Seven Card Stud was the main poker game in America for most of the last century, before Texas Hold'em took over. There's no board. Every player gets seven cards of their own, four of them face up for the whole table to see, and makes the best five card hand from them.
Because so many cards are face up, it's a game about watching. What everyone shows, and what they've folded, tells you a lot about what's left.
How a hand plays
- Antes. Everyone puts in a small ante.
- Third street. Everyone gets two cards face down and one face up.
- The bring-in. The player with the lowest card showing has to start the betting with a small forced bet, the bring-in. Betting goes to their left. Each player can fold, call the bring-in, or complete it to a full small bet.
- Fourth street. Everyone still in gets another card face up. Round of betting.
- Fifth street. Another face-up card. Round of betting.
- Sixth street. Another face-up card. Round of betting.
- Seventh street. The last card, face down. A final round of betting.
- Showdown. The best five cards out of your seven win.
By the end each player has three cards face down and four face up.
Who bets first
On third street, the lowest card showing brings it in. Aces count high, so a 2 is the lowest card. If two players show the same rank, suits decide it: clubs are lowest, then diamonds, hearts and spades.
From fourth street on, it changes: the player with the best hand showing bets first. A pair beats any high cards, two pair beats a pair, and so on. If two players show the same, the one closest to the dealer's left goes first.
Fixed limit betting
Seven Card Stud is usually played fixed limit, and that's how Bink plays it. Every bet and raise is one set size:
- Third and fourth street: the small bet.
- Fifth, sixth and seventh street: the big bet, which is twice the small bet.
- At most a bet and three raises in each round.
At stakes of 5/10 with a 2 bring-in and a 1 ante, everyone antes 1, the low card brings it in for 2, completing makes it 5, and from fifth street every bet is 10.
An example hand
You're dealt A♠ A♣ face down and 9♦ face up. Your opponent shows the 2♣, so they bring it in. You complete to the small bet with your hidden aces.
On fourth street you get the K♥ and they get the J♣. You show K 9, they show J 2, so you bet first.
By seventh street your cards are A♠ A♣ 9♦ K♥ 9♠ 4♦ K♦. Your best five are A A K K 9: two pair, aces and kings. Your opponent shows J♣ 2♣ 8♣ 5♣, four clubs. If one of their hidden cards is a club, their flush beats you.
Tips
- Start with strong three-card hands. Three of a kind, a high pair, or three cards to a straight or flush. Most other hands should fold on third street.
- Watch the dead cards. If you need a heart for your flush and four hearts are showing in other players' hands, your chances are much worse.
- Notice what's showing behind you. A player whose up cards pair the card you need has made your draw harder.
- Your pair is only as good as the board says. If an opponent shows a higher pair, your hidden pair is probably behind.
Play it
Play Seven Card Stud on Bink with friends in your browser, for chips. The table works out the bring-in and who bets first on every street, so nobody has to.