Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is a classic poker game that requires patience, observation and strategy. Each player receives seven cards over the course of a hand, but only their best five-card poker hand counts at Showdown. The player with the strongest hand wins the pot.
To see how hands compare, visit our Poker Hand Rankings guide.
Seven Card Stud is generally played with a Limit betting structure, where bets and raises are made in fixed increments. For example, in a $2/$4 Limit game, bets are made in increments of $2 on the first two betting rounds and $4 on the remaining three rounds.
Rules for Seven Card Stud
Ante
Before each hand begins, every player pays an ante. The amount depends on the game and is displayed in the table information. For example, a $1/$2 game may have an ante of $0.15.
Third Street
Each player receives three cards: two face-down hole cards and one face-up card.
The player showing the lowest-ranking card starts the betting. This is called the bring-in. They must either make the required bring-in payment or choose to make a full bet at the lower betting limit. Action then moves clockwise around the table until the betting round is complete.
If two or more players have the same lowest card rank, suit determines who posts the bring-in. Suits rank from lowest to highest: clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades.
Fourth Street
Each remaining player receives another face-up card, known as Fourth Street.
The player with the strongest exposed cards acts first. For example, a pair of Nines would act first unless any other exposed hand contained a pair of Tens or better. The first player to act may check or bet the lower betting limit.
If a player shows a pair on Fourth Street, a special rule may allow betting to open or be raised at the higher betting limit. See Additional Stud Rules and Situations below.
Fifth Street
Each remaining player receives a third face-up card, known as Fifth Street.
The player with the strongest exposed hand acts first in the betting round. From Fifth Street onwards, bets and raises use the higher betting limit. In a $2/$4 game, this means increments of $4.
Sixth Street
Each remaining player receives another face-up card, known as Sixth Street.
The player with the strongest exposed hand acts first in this betting round.
Seventh Street (the River)
Each remaining player receives a seventh and final card, dealt face down and visible only to that player.
The player with the strongest exposed hand acts first. After the final betting round, any players still in the hand proceed to Showdown.
Showdown
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, the remaining hands are compared.
The last player to bet or raise on the final round shows their cards first. If nobody bets on that round, the player in the earliest seat shows first, followed by the other players in clockwise order.
The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot. If two or more players have identical winning hands, they split the pot equally.
Once the pot has been awarded, the next hand can begin.
Player Betting Options
As in other poker games, your available actions depend on what has happened earlier in the betting round.
- Fold: Give up your hand and stop competing for the pot.
- Check: Pass the action without betting, provided no bet has been made.
- Bet: Put chips into the pot when no bet has been made.
- Call: Match the current bet.
- Raise: Match the current bet and increase it.
In Limit Seven Card Stud, bets and raises follow predetermined amounts. You can only check if no bet has been made; after a bet, you must fold, call or raise, subject to the game rules and your remaining chips.
Additional Stud Rules and Situations
Keep these special rules in mind when playing Seven Card Stud:
- Suit ranking for the bring-in: If players have the same lowest exposed card rank on Third Street, the suit determines who posts the bring-in. Clubs rank lowest, followed by diamonds, hearts and spades. This rule applies only to the bring-in and does not determine the winner when hands tie at Showdown.
- Bring-in when a player is all-in: If the player with the lowest exposed card cannot make the required bring-in because they are all-in for the ante, the bring-in moves clockwise to the next player, regardless of their exposed card.
- Higher betting limit on Fourth Street: If any player shows a pair, betting may be opened or raised at the higher betting limit. Once a player makes a higher-limit bet, that amount applies for the rest of the Fourth Street betting round.
- When the deck runs out: Seven Card Stud can be played by up to eight players, so in rare circumstances there may not be enough cards to deal everyone a separate seventh card. If the deck runs out, one face-up community card is dealt for all remaining players to share.
Other Stud Variants
If you enjoy Seven Card Stud, you can also explore other Stud games:
- Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo: The pot can be split between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand. A low hand must be eight-low or better to qualify.
- Razz: The best low hand wins the entire pot, with no eight-or-better qualification requirement.
Learn to Play Seven Card Stud for Free
New to Seven Card Stud? Practise your strategy at our free poker tables using play money before playing for real money. You can download the poker software for free and create a play-money account.
You can also explore our Seven Card Stud poker tournaments.
Ready to try another format? Visit our Poker Games page to discover more ways to play.