Stud poker
Stud poker is a variation of poker where players are typically dealt a total of five or seven cards, with the best five card poker hand winning (in situations where more than one player has the same poker hand, like a flush or straight, the winning hand is determined by whichever players has the highest one).
Stud poker has neither community cards nor blinds. Instead, each player at the table must ante first, and then is dealt two cards face down (hole cards) and one card face up. In typical stud games, the player with the lowest card showing must pay the ‘bring in,’ an amount relative to the limits, which starts off the action.
The bring in is typically a fraction of the limits, (for example, the bring in for a $1/2 stud game may be $.25), with play then continuing clockwise around the table, where players have the choice of folding, calling the bring in, or making the bet ‘complete’ (in our example, completing the bet to $1). Once a bring in has been completed, it can be raised by a subsequent player, doubling the amount to twice the completed bet.
Each player remaining in the hand is then dealt another card face up, with the betting beginning with the player showing the highest two cards and proceeding clockwise around the table. Again, players can fold, call, or raise the bet. In a five card stud game, players are dealt two hole cards facedown, then two cards face up, with the fifth card being dealt facedown. In a seven card stud game, players are dealt two hole cards facedown, then four cards face up, with the seventh card being dealt facedown.
Betting takes place between each dealt card and generally becomes a higher amount after the fourth card dealt. Each round of betting is typically referred to by the number of cards a player has in front of them. After the initial deal, players are considered to be betting on ‘third street’, represented by having three cards in front of them. After the fourth card is dealt, players would then be on ‘fourth street’, and so on. Stud poker is generally played as a limit game.
General variations
- Five Card stud
- Seven card stud
References
- Stud Poker Variations Archived 2009-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
- Seven Card Stud Rules