river card is dealt during the final betting round face up on the table and it will be used as a community card.