How to play seven-card stud

How To Play Seven-card Stud

In Seven-card Stud, each player receives in total seven cards over the course of five betting rounds, out of which they must form their best five-card poker hand (see Poker Hand Rankings). Unlike in flop games (hold’em, Omaha etc.) each player’s cards are his alone and at the end of all betting rounds, each player still in will have four cards face-up and three down or ‘hole’ cards.

Action in each hand of Seven-card Stud begins with the ante, a small compulsory bet which must be made by all players before the cards are dealt. The amount of the ante varies from place to place, and of course with the size of the game, but for example in a $1/$2 game the ante might be $0.10 or $0.25.

Once the antes are in, three cards are dealt to each player: two face down or ‘hole’ cards, and one face up. The exposed card is often called the ‘door’ card, or ‘third street.’

First betting round: The player with the lowest face up card must initiate the betting with a ‘bring in’ bet. If two players show the same lowest card, the bring in is decided by suit (clubs being the lowest, followed by diamonds, hearts, then spades). They may bet the full small bet (in a $1/$2 game, this would be $1) or a half bet ($0.50) to ‘bring in.’ Action then proceeds in a clockwise direction from the first bettor. Players may fold, call the bet or raise it. In a limit game there is a maximum of four bets (a bet and three raises) in every betting round (or ‘street’).

Second betting round: Once the total bet on third street has been matched, a second ‘up’ card is dealt to all remaining players. The action here, on ‘fourth street,’ and in all following betting rounds, begins with the player who shows the highest hand at the time. This player may check, bet the lower limit ($1 in a $1/$2 game), or, if he is showing a pair, there is also the option to bet the higher limit ($2). Once the first bet has been made, all subsequent raises must be in the same increment.

Third betting round: Once the total bet on fourth street has been matched, a third ‘up’ card (‘fifth street’) is dealt to all remaining players. Again, the action starts with player with the highest hand checking or betting. Here the size of the bet is the higher limit ($2 in a $1/$2 game). The bet size remains at this limit for the rest of the betting rounds.

Fourth betting round: Once the total bet on fifth street has been matched, a fourth ‘up’ card (‘sixth street’) is dealt to all remaining players. Betting occurs as in the previous round.

Fifth betting round: Once the total bet on sixth street has been matched, a seventh and final card (‘the river’ or ‘seventh street’) is dealt to all remaining players. This card is dealt face down. The player with the highest hand showing once again initiates the betting. At the end of this betting round, the last player to act (bet or check) shows their five-card best hand, and the other players reveal theirs if they beat it, or muck (fold) their losing hands.

Of course it will not always reach a showdown – if all players fold but one, this last player standing wins the pot uncontested and need not show their winning hand.

If two players show the same ranked hand, kickers are compared to break a tie. It is possible for two identical hands to be shown (e.g. two royal flushes) and in this case the pot is split equally between them.

If a player does not have enough chips to cover a bet, he remains in the hand as ‘all-in,’ and any further bets by other players go into a side pot, which the all-in player cannot win. This is the same for all games – a player may not be forced out of a hand by virtue of him having fewer chips than a bet requires, but may only win a pot he has matched bets in.