Playing Guide

Before Texas Hold’em exploded and took over the poker world, 7-Card Stud was certainly the game of choice in casinos all across America and one of the most popular versions of home games across the world.

Stud poker has its roots all the way back to the American Civil War and its popularity was unbroken from the 1860s all the way through to the 1970s. 7-Card Stud grew out of 5-Card Stud and is believed to have arrived on the scene in the early part of the 20th Century.

It is a great game to play and it's no wonder that it still retains a fiercely loyal following. You should check it out on bet365 and see why so many players still prefer it to other games of poker.

Despite its name 7-Card Stud is still a game of five cards, as you seek to make the best five card hand from seven cards you will have dealt to you. The main difference between Stud and Hold'em poker is that in 7-Card Stud all of the seven cards you have dealt to you are yours and yours alone. There are no community cards to share. Each player must make their hands from the cards they have dealt to them.

If you want to acquaint yourselves with the basics and mechanics of the game then please carry on reading as we provide you with this guide to get you started with 7-Card Stud.

Playing 7 Card Stud

To play Seven-Card Stud you must have enough chips on the table to place an ante and a bet.

Seven-Card Stud plays as follows:

1. Place an ante on the table. The ante amount is set by the card room, however there is no ante at $0.50/$1.00 tables.
2. You are dealt three cards, two hole cards and one card face-up.
3. The Player with the lowest card showing by suit, must bring-in the betting.
4. A round of betting begins. Players can either: Raise, Call or Fold.
5. After all the Players have contributed the same amount into the pot, the fourth card, the Fourth Street, is dealt face-up and there is another round of betting. In fixed limit games, Fourth Street betting is still at the lower limit unless a Player has a Pair showing. If a Pair is showing, the first Player to bet may choose to open the betting at the higher limit.
6. At Fifth Street, in fixed limit games, the bets are at the higher amount whether or not a Pair is showing. At Sixth Street, the final face-up card is dealt.
7. The last phase of Seven-Card Stud is Seventh Street. The seventh card is dealt face down to all Players, followed by the final round of betting and the Showdown.

Note: Suits are ranked from low to high - Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades.