7 Card Stud

In stud poker and draw poker there are no community cards, the players all get their own cards. In stud some are face up but in draw poker they are all face down. 7 Card stud first though.

To start you must all place the Ante into the pot, this is usually a percentage of the lower limit that is set at the beginning of the game. You then get two hole cards (face down) each and 1 card each face up. The player with the best face card bets first. If two or more players has the same value face card they go by suit rank (top to bottom Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs), highest card first. At this stage and only at this stage the player with the best hand can play a Bring-in bet. This is basically a small blind. If the other players call then that’s it but if they complete the bet or raise then the first player has to match it.

Once this stage is finished you get the second of the face up cards (face up cards in this game are called streets), the second face up card, the fourth card is called the fourth street etc. Again the player with the best face up hand bets first but no bring-in. From here on in any player can bet the maximum limit(high limit). Once bet all bets from here on in are the high limit. If the limit is £10 then every player who wants to stay in bets £10 at every stage from there till the end.

You then do the same for the fifth and sixth streets. After that you get the RIVER card which is face down. At the last betting stage the high limit is applied. When all betting is over the person with the best 5 card poker hand wins. This game can be a lot more expensive than others because after getting to the fifth street if you have stayed in hoping for a card to give you a flush or straight and been paying high limit it is hard to just give in and fold.

Next we will look at 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo which is a variation of this and a little harder to play.

HOW TO PLAY POKER