Poker Rules - Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo

Seven Card Stud is one of the oldest and at one point in time the most popular variations of poker. Although it is not the most commonly played game in live card rooms, most online poker sites do provide Seven Card Stud and/or its counterpart Seven Card Stud Hi Lo. This article provides rules and instructions to play the hi version, as well as a brief overview of hi lo also referred to as Seven Card Stud 8 or better.

There are two very distinct features in Seven Card Stud that are not found in either Holdem or Omaha. The first is players will receive seven cards with no community cards and must make the best five-card hand from those seven. The other is unlike Omaha or Holdem where players can play multiple formats such as No Limit and Pot Limit, Seven Card is played in fixed limit.

Rules for Seven Card Stud

Prior to any cards being dealt the players will need to ante into the game. This is a fixed amount based on the blinds of the game. Each player will than receive two cards face down and one card face up. The player with the lowest exposed hole card will be the first person to act, also referred to as the “bring in”. This player will then be forced to bet half of the big blind or a full blind. There is no exception to this rule whether you want to play the hand or not, you will be forced to place the first bet. In a traditional game of Seven Card, in the event of a tie the tie breaker will be determined based on ranks of suit (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs). Once the “bring in” has been played, each additional player will take their turn with three options, call, bet or fold.

Once the betting round is complete players will now receive an additional card face up, also referred to as “Fourth Street”. Unlike the first round where the player with the lowest exposed card was first to act, it will now be the player with the highest exposed poker hand who will begin the betting round. If a player has a pair, than opening bet will be the big blind. If no pair is showing than the opening bet will be the small blind.

Once the betting round is complete, the dealer will deal another card to each player face up, referred to as “Fifth Street”. Just like Fourth Street, the player with the highest ranked poker hand using the three exposed cards will open betting. Once this round is complete another will follow also known as Sixth Street and by an additional betting round.

After players have complete betting the dealer will deal the final and seventh card face down. The player with the highest ranked hand will open betting and players will use 5 out of their 7 hole cards to complete the best hand possible. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. In the event of a tie, the players will split the pot.

7 Card Stud Hi Lo

Seven Card Stud Hi Lo is played exactly like Seven Card Stud Hi expect there can be two possible winners, one playing for hi and the other playing for lo. In order for a player to play for the lo pot, their hand must consist of five cards 8 or lower to qualify. The best possible hand to have in hi lo is A,2,3,4,5 followed by A,2,3,4,6