7 Card Stud Poker: How to Play and What to Know
If you love playing poker in its truest form and want a variant that has a rich history behind it – we recommend 7 Card Stud poker. The game has been celebrated for years for its purity and increased difficulty of play.
Of course, we’re not saying that it’s any better or worse than any other variants out there. But 7 Card Stud has a strong base of players to this day.
So if you want to join in on all this incredible game has to offer, we can help! CoinPoker will take you on a journey of 7 Card Stud. We’ll also show you all the advantages and pitfalls along the way.
What Is 7 Card Stud Poker?
7 Card Stud poker, also known as Seven-Toed Pete or Down-the-River is a stud poker variant. Before the incredible surge of popularity of Texas Hold’Em, Seven Card Stud was one of the most widely played poker variants across the US.
The game is most commonly played with two to eight players. However, there are special rules when playing as an eight. What’s more, if the game is played by experienced players who fold often, it can even allow nine players.
7 Card Stud Poker Gameplay
At the start of the game, all players at the table will receive two cards, dealt face down, and one card dealt face up. The dealer will deal all of the cards one at a time.
The player with the lowest up card has to make a bring-in bet (which we’ll explain more about later). From there, the betting continues clockwise with the player who’s sitting next to the bring-in bet.
Then, a fourth card is dealt face up and the action will start with the player who’s holding the best up cards, continuing clockwise. Once that’s over, the fifth card is dealt face up, and the action continues as it did in the previous round.
Another card, the sixth one, is dealt face-up again, continuing the betting process that the two previous ones did. So the action begins with the player holding the best up cards and continues clockwise.
The seventh card is dealt face down, and the action will start once again with the player who’s holding the best up cards, continuing clockwise. All the players left in the hand have to make the best possible five-card poker hand.
7 Card Stud Poker Betting Rules and Dealing
When playing Limit Stud, the betting limits are fixed at set amounts. That means that the bet size determines the size of the game.
As an example, in a $5/$10 game, the small bet is $5 and the big bet is $10. In 7 Card Stud, the ante is usually 10% of the big bet, and the minimum bring-in is equal to the ante.
All betting and raising in 7 Card Stud is done in increments of the big or small bets. Which one you make depends on the street the betting’s taking place.
For the first two betting rounds, players bet in increments of the small bet. However, in the last three betting rounds, players bet in increments of the big bet.
Ante and Bring
After the shuffling’s done, all players at the table have to ante, which in 7 Card, is dead money. That means that all the ante immediately goes into the pot and any bets you make will be in addition to the antes.
One thing to know is that in Stud, the action starts in the hand with the bring. The player who has the lowest-value up card is the one who has to bring it in.
That player has two choices: they can either bring by making a bet that’s the same size as the ante or they can complete the bet to the full amount of the small bet.
7 Card Stud Poker Strategies
As you might have been able to tell by now, Seven Card Stud is very different from other poker variants. That means that it’ll require you to have the rules of poker down pat and a few strategies up your sleeve.
One key part of your game has to be knowing what the winning hand looks like. Once you know what the best hands in 7 Card Stud are, you’ll be able to make much better decisions when it comes to betting and folding.
Another part of your strategy has to be remembering which cards were already dealt to a player who has since folded. When you know which cards are no longer in play, it’ll help you predict what other players might be holding.
You should also know how to control the pot in 7 Card Stud. That can decide how much you end up bringing home with you (or leaving behind).
Tips to Know
As with any other poker variant, 7 Card Stud requires you to be very selective with your starting hands. There’s nothing more important in this game than choosing the right starting hand in a specific situation.
What’s more, 7 Card Stud will truly test your ability to read others at the table. To be successful at this game, you’ll quickly need to spot those who fold at aggression, the ones that bluff and the ones that can be bluffed, and more. Picking up on these things will become a cornerstone of your strategy.
You should also always be aware of the up cards. Know which hands are live and which key cards are no longer there. Of course, this isn’t a skill that you’ll pick up after a game or two, but rather something that you’ll have to work toward.
To Sum Up 7 Card Stud Poker
For a long time, 7 Card Stud was one of the hottest games around. It was even played at the first-ever WSOP, along with Texas Hold’Em, Deuce to Seven, Razz, and Five Card Stud.
It’s a thrilling and high-octane game that we’re hoping is making a comeback. And if you want to test your poker skills, there’s no better place to do it than CoinPoker!
With our variety of games, lobbies, and players from all over the world – we’re sure to have something for everyone. So download CoinPoker today and don’t miss out on a second more of fun!