Many people think of Hold’em when they think of poker. Texas Hold’em has been the game of choice for many players since the poker boom of the early 2000s, and Omaha is second in popularity in most poker rooms. But Stud and Draw games started it all many years ago.

Prior to the poker boom, most films and books depicting poker games used Draw or Stud poker variants. War films and written historical accounts in particular recounted games of Five-Card Stud played among the ranks of soldiers enjoying a break from the American Civil War in the 1860s.

Today, games like Stud are making a comeback, courtesy of players who never let it die and others who enjoy putting it into mixed game lineups. The version that appears most often is Seven-Card Stud.

Keen to play this classic poker game? Keep reading for Seven-Card Stud rules, strategies, and tips for beginners.

What Is Seven-Card Stud

Any poker game of the Stud variety simply means that a hand consists of a number of individually dealt face-up and face-down cards. There are five cards for each player in 5-Card Stud and seven cards per player in 7-Card Stud. There is also a Six-Card Stud version that is much less common. Razz is a low-hand variant of Stud that has become a part of many tournaments featuring different types of mixed poker games.

The presence of multiple face-up cards makes for satisfying gameplay with an array of strategic possibilities. As a result, Seven-Card Stud is a more popular poker variant among players looking for types of poker other than Texas Hold’em.

Seven-Card Stud Rules and Gameplay

Seven-Card Stud is a Limit poker game for two to eight players. The betting cycle is two cards down, four up, and one final card down. The goal is for a player to make the best five-card poker hand, at least better than any opponent.

A hand plays out as follows.

• The dealer gives each player two face-down cards and one face-up card (third street).
• The player with the lowest-ranking face-up card pays the bring-in, an opening bet that is normally half of the minimum bet.
• The first Stud poker betting round continues clockwise.
• The dealer then burns a card and deals each player a second face-up card (fourth street).
• The player whose face-up cards make the best poker hand begins the second round of betting with a check or bet.
• The dealer then burns a card and deals the third face-up card (fifth street).
• The third round of betting begins with the player showing the best face-up hand.
• Each player receives a fourth face-up card (sixth street) after the dealer burns.
• Fourth-round betting begins with the player showing the best face-up hand.
• The dealer burns a card and then delivers one face-down card (seventh street) to each player still in.
• The fifth and final betting round begins, again, with the player showing the best face-up hand.
• Once all bets are in, the player holding the best five-card poker hand wins.

With so many cards dealt, Seven-Card Stud is the most complex of all the types of Stud poker. In addition, a unique situation can occur when playing a full table. With only 52 cards in the deck and up to seven streets, the dealer may run out of cards toward the end of the action. 

In that case, the dealer can use the burn cards. In the rare event that there are still not enough cards, the dealer can provide the fifth card as a face-up community card instead of a face-down card for each player. It’s an interesting shift that can change the dynamics at the table.

Wondering how 7-Card Stud is different from Texas Hold’em? In short: there are no community cards. Instead, opponents have multiple upcards you can read, just as they can read yours.

Hand Rankings in Seven-Card Stud

The hand rankings in poker are the same for Seven Card-Stud as for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and any other variant in which the highest hand wins. As a result, learning these hand rankings is a great foundation for learning how to play the different types of poker,

From best to worst, here are all the Seven-Card Stud hand rankings:

• Royal flush: A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit
• Straight flush: Five cards in order and of the same suit, i.e. 9-8-7-6-5 suited
• Four-of-a-kind: Four of the same number or rank, i.e. 8-8-8-8-3
• Full house: Three cards of one rank and two of another, i.e. 8-8-8-3-3
• Flush: Five cards of the same suit, i.e. K-J-8-5-2 suited
• Straight: Five consecutively ranked cards, i.e. J-10-9-8-7 of any suit
• Three-of-a-kind: Three of the same number or rank, i.e. J-J-J-3-2
• Two pair: Two pairs, i.e. K-K-8-8-3
• One pair: One pair, i.e. K-K-7-5-2
• High card: Highest card plays with no higher rankings made

Another set of rankings important in Stud is the suits. This is important when determining the player who will perform the bring-in. If two or more players display cards of the same rank, such as a pair of kings, the suits will determine the dominant hand:

• Highest-ranked suit: Spade
• Second-highest ranked suit: Heart
• Third-highest ranked suit: Diamond
• Lowest-ranked suit: Club

As you can tell, when it comes to determining the bring-in, two of clubs is the lowest ranking card of all.

Beginner Tips for Playing Seven-Card Stud

Some say Stud is one of the best types of poker for beginners because it’s a Limit game. As a result, novices won’t have to endure the terrifying experience of facing an all-in by a seasoned player. Be that as it may, here are some evergreen tips for greenhorns to chew on.

The most important of all Seven-Card Stud tips for beginners is to be sure to memorize the best starting hands in Stud poker and the most playable hands. In descending order of strength:

• Three of a kind.
• Strong pairs of aces, kings, queens, or jacks. (Pay attention to the kicker – J-J with an ace kicker is stronger than J-J with a deuce kicker.)
• Strong suited connectors, such as A-K-Q , K-Q -J, or Q-J-10.
• Medium pairs of tens, nines, and eights, and medium suited connectors, such as J-10-9, 10-9-8, and 9-8-7.
• Strong suited semi-connectors, such as A-Q + J, K-J +10, or A-K + 10.

Second, make a mental note every time an opponent folds a face-up card. This information can help you calculate outs and odds for improved betting decisions.

Third, forget about position. Poker games like Texas Hold’em may convey advantages to specific table positions depending on the situation, but Seven-Card Stud is more democratic. It’s all about the holdings, so the dealer position makes no difference.

Fourth, a bet on third street can be looser than on subsequent streets. Many times, however, representing a hand with a bet on third street may necessitate betting all the way through to seventh street.

Fifth, flushes on third street are usually worth betting, as are straights on third street that beat opponents’ face-up cards.

Sixth, remember that betting options double on fifth street, so pots can build and become expensive more quickly.

Finally, to develop a more advanced Stud poker strategy, get to work on your poker bluffing game. Seven Card Stud is known as the bluffing variant par excellence because there are more cards to see on the board, making it more difficult to read. 

Work on reading your opponent’s state of mind, betting patterns, the texture of the board, and implied and pot odds. If you have a strong hand, try to represent something different that will keep your opponents in the game. This can be more difficult if your up cards (the cards your opponents can see) include an ace. Players who see an ace tend to assume strength and play accordingly. However, if you’re showing an ace with an otherwise weak hand, you can scare opponents into conceding the pot.

Where to Play Seven-Card Stud Online

While Seven-Card Stud is one of the more entertaining poker variants you can play with friends, it’s good to know you can also play the game online at BetMGM, along with Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and lesser-known poker variants such as Eight or Better.

Play Poker Online at BetMGM

Whether you’re keen on Seven-Card Stud or more into Texas Hold’em poker game variations, you can get your best game on at BetMGM. Sign up to play poker with real money against like-minded opponents in tournaments or cash games. Stretch your bankroll with a one-time online poker welcome bonus.