Viva Macau Poker - 7 Card Stud

Before Texas Hold'em became the most popular poker game, Seven Card Stud (also called Stud Hi) was what most people played when poker night came around.

It is a game that requires concentration, memorization, skill and savvy. Although it has given way to Hold'em, it still remains enormously popular in both the live and online environments.

Basic Play

1. Ante Bets
2. Deal - each player is dealt 3 cards
3. First betting round
4. Forth Street - each player is dealt a 4th card
5. Second betting round
6. Fifth Street - each player is dealt a 5th card
7. Third betting round
8. Sixth Street - each player is dealt a 6th card
9. Forth betting round
10. The River - each player is dealt a 7th card
11. Final betting round
12. Showdown

7 Card Stud - The Dealer Button

7 Card Stud makes use of a Dealer Button to determine the betting order in the case of a tie in the later betting rounds. Typically, the player with the highest ranking Poker Hand will be the first to bet in rounds 2, 3, 4 and 5, but if two players have equivalent ranked hands, the player sitting closest to the left of the dealer plays first.

At a new table the first player seated gets the dealer button. At the end of each hand the dealer button moves clockwise to the next player. This ensures that each player has an equal chance of playing early or late.

7 Card Stud - Ante Bets

In 7 Card Stud, all players must post a blind bet called the "Ante" before the initial deal.

7 Card Stud - First Betting Round

On the initial deal each player is dealt three cards, two face-down ("hole cards or private cards") and one face-up called the ("up card or door card").

The player with the lowest valued card will begin the first betting round with a forced bet (called the bring in). If two or more players have the same value card then they are ranked according to suit - high to low - spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs, to determine who plays first. This is the only time suits will play a role in the game.

Play moves in a clockwise direction with players either calling the bring, completing the bet (raising to the lower limit) or folding. These options are available depending on the action taken by the previous player. If any player bets all the other players must call the bet, raise or fold. To "call" is to bet the same as the previous player. To raise is to match the previous bet and increase the bet. There is a limit of three re-raises in all betting rounds.

7 Card Stud - Second Betting Round

Now each player is dealt another card face-up called the "Fourth Street".

The player with the highest two-card hand begins the betting round. This is known as "having the action". If there is a hand tie between players then the player with the highest valued hand and sitting closest to the left of the dealer will have the action.

7 Card Stud - Third Betting Round

Each player is again dealt another card face-up called the "Fifth Street". The third betting round will start with the player with the highest three-card hand value.

7 Card Stud - Fourth Betting Round

Each player is again dealt another card face-up called the "Sixth Street". The fourth betting round will start with the player with the highest four-card value.

7 Card Stud - Final Betting Round

Now the seventh and final card, called the "River", will be dealt face-down to all the players and the fifth and final betting round starts with the player with the highest valued hand. Occasionally if there are not enough cards left to give each player their final seventh card, the river. In this case one community card will be placed, face-up, in the center of the table and will be shared by all the players.

After the final round of betting it's time for showdown and the player with the highest hand using any combination of five of their seven cards wins the pot.

 

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