History

In the earliest days of poker, there were few draws (sometimes none at all) and only one or two betting rounds. The problem with that system was that opposing players did not have enough information about the other hands to be able to form intelligent betting strategies. Stud poker came along to provide that additional information in two ways: By dealing some of the cards face up, and by doling the cards out slowly, causing multiple betting rounds.

Five-Card Stud probably emerged before Seven-Card Stud, but without a draw and without extra cards, it was a challenge to develop very strong hands. Players quickly found that Seven-Card Stud permits more possibilities, particularly with "draw hands," like flushes and straights. Though Five-Card Stud is still occasionally played, and was even a WSOP event more than 35 years ago, today Seven-Card Stud dominates player preferences.

The "stud" in Seven-Card Stud is the subject of some debate. Many think the name comes from the fact that cards are turned face up, showing their pips, which may have resembled studs to the players in the American West of the 19th century.

Types of Seven-Card Stud

Seven-Card Stud comes in three varieties. In addition to the usual "high" form (referred to simply as "Seven-Card Stud"), there is also Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo, often called "Eights or Better," and there is Seven-Card Stud Lo, which is usually called "Razz." Each of these games is discussed separately.

Betting Structures

Stud poker of all three types is played in a "Limit" version (also called "Fixed Limit") and in a "Pot Limit" version. The designation of a Limit Stud game as "$2/$4" for example, means that the fixed size of all bets and raises is $2 in the early stages of the game (the "small bet") and $4 in the later stages of the game (the "big bet"). A table might specify "Spread Limit," which is just a variant of Limit Stud in which the bets and raises are not constrained to the exact amounts of the small or large bets, but can be in any value (usually in even dollars) up to the limit (large or small, as applicable), which serves as the ceiling. "Pot Limit" stud permits bets up to the value of the pot at the time the bet is made. This relaxation of the limit usually occurs only in the betting round (or sometimes in the last couple of betting rounds, according to house rules). It is possible, of course, to have "No Limit" stud poker, but in live card rooms this betting structure is unusual. Online, stud players can frequently find a No Limit Stud table.

The Deal

The following rules are applicable to all three types of Seven-Card Stud. A full table can be considered anywhere from six to eight players. Each player makes an ante, which is usually a fraction of the small bet. If a player doesn't ante, it is presumed that he or she is sitting out the hand.

Then the dealer distributes cards clockwise, starting with the person to the left of the dealer button. By the end of the hand, each player will have received seven cards. At an eight-person table it is conceivable that all players will remain active (not fold) to the very end. In that case, there will not be enough cards in the deck to go around, so the seventh card will be placed face up in the middle of the table and serve as the seventh card for all eight players.

The first deal will distribute three cards to each player - two of them face down (the "hole" or the "pocket") and one face up (the "door" card). The door card is occasionally called "Third Street."

Then there will be a round of betting, starting with the person showing the lowest door card (the highest door card in Razz). In the case of tie by rank, the lower-ranked suit will have to go first. (This is the only time that suit-hierarchy is relevant. The suits go from highest to lowest as follows: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs.)

Betting always proceeds clockwise. The person starting the action is required to make a forced, blind bet, called the "bring-in" bet. It is usually one-half the size of a small bet, though it can be a full bet if the player so chooses. Everyone else, in turn, must then call, fold or raise, according to their hands.

Once all bets have been completed for round one, A second face up card is dealt to each player, called "Fourth Street," and a second round of betting takes place. Betting commences in round two with the player showing the best hand on the board (which may be low or high, depending on the game). In a case of a tie, the player nearest the dealer's left will go first.

"Fifth Street" is then dealt, face up, and the same betting system is used as for Fourth Street, except that the betting unit in Limit games is now the "big bet."

"Sixth Street" is then dealt, face up, with the Sixth Street betting round following the same system as for Fifth Street.

The final card is "Seventh Street," often called "the River." It is dealt face down. At this point, each player has two pocket cards, face down, four up cards, and the last card face down. The final round of betting takes place before a showdown.

If more than one person is still in the game by the time the Seventh Street betting is complete, there will be a showdown in which the players reveal their hands, starting with the last person to bet.

The hand that contains the best-ranking five out of seven cards is the winner. Ties split the pot. Be sure to check the rules for Razz and Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo for the definitions of qualifying and winning low hands.