Seven Card Stud Poker Rules

Seven card stud is one of the most popular variations of table poker played today. It offers simple rules and a classic poker style that attracts amateur and professional poker players.

There are five betting rounds in the game, after which players are required to create their best five card poker hand using any five of the seven cards dealt to them. In total, players will be dealt four cards face up and three cards face down.

Step 1 – The Antes

To begin the game, each player must place an initial bet – the ante bet, that goes directly into the pot in the middle of the table.

Step 2 – The First Deal

  
Players are each dealt three cards – one card face up (the door card) and two cards face down (the hole cards). Dealing begins with the player immediately to the left of the dealer and continues clockwise around the table.

Step 3 – The First Betting Round – Third Street

Betting begins with the active player (player who has not folded) who holds the lowest ranking door card and continues clockwise around the table. The minimum bet must be no less than the bring-in amount (half the lower limit stake of the table) and the maximum bet cannot exceed the lower limit stake of the table. Each player can call, raise or fold. The betting is capped, in any of the betting rounds where there are at least three active players, after one bet and three raises, following which players are only able to call or fold. 

Step 4 – The Second Deal Round – Fourth Street

Also known as Fourth Street, the dealer deals one card face up, to each player.

Step 5 – The Second Betting Round

  
The second betting round begins with the player who holds the highest ranking show cards and continues clockwise around the table. Players are able to call, raise or fold with the betting round set at the lower limit stake of the table.

Step 6 – The Third Deal – Fifth Street

Also known as fifth street, the dealer deals one card face up to each player.

Step 7 – The Third Betting Round

The betting round begins with the active player who holds the highest ranking show cards and continues clockwise around the table. Players can call, raise or fold and betting is set at the high table limit.

Step 8 – The Fourth Deal – Sixth Street

The dealer deals one card face up to each active player remaining in the game.

Step 9 – The Fourth Betting Round

Each player can call, raise or fold, starting with the player with the highest ranking show card. Play continues clockwise. Betting is set at the high table limit.

Step 10 – The Fifth Deal – Seventh Street

Also known as the River, the fifth deal is the final one where each player is dealt their seventh and last card face down. If there are not enough cards left to give each player their own card, then one card is dealt face up into the center of the table and it becomes a community boardcard.

Step 11 – The Fifth Betting Round

This is the final betting round and starts with the active player with the highest ranked show card. The betting round is set at the high table limit.

Step 12 – The Showdown

Each remaining player creates their final five card poker hand using any of the seven cards dealt to them. The player with the highest ranking hand wins the entire pot, minus the rake. If none of the remaining players hold a ranking poker hand, the high card from each hand is compared to determine the winner.