7 Card Stud : The Rules
A popular and well known poker game, Seven Card Stud is played with up to eight people at a table.
NOTE : Seven Card Stud is a variation of poker in which the bets and raises are pre-set. For example: the opening bet is five dollars (no more, no less), the raise is to 10 dollars (no more, no less) and so on with each raise being equal to the pre-set bet amount and not to exceed 3 raises over the original bet. *This of course excludes the exceptions for being "All-In" and the "Double Bet \ Raise" in cases of showing pairs at Fourth Street*
Winning : In Seven Card Stud each player is dealt a total of seven cards, including 3 "down" cards (only you see your down cards until the hand is over) and 2 "up" cards (every one sees these cards as the hand progresses). The winner of each seven card stud hand is the player who has the best general poker hand, using 5 out of the 7 cards they are dealt. A player who places an uncalled bet (all remaining players fold) also wins the pot.
Step 1 - Ante Up : Each player must post an ante at the begining of each hand after which they are all dealt the first 2 down cards and the first up card. This first up card is also called the "Door Card" or "Third Street". Once the cards are dealt it is on the player with the lowest Door Card to start the action by placing either a "Bring-In" Bet (a bet smaller than the standard opening bet) or a Complete Bet (equal to the standard minimum). Each player in clockwise rotation (to the left) then must call, raise (or complete if only the Bring-In was posted), or fold. *(In case of a numerical tie in lowest cards, reffer to the the suit rankings: from lowest to highest they are Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades)*
--(Betting Round 1)--
Step 2 - Fourth Street : When betting ends on Third Street, a second up card is dealt to all player that did not fold. From this point on the player with the highest face-up card starts the round with either a bet or by checking. (Again if their is a tie in who has the highest card, compare by suit to determine who starts the betting *THIS RULE DOES NOT APPLY TO DETERMINING WHO WINS THE HAND*) If there is a pair showing on Fourth Street then a Double Bet may be placed (which is a bet equal to double the standard Fourth Street opening bet). In the case of a single bet (while a double bet is possible) players may choose the standard call, or fold, as well as single raise (raise equal to bet) or double raise (raise equal to double the bet). In the event that the Double Bet is placed players must call or raise equal to the double, or else fold.
--(Betting Round 2)--
Step 3 - Fifth Street : Once the action stops at Fourth Street, a third up card, called...Fifth Street, is dealt to all those still holding cards. The standard minimum bet doubles on Fifth Street from what it was at Fourth. (Example: A game using a five dollar opening bet has a 10 dollar bet once Fifth Street is dealt.) This doubled amount is used through-out the remainder of the hand. Once again checking \ betting ensues.
--(Betting Round 3)--
Step 4 - Sixth Street : Now that the pot is over-flowing and you can't wait to win it all the fourth and final up card is dealt to you and that last pesky oppenent. You guessed it this is Sixth Street, and whoever shows the highest card begins by checking or betting.
--(Betting Round 4)--
Step 5 - Seventh Street : Seventh Street is also known as "The River", it is the last card of the hand and is the third down card (that nobody knows what is). Whoever began betting at Sixth Street will also begin at Seventh because they will still have the highest card showing. Once the final bets are placed and called the cards are turned over and the player with the best general 5 card poker hand using any of the 7 they were dealt wins it all.
--(Betting Round 5)--
When the situation where two or more players have the "EXACT" same hand (not counting suits) the pot will split equally amongst the players who matched hands.
Refer to the Poker Games or Hand Ranking sections for further information on comparing poker hands and determining a winner. Remember certain situations aren't possible in some variations of poker.
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