Seven Card Stud Poker Playing Rules

Seven card stud poker is a very popular form of poker played at both the card table and in online poker rooms. Anywhere poker is being played, either online or off, you’ll always find a game of stud poker in progress. Stud poker is one of the poker games where players are dealt some of their cards facing up on the poker table, while other cards are dealt face down.

In the game of seven card stud, the dealer deals out seven cards to each player. The dealer deals two cards in the hole, then one card face up. After an opening bet is made, three cards are dealt face up, with a round of bets after each card is dealt out. The final card is dealt in the hole, and final bets are made. The players then create a hand from five of the seven they were dealt.

The following is how a typical game of Seven Card Stud should ideally play out:

• Each player places up their ante.
• The designated dealer then deals out three cards to each player. Two of these cards are dealt face down on the table, with the third being placed face up on the table. The cards dealt face down are referred to as ‘hole cards’, while the card placed face up is called the ‘door card’.
• Players place their first bets, or they can now fold on their hand.
• All remaining players are dealt one card face-up on the poker table.
• More bets are placed, any players who wish may now fold.
• All remaining players are dealt one card face-up on the table.
• Betting round, bets are placed, any players who wish may now fold.
• All remaining players are dealt one card face-up on the poker table.
• 4th betting round, any players who wish may now fold.
• All remaining players are dealt a last card face-down on the poker table.
• Final round of bets are made.
• It’s time for the showdown, the players who have remained in the game will now show their hands.
• Players are allowed to use any 5 of their 7 cards to make the best hand possible.

Seven card stud poker is played with a standard regulation deck of 52 playing cards. This game does not make use of the Joker card. The maximum number of players allowed in a game of Seven Card Stud Poker should never exceed eight players, to avoid running out of playing cards.