Seven-Card Stud

Objective

Win chips by making the best 5-card hand from seven cards dealt.

The Basics

Each player receives seven cards over five betting rounds — two face down, four face up, and a final card face down. Players use any five of their seven cards to make the best standard high hand.

Setup

No blinds. Each player antes before the hand. Each player is dealt two hole cards face down and one card face up (third street). The player with the lowest exposed card posts the bring-in. In the event of a tie, suit determines the low card (clubs < diamonds < hearts < spades).

Betting Rounds

1. Third Street — 2 down, 1 up. Player with the lowest upcard posts the bring-in. Action proceeds clockwise.
2. Fourth Street — One card dealt face up. Player with the highest exposed hand acts first.
3. Fifth Street — One card dealt face up. Same action order. Big bet applies from here.
4. Sixth Street — One card dealt face up. Same action order.
5. Seventh Street (the River) — Final card dealt face down. Same action order.

Bet Sizing

• Third and fourth street use the small bet.
• Fifth, sixth, and seventh street use the big bet (2× small bet).
• Bring-in is a mandatory partial bet; the first player to act may complete to the full small bet.
• Maximum four bets per street in multi-way pots; unlimited heads-up.
• On fourth street, if a player's exposed cards make an open pair, any player may optionally bet the big bet.

Key Rules

• Players must keep track of folded upcards — exposed cards are public information and affect the deck composition.
• If the deck runs short with many players remaining, the final card may be dealt as a single community card face up in the center.
• Standard high hand rankings apply.

Common Mistakes

• The bring-in is posted by the player with the lowest upcard, not the highest (opposite of Razz).
• Action order from fourth street onward is determined by the best exposed hand showing, not by position.
• The big bet option on fourth street applies only when an open pair is showing — any player at the table may invoke it, not just the player with the pair.

At the Table

Seven cards dealt (2 down, 4 up, 1 down). Best 5-card high hand from any five of the seven wins.