7 Card Stud Poker Introduction

7 Card Stud was probably the most popular form of poker in the world for most of the last half century, although Texas hold'em surpassed it in popularity in 2 of the Americas largest regulated gambling centers, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, around 1989. Mmm… bet you didn’t know that useless fact about 7 card stud poker.

The rules state the following: uncommon to any other poker games, only a maximum of 8 players can play at a 7 Card Stud table. Please note, this rule vary depends on where you play. There are 5 stated betting rounds in an entire game of 7 Card Stud. This does not include the ante bet. Each player, starting from position 1 (the position to the left of the dealer), is dealt 2 cards face down, then 4 cards face up, and the final, (called the (river) card is dealt face down.

Each player must put a forced bet, an ante also known as the blind bet, into the pot before the player receives his first 3 card. The first deal contains 2 cards dealt face down, this is referred to as the hole cards, and 1 card dealt face-up, known as the door card. The player with the lowest exposed (door) card (using suits in reverse order—clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades—if there is a tie) is required to start the action by betting a minimum of half the lower limit of the actual game being played. This starting bet is called the bring-in.

When the bring-in occurs, you always have the possibility of betting either half the lower limit or the lower limit for the table nominated. To illistrate, in a $2-$4 7 card stud poker game, the player with the lowest door card must make a forced bet of either $1 or $2. Thereafter the 1st round of betting, all following rounds start with the player with the hi hand on board beginning the betting action. In the case of a tie, the player to the left of the dealer starts the betting action.

Here are some examples to explain further:

• After each player has 2 upcards, 1 player has an ace, no other player has an ace or a pair, the player with the ace has 1st action and can start betting.
• After each player has 2 upcards, 2 players have ace-king and no other player has a pair, the player with the ace-king sitting closest to the left of the dealer starts the betting. Suits mean nothing in this instance.
• After each player has 2 upcards, 2 players each have king-king and no player has ace-ace, the player with the pair of kings sitting closest to the left of the dealer initiates the betting.

7 Card Stud Poker Betting Rounds

Round One - A fresh table starts off with all the players putting in the "blind bet". This amount is based on the limit of the game you are playing. By way of example, the ante amount for a 1/2 table is 25 cents while for a 3/6 table, it is 50 cents. All players need to post an anete bet before the game can start. As stated before, in 7 card stud poker, players receive 7 cards, 3 "down" cards and 4 "up" cards. After the antes are put down, each player is dealt 3 cards (2 of these cards are "down" cards and one "up" card). The "up" card is also known as the "door card" or "3rd Street". 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 decided by suit order going up from from clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades.) Each player can have 1 bet and 3 raises in each round. To continue play, players must make a decision from what is displayed to them on each betting round (unless they are all-in).

Round two - another card is dealt face-up to each player that still remains in the pot (those who didn't fold on in the first round. This is called "4th Street". From "4th Street" onwards, the highest hand begins the action by checking or betting. If a pair is showing on "4th Street", 7 card stud players have the option to make a single or double bet. If a player makes this bet, the other players have the option of calling, raise the single bet, raise the double bet or fold. In case of a double bet, only the same amount can be raised.

Round three- another card is dealt face-up to those who are still in the pot. This is called "5th Street". The third round of betting begins - this doubles the value of each bet is double of what was available in the first 2 rounds - and continues at this amount for the remaining betting rounds. The highest hand showing again starts the action by checking or betting.

Round Four - In 7 card stud upon the completion of betting on "5th street", another card is dealt face-up. This is "6th Street" (fourth betting round).

Round five - The final card is dealt face down. The last card is commonly referred to as the "River Card" or "7th Street" and the final round of betting.

Showdown - After the final round of betting in 7 card stud the players left then enter the showdown. The hands are called in order of turn and each player reveals their face down cards. If a player wishes to compete with this hand they reveal their pocket cards, or they can yield and muck out (Fold). The player with the best 5 card hand takes the pot, any 5 of their 7 cards can be used to make up their best possible hand. Should more then the same hands tie, the pot is split with any odd amount going to the player to the left of the dealer.