7 Card Stud Poker - How to Play
Each player receives seven cards,
therefore, the number of players in a game will be seven or less. 7
Card Stud has five betting rounds and two betting options. For higher
limits, the first two betting rounds are one amount while the limits
double on the last three rounds.
For the lower limit games, the
betting levels are usually a spread amount. Example is $1-5, so the
poker player can bet any amount within that spread. Antes must be placed
in the pot before the game begins. The amount of the ante depends on
the limit of the game. There are some card rooms offering low limit
spread games with no antes.
The Start: each player receives
two cards face down, (known as hole cards) and one card face up (known
as the door card). After every player receives the initial two facedown
cards and a face-up card, the first round of betting occurs, known as
Third Street.
The player with the lowest card
on the table starts the betting, a forced bet known as the bring-in.
The size of this bet is slightly larger than the ante but less than
the minimum bet. If two (or more) players have the same low card, then
the card suit determines who bets first in this order: clubs, diamonds,
hearts and finally spades.
Each player in turn (clockwise)
must then either call (equal the bet), raise the bet or fold. When the
betting is completed, the dealer deals another round of cards face up
to each player, known as Fourth Street, the player with the highest
hand showing bets first. The player with the highest hand is not forced
to bet he can check and the player to his left then has the option of
betting or checking.
If there is a bet and a player
acting after the bet must call, fold or raise. This sequence of betting
continues with Fifth and Sixth Street. When a pair shows, or it’s Fifth
Street, a player can usually bet the high limit as posted. The last
card, Seventh Street, is dealt face down. A final round of betting occurs
followed by the showdown or revealing the hands. The highest hand wins
the pot.
7 Card Stud Poker - Strategies and
Tips
Starting Hands of 3 cards makes up 42% of your final
hand.
Check out the cards on the table before you decide to stay or fold.
If a card that you will need to improve your hand is showing, or the
other players are showing superior cards then you should fold.
If you have three suited cards, but a check of the table shows 4 or
more cards of the same suit, your shot at a flush has just been decreased.
Same scenario for a possible straight.
Alternatively, here are starting hands that are worth continued play:
Three of a kind
Three cards to a straight flush
A big hidden pair
A big open pair. This is one card down matched by one up
Three high cards to a flush
Three cards in sequence
Hidden middle or low pair with no matching card showing by others
Three cards to a straight of flush
If you are holding a big hidden pair, you will want to raise if there
is a bet in front of you. The strategy is to eliminate other players
to increase the chance that your big pair will win the round.
Moving on to Fourth Street, you want to work on improving your hand
with each new card while watching the other players’ hands.
If you have a big pair and there is betting and raise, you should think
about whether another player has made three of a kind or two pair.
Unless your hand improves or you still have a good drawing hand you
should get out now.
You can play 7 Card Stud at the poker sites that are featured here, both for real money and of course for free if your looking for No Deposit Poker sites.
