Poker Rules
Seven-Card-Stud Rules
2006-05-04 14:42:21
No community cards are used in Seven-Card Stud, and there are five betting rounds as opposed to the four in Texas Holdem and Omaha. The game does not have fixed positions; instead, the order of betting is determined by the cards showing.
No blinds are used; instead all players post an ante. When the antes have been posted, each player receives three cards: two face-down hole cards and one up-card, which is visible to all players.
The player with the lowest card showing must take the initiative and make a "bring-in" bet. The bring-in bet is usually half the size of a small standard bet in fixed limit.
The next player to act is the one to the left of the player who made the bring-in, and the betting continues clockwise until all players have acted.
A fourth card, called "Fourth Street" is dealt face up to the players still in the hand. This betting round is started by the player with the best cards showing.
Both the fifth and the sixth card follow the same procedure. They are dealt face up, and the player with the best cards showing starts another betting round.
The seventh and final card is dealt face down, and the player with the best up-cards starts the final betting round. If more than one player is still in the hand at the end of the betting round, there will be a showdown, and the player who can show the best five-card hand wins the pot.
As the name implies, each player is dealt seven total cards in Seven-Card Stud, and for that reason it can't be played by as many players simultaneously as Texas Holdem. Actually, at a full table of eight, there won't be enough cards left in the deck in the unlikely event that everyone stays in the hand until the end. In that case, a final card is placed face-up on the table as a community card, but otherwise all the cards are individual.
Double bet on fourth street
A special situation arises on the second betting round if one player has a pair showing. That is, both up-cards have the same value. He or she then has the choice to either bet the minimum bet as usual, or to double the minimum bet.
