Seven Card Stud

Seven Card Stud is the most common form of poker. In Seven Card Stud, players will receive seven cards, three "down" cards and four "up" cards. Your "hand" is determined by using the best five of seven cards and the best hand wins the pot. Click here to see the Rank of Hands. (The pot may also be won by someone betting and no one calling prior to getting seven cards.)

There are five betting rounds in Seven Card Stud. One bet and three raises are allowed on each betting round. To continue to play, players must call all action to them on each "Street" or betting round.

Here is the procedure for Seven Card Stud:

1. Everyone "antes" (puts a predetermined amount in the pot before the cards are dealt).
2. Each player is dealt three cards (two "down" cards and one "up" card). This "up" card is also known as the "door card" or "Third Street".
3. The lowest "up" card must initiate the action with a "Bring-In" bet. (If two or more players have the same lowest card, the person who brings it in is determined by suit order progressing from clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades). "Third Street" is the first round of betting. Please note: If you are the low card and are "timed out" (do not act in your allotted amount of time), you will be forced to bring it in for the minimum and WILL BE FOLDED automatically on your next action (whether it be 3rd street or 4th street and whether or not you get back to the table in time to act).
4. Another card is dealt face-up. This is "Fourth Street" (the second round of betting). From "Fourth Street" on, the highest hand showing begins the action by checking or betting. (If a pair is showing on "Fourth Street", players have the option to make a single or double bet.If you wish to raise and your opponent makes a single bet, you may raise a single or double bet. If your opponent makes a double bet and you wish to raise, you may only raise an equal amount.)
5. Another card is dealt face-up. This is called "Fifth Street" (the third round of betting - which doubles - and continues at this amount for the remaining betting rounds ).
6. Another card is dealt face-up. This is "Sixth Street" (fourth betting round).
7. The final card is dealt down. The last card is also known as the "River Card" or "Seventh Street" (final round of betting).
8. Upon completion of the final round of betting, the best hand wins the pot.

Note: The antes, bring-ins, and betting limits are determined by the size of the game.

Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better

Stud 8 or Better is the High/Low version of Seven Card Stud. It is a "split-pot" game. There is no qualifying on the "High" side - the best hand automatically wins half the pot and could win the whole pot. To win the "Low" side, however, you have to qualify (which is why the game is called Seven Card Stud "8 or Better").

The game is played with exactly the same format and structure as Seven Card Stud. The difference is that if someone qualifies for "Low", the pot is split. 

To qualify for Low: It takes a five-card hand with different numerical values from Ace through eight (with the Ace being the lowest value) to qualify for the "Low" half of the pot. The best "Low" hand is A,2,3,4,5 (also known as the "wheel" or "bicycle"). The winning "Low" hand is the one with the lowest high card in it. If two or more players qualify for "Low" but have the same high card, the second lowest high card (and if necessary progressing down to the third, fourth, or fifth lowest card) would be the winning hand. For example, a 2,3,4,6,8 would be a better "Low" hand than an A,2,4,7,8.

Important:

1. Straights and flushes do NOT count against you on the "Low" side.
2. You may use any combination of cards for the "High" hand or the "Low" hand or you may use the same cards for both the "High" and "Low" sides.
3. In a split pot, any leftover odd chip goes to the "High" hand. (In the vast majority of games, this will be a $1.00 chip.) If two or more players tie for the "High" side of the pot and there is an odd chip, the player with the highest card in their hand is awarded the odd chip. (If they have the same high valued card, the suit takes preference going from Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs.) If two or more players "tie" for the "Low" side of the pot and there is an odd chip, that chip is awarded to the player with the lowest card in their hand. (If they have the same lowest card, the suit takes preference in the order of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades.)
4. When a player "scoops" a pot, they win the whole pot. (This is your mission.)