7 Card Stud

7 Card Stud

With the emergence of Omaha and Hold em, 7-Card Stud doesn’t receive nearly the attention it did at one time. However, for strong mathematical minds that can make quick calculations based on information you only see for a few seconds, stud is a game that can be both fun and profitable. For those players who spend most of their time at Omaha and Hold em tables, stud provides a change of pace that also allows you to develop some poker skills not used as often in those games.

First Round

The game begins with all players posting the 'ante' (a predetermined amount that each player contributes to the pot before the cards are dealt). At Silver Sands Poker the ante is 10% of the small blind on each table.

The size of antes for the games Silver Sands Poker offers are listed below:

• R.50/R1 - R0.05 ante
• R3/R6 - R.30 ante
• R5/R10 - R.50 ante
• R10/R20 - R1.00 ante

After the antes have been posted, each player is dealt two cards face-down and one card face-up. The face-up card is known as the 'door card'. The player with the lowest door card is forced to make a 'bring-in' bet that is approximately half of the smaller betting limit. In a R10/R20 stud game, the bring-in bet would be R5. If two or more players have the same lowest card, the person who brings it in is determined by suit. The rank of suits in ascending order is clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. The player who makes the bring-in bet also has the option of completing for the full amount. In the example above, completing the bet would make it R10.

Action then moves clockwise from the low card on the table. If the low card does not complete the bet, all players have the option of folding, calling the bring-in bet or completing the bet. Once any player completes the bet, the smaller betting limit is used for all raises in the rest of the first round.
There is a maximum of three raises in each betting round.

Second Round

A card is dealt face-up to each player that still remains in the hand. This card is known as 'Fourth Street'. From 'Fourth Street' on, the highest hand showing begins the action by checking or betting the smaller betting limit.
However, if any player pairs his door card, all players are given the option of making either a single or double bet. If a player makes a single bet, the other players may call, raise the single bet, raise the double bet or fold. If a player makes a double bet, all subsequent raises must be in the amount of a double bet.

Third Round

Another card is dealt face-up to those who remain in the hand. This round is also known as 'Fifth Street'. For this and all remaining rounds, the larger betting limit is used. Once again, the highest hand showing starts the action by checking or betting.

Fourth Round

Another card is dealt face-up. This round is also known as 'Sixth Street'. The highest hand showing again starts the action by checking or betting.

Fifth Round

The final card, also known as the 'river card' or 'seventh street' is dealt face-down. The exception to this rule is if there are not enough cards remaining in the deck to give one to each player. In this situation, a community card that can be used by all players in the hand is dealt face-up. The highest hand showing starts the action by checking or betting.
After the final round of betting, players turn their cards over and the best hand wins the pot. (The pot may also be won by someone who bets without being called at any time during the hand.). Hands are made by using the best five of seven cards.

A winning hand can be made in either of two ways.

• Five cards from the seven dealt to you
• One board (community) card and four of the cards dealt to you.

7-Card Stud uses the traditional hand rankings for poker to decide a winner. To view rankings of poker hands, click here. If two or more hands are the same ranking, the winner is the one having the higher cards. For example, an ace-high flush beats a king-high flush. If the poker hands remain tied, then the highest card not being held in common determines the winner.

In case of ties, suits are not considered when deciding on the winning cards. If two or more poker hands are absolutely identical besides suits, the pot is split evenly between the two or more winning players. If there is an odd amount, it is awarded to the winning player closest to the left of the dealer.

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