7 Card Stud is an action packed poker game. The edges are very volatile making raising and fast play very often a good strategy. Being one of the original poker games, almost anyone who has ever played poker is familiar with this particular type of poker game. Home (private) games as well as public card rooms usually have 7 Card Stud as one of their main games offered. Familiarize yourself with our game structure and then have fun at the tables.

All players must first ante before they receive their initial cards. There are five betting rounds in a complete game of 7 Card Stud, not including the ante.

The action is started by forcing the lowest up card by rank and suit to bet the amount that corresponds to the bring-in for each limit. The action then rotates clockwise and players must either call the minimum bet forced by the low card, or make the first raise, which only completes the bet to the lower value of the limit structure. Raises thereafter are of the exact amounts of the fixed limits for each betting round.

On the first round of betting, the low card by suit is required to initiate action with a minimum small bring-in bet. Suits are ranked: spades (highest), hearts, diamonds, clubs. On subsequent rounds, the high hand on board initiates betting action. If hands are tied, the player to the left of the dealer acts first. In all cases, the action prompts will inform the players as to who acts first.

Each bet and raise during the first two rounds of betting is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure, except the first raise simply completes the bet up to the lower limit. Bring-in in the $5-$10 limit is $2 and the first raise completes the bet to $5, then all bets and raises are $5 for the first two rounds.

The exception to this rule is if any player displays a pair with their 2 face-up cards on 4th Street. In this circumstance, all players have the option to bet either the lower limit or the higher limit. If a player bets the higher limit, then all subsequent raises must be made at the higher limit.

Each bet and raise during the last three rounds of betting is now increased to the value of the higher limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $5/$10 game, all bets and raises are $10 for the last three rounds (5th street, 6th street and the river).

One bet plus three raises (four total bets) is the maximum allowable number of bets per player during any particular betting round. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. The term cap is commonly used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and cannot be raised anymore. Once the pot is capped (all raises being exhausted for this round of betting), then players will have only the option of calling or folding until the next betting round starts.

When players show their hands (the showdown), they may use any 5 of their 7 cards to make their best possible poker hand.

It is possible to run out of cards in 7-card Stud if all eight players stay until the last card is dealt. If this situation does occur (as rare as it may be), the dealer will turn one board card face-up and it will be used as a community card.