One of the oldest forms of poker on record is Stud poker. Draw and Stud were the primary poker variations played in American centuries past, with Five-Card Stud experiencing the height of its popularity during the Civil War in America.

The latest card decks contained 52 cards, and that enabled groups of soldiers to play games like Five-Card Stud comfortably using one deck. Members of the United States military then helped spread poker throughout Europe and Asia during times of war. 

Five-Card Stud was prevalent in the history of card games up to the poker boom in the early 2000s. Texas Hold’em took over, but the rising interest in mixed games in the 2010s has put Five-Card Stud and Seven-Card Stud back in the limelight.

Five-Card Stud Rankings

A basic game of Five-Card Stud contains face-up and face-down cards, with several rounds of betting. When the game is played with a bring-in bet, the first round of betting begins after the first face-down and face-up card for each player. The person with the face-up card of the lowest rank – two being the lowest and ace the highest – makes the first bet. If there is no bring-in, the person with the highest face-up card starts the betting round with a bet or check.

As the best five-card holding can win the hand, players use the traditional poker hand rankings system for this. In summary, they are listed here from best to worst:

• Royal flush
• Straight flush
• Four of a kind
• Full house
• Flush
• Straight
• Three of a kind
• Two pair
• One pair
• High card

As hands play out, all suits are equal. However, when determining the high card and low card for the initial round of betting, there can be a tie. In this case, the suits are ranked, usually in alphabetical order: clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades.

Five-Card Stud Poker Game Rules & Play

Directions for Five-Card Stud play are similar to other stud games, most closely resembling how to play Seven-Card Stud but with fewer cards. Fewer betting rounds and cards make Five-Card Stud the first one that new Stud players usually learn.

The dealer begins the action by giving each player one card face down on the table and then one face up, all beginning with the player to the dealer’s left. As mentioned, a game with a bring-in requires the person with the lowest-ranked face-up card to start the first betting round. Playing without a bring-in prompts action to begin with the player with the highest-ranked face-up card, and that person can check or bet.

After that initial round of betting, the dealer burns a card and then deals a second face-up card to each player. Considering the two face-up cards for each player, the one with the best poker hand (pair or high card) begins the betting round with a check or a bet. 

The dealer then burns a card and deals the fourth card to each player, this one also face up. The same betting action follows, and the dealer then distributes the fifth card, again face up. If there is more betting, it leads to a final showdown of hands, wherein the best five-card hand wins.

Five-Card Stud Poker Game Tips

Since many poker players today start their poker journeys by learning Hold’em, it’s important to note some significant differences for Five-Card Stud players:

• Position in Five-Card Stud does not hold the importance that it does in Hold’em, as position changes with bring-ins and subsequent betting rounds.
• There are no blinds in Stud, but the bring-in serves as a certain bet to start the pot.
• Stud is rarely played as a no-limit betting game, as fixed limits are most common.

Setting aside those differences, there are some tips that beginning Stud players can consider when learning to play:

• Always pay attention to the face-up cards on the table. A player can choose to fold and muck their hands quickly, and it’s important to note the face-up cards folded so as to more accurately determine your own odds and outs.
• If another player’s face-up cards are superior to your hand, it’s an easy decision to fold and not bet further.
• If another player shows one or more of your outs as their face-up card(s), consider folding with diminished outs and odds.
• There are more opportunities to bluff in Stud, especially if you know how to pull off a semi-bluff, because players don’t often chase a draw for more than one or two betting rounds.

Keep reminding yourself that this is not Hold’em. Play can be slower and bets smaller, so different strategies are necessary to becoming a winning Stud player.

Play Stud Poker Online at BetMGM

As is the case with learning any new poker game, online poker sites present the ideal setting in which to do so. The buy-ins and betting limits are much lower online than in live games, and you are much more likely to find Stud games running online than in most poker rooms or card clubs. To play poker online, choose a legal and protected site like BetMGM Poker.

When you launch BetMGM and make your first deposit, take advantage of the BetMGM Poker welcome bonus and other promotions to make the most of your money online.