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How To Play 7 Card Stud Poker:
Seven-Card Stud is a variation of poker, which uses 7 cards to make up a 5-card hand. All Poker games have the same objective: to win the money in the pot by holding the best hand of cards. It also requires attention to detail as the game provides many opportunities for strategic playing; a large number of cards are visible on the table allowing for deductions to be made by the Players.
Playing style can also be determined by the Player's position at the table. The first person to play, if holding a strong hand, can use the other players to drive up the stakes by placing a small bet first. Alternatively, the last person to play can often be in a position to "bluff".
Starting Play:
Each Player puts their Ante in the pot. The Dealer then deals each player 3 cards, starting to his left. The first 2 cards are dealt face down, and the third card is dealt face up.
Betting Round One:
The player with the lowest value card on display must start the betting, placing a bet that is at least twice the value of the Ante originally placed. If there is more than one Player with the lowest card, the first bet should be placed by the Player closest to the Dealer's left.
The other players must then make one of the following choices:
1 - Call - this is where the player matches the bet already placed.
2 - Raise - this is where the player raises the amount of the bet already on the table.
3 - Fold - this is where the player withdraws from the game and loses his initial stake.
Fourth Street:
When each player has placed a bet, the Dealer will then deal each Player and fourth card, face up on the table. The players will use the 2 visible cards and their 2 original hidden cards to judge what bets to place. Another round of betting will follow the fourth card being dealt. This time however, the player with the highest hand goes first and will have the opportunity to "check", i.e. decline to make a bet. It is not possible to "check" if someone else has placed a bet before you.
Fifth Street:
When the round of betting is complete, the Dealer deals a fifth card to the players, once again, face up on the table. Once again, the player with the highest hand starts the betting and may check if he wishes.
Sixth Street:
The Dealer will deal the final face up card. The round of betting will begin as before, starting with the player with the highest hand. The first player can check if he wishes, and the other players must check, call, raise or fold.
Seventh Street:
The Dealer now deals a seventh card to each player, but this time face down. This card is only for the individual player to see. The players now each have seven cards, 3 hidden and 4 visible to the table. The players must form a poker hand of 5 cards using the 7 available.
The final round of betting now takes place, starting once again with the Player who has the highest visible hand.
End Game:
The winner is determined once all the bets have been called, and the remaining players reveal their hands. The Pot will go to the player with the best hand.
Hand Rankings:
Here are the possible Poker hands in order of rank.
Royal Flush - High Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten all in the same suit.
Straight Flush - 5 consecutively numbered cards in the same suit, e.g. five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Four of A Kind - (Quads) 4 cards of the same rank.
Full House - this is 3 of a kind, plus a pair.
Flush - 5 cards all in the same suit.
Straight - 5 consecutively numbered cards in different suits.
Three of A Kind - 3 cards of the same rank.
Two Pair - 2 pairs of cards, for example a pair of Jacks and a pair of twos.
One Pair - 1 pair of cards of matching rank.
High Card - if there is none of the combinations above in the hand, the rank is determined by the highest card held.
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