Seven Card Stud is an easy to learn, but
demanding game. If you have played any other variation of poker or
at least know the rules of other poker games, Seven Card Stud will
be very easy for you to pick up. All hand rankings are the same in
Seven Card Stud as in other variations, so there really isn’t
anything new to learn on that front, the only real difference is the
number of betting rounds that are used. The dealer starts by dealing
clockwise around the table, one card at a time, until each player
has two face-down cards and one face-up card (also known as the
“Door”). This betting round is called “Third Street” and betting
begins with the player with the lowest Door. If there's a tie for
low door, suit resolves it: spades over hearts, followed by
diamonds, and finally clubs is the lowest. The lowest Door must
either “bring it in” by placing a wager that is two times the amount
of ante or fold their hand and pass the responsibility to the player
to their left.
Betting continues as in other forms of poker. The dealer now
deals another face- up card to each player, this round is known as
“Fourth Street”. In this round and all subsequent rounds, the player
with the best showing cards bets first. Fifth, Sixth and Seventh
Street proceed the same way that Fourth Street does. After all
betting in Seventh Street is concluded, the Showdown begins. Any
players remaining after Seventh Street are in the showdown and the
opener must show his/her pocket cards (the face down cards). The
remaining players then, in turn, show their pocket cards and it is
the dealer’s responsibility to announce the winner and the pot is
passed to the winner.
