|
7 Card Stud Poker
Overview
Number of Players: 2 to 8
Seven Card Stud is the most popular of the stud games, both for the high
stakes nature of the game and the impact that careful thought can have on
your odds. Seven Card Stud has five rounds of betting, with the maximum
bet doubling on either the second or third round of betting. Because so
many of the cards are exposed on the table, you can make good choices
about how likely it is that a winning hand is going to appear for you.
Terminology
Ante |
An
amount determined by the card room that each player puts in the pot
before receiving cards. The amount of the ante varies with the game
stakes. There is no ante in $0.50/$1.00 games. |
Street |
A
name for the various stages of betting, as you receive your cards.
Because the game begins with the player receiving three cards, betting
begins on third street, and continues to seventh street. |
Door Card |
Another name for "third street", that is, a player's first up card. |
River Card |
Another name for "seventh street". The last card dealt. |
Bring-in |
A
small beginning bet required from the player with the lowest exposed
card by suit. |
Betting Structure
(Example for $10/$20 game)
Ante |
Bring-in |
3rd
Street |
4th
Street |
5th
Street |
6th
Street |
7th
Street |
$1 |
$5 |
$10 |
!0/$20* |
$20 |
$20 |
$20 |
*Higher bet option if pair showing
Starting a Game
To begin playing Seven Card Stud, you place an ante on the table. This is
usually a fraction of a bet, set by the card room, and varies according to
the stakes of the game. There is no ante in $0.50/$1.00 games.
Players are then dealt three cards, two face down and one face up.
The player with the lowest card showing (ace is high) is then required to
make the bring-in bet which is equal to half the lower-limit bet. If two
people have the lowest card it is determined by suit: clubs (lowest),
diamonds, hearts and spades � alphabetically. A round of betting begins,
with the options for the other players being fold (quit the hand), call
(put in an equal amount to what has been placed in the pot) or raise to a
full bet.
Example: In a $20/$40 game, the ante is usually $3 and the bring-in bet is
$10. The full bet at third street is $20.
Fourth Street
For this betting round, each active player is dealt another card face up,
exposed to the table.
The player with the highest card values (counting all exposed cards, such
as high card, pair, etc.) then begins the next betting round by checking
or betting. If two hands are of equal value the betting is started by the
player closest to the dealer's left.
The lower level bet applies to Fourth Street but, if the highest hand
showing is a pair, any player has an option to bet either the lower or the
higher betting limit ($20 or $40 in our example), and the other players
must follow that amount in calling or raising.
Fifth and Sixth Street
The mechanics are the same as for fourth street, but the betting amounts
are at the higher limit ($40 in the example above).
The first player is determined by the highest ranking exposed hand on the
table.
Seventh Street
This
is the last card, and is called
seventh street
or the river. It is dealt face down, and the person who played
first on sixth street plays first again.
A final round of betting ensues, ending in the showdown.
Players have four exposed and three hidden cards by this point. They then
create the best five-card hand from their total of seven cards.
Note: Occasionally (rarely), there will not be enough cards left in the
deck to deal everyone an individual seventh card. In this event, the
dealer will turn up one card on the table that is common to all remaining
active players.
Tips
-
A starting pair over 10 is usually worth
betting on, unless an opponent seems to be betting aggressively and may
have a higher pair.
-
Fifth street is a make-or-break point.
With the bet doubling, it can get expensive if you are still trying to
"make" a hand at this point. Be sure that the cards you need are still
"live", that is, have not been exposed in other players' hands.
-
It�s best to fold if an opponent's
exposed cards beat your entire hand.
-
If you are trying to complete a hand
like a straight or a flush, check to see if other players have already
exposed the cards you need, and adjust your strategy.
DISCLAIMER: Casino-Path.com
links to sites that may contain gambling related content and or
online wagering. We cannot be held responsible if discrepancies
occur between an online gambling operation and you the player.
Consult your local authorities prior to registering with any online
wagering service. U.S. Citizens: The information at this site is
for entertainment and news purposes only. Use of this information
in violation of any federal, state or local laws is prohibited.
|
|