The card game Seven Card Stud is a fun, strategic game played with two to eight players.
Know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em to win this game!
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play the card game Seven Card Stud below.
Seven Card Stud Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; two or more players, poker chips
Ante
Before dealing the cards, each player will make an ante. The ante amount is determined before play begins.
Deal
Each player is dealt three cards, one card at a time. The first two cards received are face down; the third card is dealt face up.
Objective
The object of the game is to win chips. Chips are won by being the only player that did not fold, or by having the highest ranking poker hand among all the players that did not fold at the end of the hand. A poker hand consists of five out of the seven total cards to be dealt to a player throughout the round.
Poker Hand Rank
Straight Flush (5 cards in sequence in the same suit )
4 of a kind
Full House (3 of a kind with a pair)
Flush (5 cards in the same suit)
Straight (5 cards in sequence)
3 of a kind
2 pair
Pair
High Card
Card Rank
Highest to lowest - Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Game Play
The player with the lowest ranking card showing is known as the bring in. As the bring in, the player is required to make the first bet. Play moves left to the next player. The next player can call the bet by betting the same amount as the bring in player, raise the bet by doubling the bet already made, or fold to be out of the hand.
Once all players have called or folded, the first betting round is over. All players still in the hand are dealt another card face up.
A second round of betting then begins. From now on, the player whose faceup cards make the best poker hand goes first. The first player can check (stay in the hand without betting), or make a bet. Play moves left with players either checking (if all previous players checked) calling a bet, raising a bet, or folding.
Once all players have called or folded, the second betting round is over. All players still in the hand are dealt another card face up.
The third betting round begins and is the same as the previous betting round. Once all players have called or folded, the third betting round is over. All players still in the hand are dealt another card face up.
The fourth betting round begins and is the same as the previous betting round. Once all players have called or folded, the fourth betting round is over. All players still in the hand are dealt another card, this card is dealt face down.
The fifth and final betting round begins and is the same as the previous betting round. Once all players have called or folded, the fifth betting round is over. All remaining players will show their best poker hand using five out of the seven cards dealt.
The player with the highest ranking poker hand wins all the chips in the pot.
Rules
In seven card stud, there is a betting structure to follow. There is a low bet and a high bet. The high bet is double the low bet. For example, the bets could be two chips and four chips. In the first two betting rounds, bets are made using the low bet amount. In the final three betting rounds, bets are made in the high bet amount.
Before a round of dealing, the dealer should burn a card by discarding the top card of the deck.
If two or more players tie for the lowest card showing after the initial deal, the suits are ranked to determine the bring in player. The suits are ranked lowest to highest in alphabetical order. Clubs being the lowest, then diamonds, hearts, and spades.
If players tie for best ranking poker hand at the end of a hand, the tying players split the middle pot of chips.
It is possible to run out of cards when playing with eight players. If there are not enough cards for every player in the last round, the dealer flips one card face up into the middle. This card is a communal card that every player can use.