Seven card stud rules

Poker is a highly diverse game that offers players so many options from which to choose. One such great type of poker game is Seven Card Stud. This article will introduce you to the Seven Card Stud poker rules and equip you to play it with confidence.

Every poker player should be acquainted with not only the original Seven Card Stud poker but also other stud variants as they can be very entertaining when you are up for a challenging game.

If you are someone who has always played Texas Hold’em, the stud card game rules can be a little challenging for you. So, as you proceed, keep an open mind and set your Hold’em mind-frame aside.

 Basic Rules of Seven Card Stud

In this article, we will be dealing with the basic rules of 7 Card Stud. Seven Card Stud also has other variants like Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo and Razz that you can check out later.

For more information on poker games, you can read other articles on Spartan's how to play poker page and start playing!

Here we will discuss a basic overview of the rules of 7 Card Stud.

1. Hand rankings

The hand rankings in Seven Card Stud games remain the same. Seven Card Stud is after all poker so the Royal Flush is still the strongest hand and a High Card is still the weakest one.

2. Number of Players

In Seven Card Stud the major difference is that only a maximum of eight players can play at a table. This is because each player receives seven cards if they play till the end of the hand and the game is played with the staple fifty-two card deck.

3. The Ante

When playing Seven Card Stud, you need to post a forced bet called the ante before receiving any cards. It sounds odd but that is just how the game works. So right off the beat, you may have realized that this game is a little unique. This ante or forced bet is of a predetermined amount.

4. The Deal and the Bring In

After the antes are collected, you will receive two-hole cards that are private and dealt face down. You will also receive one card face up. This is for a reason, the player with the lowest upcard is the first to post a bet. If the player posts the minimum amount, then this bet is called the bring in.

You should make a note that an ace is high in Seven Card Stud. This makes the deuce the low card. And the lowest card is decided on this basis.

5. The Role of the Suits in deciding low cards

Often when playing Seven Card Stud , two players receive cards of the same rank, and deciding which card is lower becomes a problem. In this case, it is the suit of the card that ones into play. This is one of the rare occasions in poker that suits are taken into consideration. Otherwise, suits are a moot point in most poker games.

The ranks of the suits and as follows:

• Spades Hearts
• Diamonds
• Club

As you can see, the spades rank the highest, and the clubs fall the lowest in this hierarchy.

6. The Streets

In Seven Card Stud, we do not have flops; instead, we have streets. The cards that are dealt face up are called the streets, and there is a total of seven streets. No points for guessing that one! From these cards that are dealt, you will aim to make your best five-card hand.

After the first round of betting is complete, the player with the strongest up card will make the first bet, and the positions will thus change. It is a dynamic game and will take some practice to master. So, make sure you don’t give up after just a few tries.

Pro tip: Remember to keep an eye on the cards that your opponents receive. This will keep you on top of the stack. You can gauge the key cards that are taken and the ones for which you can still hope.

7. The Bets

In Seven Card Stud there is a small bet and a big bet. The small bet is in play in the first round and on the Fourth street. In contrast, the big bet is in play on the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Street.

So, here you have it. These are the famous Seven Card Stud card game rules. The rules of Seven Card Stud variants differ a little.

• Seven Card Hi/Lo is a split pot game where the best hand and the worst hand each take a half of the pot.
• Razz is the variant in which the low hand wins the pot. No matter which one you choose, all the stud variants are equally interesting and challenging.

Now that you have a good idea of the game gear up to play for real money on Spartan Poker and make yourself some cash on the side! Download the poker app now!

All the best!