7 Card Stud Poker Rules

At the beginning of the game, all players post an "ante" (which is a predetermined pot amount). The ante is determined by the size of the game.

As one might assume, in 7 card stud poker, each player receives 7 cards during the duration of the game: 3 of which are "down" cards and the other 4 being "up" cards (viewable by all players).

Initially, once the players have ante-d up, every player gets 3 cards (2 "down" cards and 1 "up" card). The "up" card is typically known as the "door card" or "Third Street". The lowest "up" card must begin the game with what is called a "Bring-In" bet (note that if 2 or more participants have the similar lowest cards, the person who is designated to "brings-in" is based on suit precedence, which progresses from clubs, diamonds, hearts, and down to spades.

Each active player is permitted 1 bet and 3 raises in every betting round. To continue to play in a round, a given player must take an appropriate action from what is available to them on each "street" or betting round, unless they have no more chips (i.e., they are all-in).

2nd Round of 7 Card Stud

Subsequent to the 1st round of betting, an additional card is dealt face-up to each active player remaining (those who elected not to fold on "third street"). This is known as "Fourth Street" (or alternatively, as the 2nd round of betting). From the point of "Fourth Street" onward, the highest showing hand commences by either betting or checking. If a pair is showing for a given player on "Fourth Street", those players can place a single or double bet. If a player places a single or double bet, the the remaining active players can do one of 4 things: 1) call, 2) raise the single bet, 3) raise the double bet or 4) fold. In regard to a double bet, only an equal amount can be raised (up to the size of the double bet).

3rd Round of 7 Card Stud

After betting completes on the "fourth street", a subsequent card is dealt face- up to all active playerst. This card is known as "Fifth Street" (or the 3rd round of betting, which doubles - that is, the value of each bet is double that of first 2 rounds). This doubling of bets persists at this amount for all of the remaining betting rounds. Once again, the highest showing hand begins the round by either betting or checking.

4th Round of 7 Card Stud

After "fifth street" betting is complete, a subsequent card is dealt face- up. This is known as "Sixth Street" (i.e., the 4th betting round). Doubling of bets remains, as indicated in the 3rd round of betting (or "fifth street").

5th Round of 7 Card Stud

Here, a final card is dealt down. The last card is prominently known as the "River Card". This round is known as the "Seventh Street" (or as the final round of betting). Again, doubling of bets remains, as indicated in the prior 2 rounds of betting.

Some basic rules

As alluded to above, there are a maximum of 4 bets (which consists of 1 bet, and 3 raises) which are permitted for each player, for each betting round. To stay in the game, a given player must take an "action" based on what they see on each "street" (or betting round), unless they are out of chips (i.e., all-in). A term that is used is "cap", which designates the final raise in a given round. It is named as such since betting is deemed to be capped at that juncture, and no one else can invoke a raise. Once a cap is invoked, each active player can fold or call only. Similar to other poker games, folding can be accomplished done at any point in the game. Once you fold, you are out of the game.

Poker is typically played utilizing "table stakes", which means that only chips that are available at the beginning of each hand may be used during that hand. This implies that game participants cannot get procure additional funds in the middle of the game. The "table stakes" rule also states that when a player is "All-In", that player cannot lose that hand just because he does not have adequate funds to call a bet.

Betting Exceptions in each round

When an active player does not have enough chips to call a bet, he is then known to be "All-In". This player is eligible for a prorated piece of the pot, up to the point of his final wager. Any further betting activity regarding other active players goes into what is known as a "side pot", which is strictly unavailable to any players who are already "All-In". When a given player is "All-in", the pot at the center of the poker table, which has bets from him as well, is deemed to be the main pot, over which the "All-in" player has rights. After a player is "all-in", any subsequent bets are added to the side pot (as opposed to the main pot), over which only the side pot contributors have rights. Thus, any "All-in" player has no rights over the side pot. The side pot is then awarded to the next winning hand, outside of the group who is "all-in".

When the final round of betting has completed, the best hand, of those remaining in the game, wins the pot. Similar to other poker games, a pot can also be garnered by a player who bets without being called at any time during the hand. A "hand" is generated by using the best 5 of the 7 cards. At the final round of betting, the active player who bets first (or checks first if no one else bets) must show their cards first during the showdown. If a player has the best hand, the remaining players may or may not elect to show their cards, however they desire. The aggressors' hand is revealed first if he was the last to act upon the river.

If 2 (or more) hands have the same ranking, the winning hand is given to the player that has the higher cards. For example, a Flush with an Queen high defeats a Flush with a 10 high. If the poker hands remain tied, then the highest card not being held in common (also known as the "kicker") determines the winner.

Suit order of cards is never taken into consideration when determining winning card hands. In the event that winning poker hands are absolutely identical in ranking, the pot distribution is evenly divided between the winning players. If there is an odd chip, the winning player to the left of the dealer receives it.

For all the 5 rounds of betting, the house (or the computer based poker service, if playing on-line) collects a commission, which is known as the rake.