7 Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is probably the most popular of the stud games and used to be the most popular variety of poker games until Texas Hold'em took over. It can result in high pots as it allows you the opportunity to evaluate your opponents' possible hands. There are no community cards and each player has three of his seven cards hidden from the other players and four exposed cards. There are five rounds of betting in Seven Card Stud, as opposed to the four rounds in Hold'Em and Omaha.

7 Card Stud or 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo ??
7 Card Stud Hi/Lo is very similar to 7 Card Stud, except the pot is split between a high hand (the same as in 7 Card Stud) and a low hand which is based on five cards that start at eight or below. Before playing 7 Card Hi/Lo, you would be well advised to have played alot on Stud-Hi. Stud Hi/Lo is also called Stud 8/b, meaning "8 or better". The dealing rules from stud-hi apply to stud hi/low. The only betting rule that is different is that a fourth street pair does not allow for a double-bet.

To Start:
Before a game starts, each player must post an 'ante', a mandatory amount that ensures there is some money in the pot. One player acts as dealer and the dealer rotates clockwise after every hand. The order of checking, betting, raising and calling always moves clockwise from the first available playing position. The dealer shuffles and cuts one deck of cards. One card is 'burned' from the top of the deck.

One card is dealt to each player clockwise around the table facing down, always beginning with seat to the left of the dealer. A second card is dealt to each player around the table facing down. Down-faced cards on the table can only be viewed by the person playing that hand. A third card is dealt to each player facing up.  This card is called the 'door' card. The third card (and all up-facing cards dealt from here) must remain facing up for all players at the table to see.

Third Street
The player with the lowest-ranking up card starts the game with a token bet called the 'bring-in'. The lowest card is determined by value, in the event of a tie, then it is the lowest suit. This is the only time that suits are used in poker. In order of lowest suit, it is clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, (alphabetical order).

The bring-in bet determines who is in first position for the starting hand. Beginning from the player who is bringing in, the order of calling, raising, and folding hands moves clockwise of the bring-in player until all bets are placed and hands folded around the table. Once the bring-in bet has been made, each player (starting with the player to the left of the bring-in) can fold, call, or raise to the betting limit.

Fourth Street
Everyone is dealt another up card. At this point, the player with the highest two up cards starts the betting. If the highest two cards are a pair, they have the option to bet at either the higher or the lower limit. If two players are tied, then the player with the highest suit starts the betting. Players can fold, call or raise, and providing that no-one has bet, they may also check (bet nothing), enabling them to see who else bets. If all players check, then play moves to the next round.

Fifth & Sixth Street
Everyone left in is dealt another up card. The player with the highest combination of up cards starts the betting. Betting starts the same as in the fourth street, but all bets are at the higher limit. Sixth Street is identical to Fifth Street. The highest hand showing starts the betting in each round.

Seventh Street or The River
The river card is dealt to the remaining players faced down. The same player who started the last round starts the betting. Once betting has finished, the player who made the last strong raise or bet shows his five card hand, the best five card hand wins the pot.

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