7 Card Stud Poker
Seven Card Stud Poker is from the stud poker family, as you could probably tell from its name. These games usually begin with an ante, rather than a blind. An ante is a like a buy-in to each hand. It is a required wager of all players in a hand and, unlike blinds, it does not count towards any subsequent pot, but it does go into the pot.
| A game of 7 Card Stud Poker can accommodate up to eight players. A hand begins with a three-card deal to each player. What is important to know about the deal is that the first two cards are dealt faced down, but the third card, the “door card,” is dealt face up. Players can look at their hands when the deal is complete. Whichever player has the lowest card showing is responsible for the “bring in.” The bring in is a bet amounting to a fraction of the whole bet, to stimulate the action. This player may also choose to wager a complete bet. The betting action goes around the table clockwise, and after all remaining players have acted, the bring-in player can later pay the entire bet to the pot or raise the pot, should he wish to stay in the hand. If he does not want to stay in the game, he may also choose to fold. The initial deal and betting round is called 3rd street, referring to the three cards that have been dealt.
| At the end of the first betting round, the dealer burns a card and deals each player a fourth card face up, beginning at his left. This round is called 4th street. The next round of betting begins differently this time. The highest ranking card showing, or the highest combination showing, designates who bets first, instead of the lowest card showing like in the previous round. At this point, the highest showing hand possible would be A/A. If two players both have the same highest ranking hands, whichever player sits closest to the dealer will be the first to act. The player in the position to act must fold, check, or bet. At this stage of betting, all players can now wager at the highest limit available for the game. This rule is also applied to each subsequent betting rounds. After this round of betting, the same wagering process repeats twice, each with a burn card and a one-card deal (5th and 6th street) until there are four showing cards in front of each player.
| The next round is different, though. The 7th street is dealt face down, instead of face up. Now each player who remains in the hand holds three concealed cards with four cards showing, and one last betting round ensues. Players who have stayed in the action this long now show their cards; the last player to bet must show his hand first, then the player to his left and so on. Players, who wish to showdown, show their cards, anyone else may muck. The best five-card poker hand wins.
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