Before the poker boom of the 2000s, seven-card stud was the biggest poker game in casinos all around the U.S. Today, the dominant poker variant is Texas hold’em, but stud poker remains a force to be reckoned with. It features prominently at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and appeals to online poker players who enjoy a true test of skill with no community cards to rely on. The variant is popular both among advanced players and beginners learning how to play poker thanks to its simple rules and limit betting structure (i.e., fixed bet sizes) compared to the no-limit structure in other poker online games like Texas hold’em.
Above all, seven-card stud offers a completely different and refreshing take on poker. Read on for a closer look at the origins of the game and the various seven-card stud poker rules.
How the Game Began
Poker spread across the U.S. in the 1800s — first carried on the riverboats traveling from New Orleans along the Mississippi, and then out West with the miners, cowboys, and soldiers of the old frontier. Draw poker was the first of the poker classifications, but at some point, it switched over to stud poker. The story goes that a game was underway in a saloon somewhere in Ohio. One player had a good hand but was down to his last cent, so he put his cards down on the table and went outside to fetch his horse as collateral — the original poker stud.
After tying the horse’s reins to the back of his chair, the player realized the other players had probably looked at his cards — after all, he’d left them on the table. In the interest of fairness, the man suggested the other players all turn three of their cards face up, discard two, and draw two more cards face down. This innovation was a hit, and stud poker caught on as a result. Eventually, two more cards were added, and the game transitioned from five-card stud to the seven-card variant of today.
Seven-Card Stud Poker Rules
Compared to Texas hold’em, seven-card stud (or “down the river”) is a different beast entirely, forcing you to think in different ways. Here’s a breakdown.
Antes and the Bring-In
As mentioned, stud poker is typically played with a limit betting structure that has two possible bet sizings, the “small bet” and the “big bet.” Instead of two players posting blinds, as in hold’em and Omaha, each player in a stud game posts an ante (a fraction of the big bet, usually 5%).
Each player is then dealt three cards: two downcards and one upcard. The upcard is known as the “door card,” and the player with the lowest door card has to post the bring-in, a forced bet worth five times the ante. This player can also choose to post the entire small bet, which is called “completing the bet.“ In a $10/$20 stud game, for instance, the ante would be $1, the bring-in would be $5, and it would cost $10 to complete the bet.
Raising and Betting
Once the player has posted the bring-in, the action continues in a clockwise direction around the table as all the players raise, call, or fold. There are four more betting rounds after the first round, with each player receiving another card (face up on fourth, fifth, and sixth streets, face down on seventh) until they eventually have three downcards and four upcards.
Raising and betting occurs in small bet increments during the first two rounds ($10 in a $10/$20 game) and in big bet increments during the later three rounds ($20 in a $10/$20 game).
The player with the strongest upcards is first to act from fourth street onwards. For example, a player with a pair showing will act before players who don’t have pairs. (The same poker hand rankings apply as in Texas hold’em.)
At showdown, the player with the strongest five-card hand wins the pot. If two or more players have equal hand strengths, they split the winnings.
Seven-Card Stud Poker Variations
Variety is the spice of life, and that goes double for poker. There are multiple seven-card stud poker variations to keep things interesting at the poker table.
- Seven-card stud high-low (also known as stud/8 and stud split): The players with the highest and lowest hands split the pot if the low hand is topped by at least an 8.
- Razz: The lowest hand wins in this lowball variant.
- Mississippi: The betting round between the fourth and fifth streets is dropped, so there are only four betting rounds. The fifth card is dealt face up.
- Roll your own: Four rounds of two cards each are dealt face down, and each player “rolls” a card to face upward, followed by a betting round.
- Queens and after: All queens are wild. The card type dealt face up after the queen is also wild.
- Baseball: 3s and 9s are wild. A 4 dealt face-up gets an extra card.
- Acey-deucey: Aces and 2s are wild.
- One-eyed jacks or suicide king: The jack of spades, jack of hearts, or king of hearts can be specified as wild.
Useful Strategy Tips For Seven-Card Stud Poker Online Games
Now that you understand the seven-card stud poker rules and the different variants available to play, it’s time to think about strategy. Here are some helpful strategy tips to apply when playing either live poker or seven-card stud poker online.
1. Understand the Power of the Bring-in
Although the bring-in is a forced bet, it can also be an indicator of hand strength. Pay attention to who brings in and how they bet on subsequent streets. If they consistently bring in and play aggressively, they likely have a strong starting hand.
2. Learn How To Semi-Bluff Convincingly
Because four of your cards are exposed, it’s possible to pretend to have a stronger hand than you actually do. If you have a good draw, don’t be afraid to bet aggressively on fourth or fifth street to force out weaker hands.
3. Use the “Block Bet”
The block bet is a strategic move where you bet less than the pot size on later streets to prevent opponents from drawing cheaply to a better hand. This is a good idea when you have a marginal hand but believe your opponents are chasing.
4. Don’t Overvalue Exposed Pairs
While an exposed pair is a strong starting hand, its value slowly declines as more cards are revealed. Don’t get married to your pair if the board doesn’t improve your hand.
5. Exploit Tight Players
If you notice a player is very tight and only plays premium starting hands, exploit their tendency to fold. This means playing more aggressively against them, especially if you have a decent hand or a good draw.
6. Adapt to the Table Dynamics
Table dynamics are extremely important in all poker online games and live games, and seven-card stud is no exception. Take notice of your opponents’ betting patterns, tendencies, and skill levels, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
7. Manage Your Bankroll Wisely
Always practice responsible gambling when playing any form of poker online or at a casino. Don’t play at stakes you can’t afford to lose. Set a budget, stick to it, and be prepared to move down in stakes if you hit a rough patch.
8. Identify and Exploit “Maniac” Players
The “maniac” of the game — the person who constantly bets and raises without fear — is often your ticket to a big pot. So, don’t hesitate to call their bets with marginal hands or even draws, as they’ll often put themselves at risk with weak holdings.
9. Master the Squeeze Play
In stud, the squeeze play involves re-raising after a player has opened and another has called. This move puts lots of pressure on both players, often forcing the initial opener to fold. Ideally, put this strategy to use when you have a strong hand or a powerful draw.
10. Use the “Free Card” Strategically
If you’re in a late position and the betting has been checked to you on a street where you don’t have to bet, consider taking advantage of the “free card.” Doing so means you’ll get to see another card without risking any additional chips. Of course, adopt this strategy sparingly because it can also give your opponents valuable information about your hand.
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