7 Card Stud Rules

Seven Card Stud Poker is one of the most popular online poker games. It is important to understand the rules of the game before beginning play. Try and play a few play money hands before trying real money seven card stud online poker games

The Rules of Seven Card Stud Poker

There can be up to eight players at the seven card stud poker table.

All players are required to ante before the deal starts. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction beginning with a player to the immediate left of the dealer. As soon as each player has received two cards face down (the hole cards) and one card face up (the door card) the first betting round of seven card stud poker starts. There is no dealer button in the game and the order of betting is determined by card value. The first player to place a bet that equals half the lower betting limit is the one with the lowest open card. If there is a tie suit is used to determine the first player to bet. The rank of suits is as follows: spades (the highest), hearts, diamonds and clubs (the lowest). If hands are still tied the player to the immediate left of the dealer goes first. In all subsequent betting rounds the player with the highest board cards opens betting.

There are five betting rounds in each hand. Bets and raises in the first two betting rounds are limited to the minimum bet. The only exception to the rule is when any player has an open pair on the fourth card (4th street). In this case every player has an opportunity to choose whether to bet the minimum amount or the maximum. If a player places the minimum bet all subsequent raises in the betting round may equal either the minimum bet or the maximum. Once the maximum bet has been placed all subsequent raises must be of the same amount. Bets and raises in the last three rounds equal the maximum bet.


After the first betting round each player is dealt one more card face up (4th street). If any player gets a card that makes a pair with his first open card the above-mentioned exception to the betting rules comes into force.
The player with the highest board cards opens the second betting round.


As soon as the second betting round is completed each player receives another card face up (5th street).


The player with the highest board cards initiates action in the third betting round.


After the third betting round each player is dealt one more card face up (6th street)


The fourth betting round begins in accordance with the above-mentioned rules.


Finally, each player receives a seventh card face down (the river card) and the last betting round takes place.


At the showdown each player is allowed to use 5 of his 7 cards to make the best possible combination.

7 card stud hi lo games are the same as 7 card hi games except that the pot is split between the highest poker hand and the lowest poker hand at the table.


It is a rare occasion when a situation occurs where there are not enough cards left in the deck to give each player their own river card. In this case, the dealer turns one card face up to be used as a community card, good luck in playing seven card stud poker as well as other online poker games.

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