Would you like to try a new type of poker? Stud poker is a variant of poker in which players do not receive any community cards. The best-known version is Seven Card Stud, where each player eventually receives seven cards and the best five-card combination counts. So how exactly does stud poker work, which hands can you make and which actions can you take?
How do you play stud poker online?
Online stud poker works largely the same way as it does at a physical poker table. You choose an available table and receive your cards automatically during the hand. The software keeps track of which cards are face up and face down and indicates when it is your turn to act.
Unlike Texas Hold’em, there are no community cards in stud poker. You only receive cards that belong to your own hand. Some of these cards can only be seen by you, while other players can also see your face-up cards.
During the different betting rounds, you can bet, call, raise or fold. At the end of the hand, the remaining players compare their cards. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot.
The exact rules can vary between different stud variants in an online casino. It is therefore important to know which form of stud poker you are playing first.
How do you play 7-card stud poker?
7-card stud, also known as Seven Card Stud, is the best-known form of stud poker. Each player eventually receives seven cards. Three of these cards are face down and four are face up.
A hand begins with a mandatory bet called an ante. Each player then receives three cards: two face-down cards and one face-up card. You are the only player who can see your two face-down cards, while the face-up card is visible to everyone at the table.
The first betting round then takes place. Each player who is still in the hand subsequently receives a fourth card. This card is dealt face up. Another betting round follows.
The same happens with the fifth and sixth cards. Both are dealt face up and are followed by another betting round. The seventh and final card is then dealt face down. After the final betting round, a showdown takes place if more than one player remains in the hand.
Each player tries to make the best five-card poker hand from their seven cards. You do not have to use all seven cards. The player with the strongest combination wins the pot.
Which cards do you get in 7-card stud?
In 7-card stud, you receive seven cards in total:
- two face-down cards at the beginning;
- four face-up cards during the following rounds;
- one final face-down card.
The face-up cards are an important part of the game. You can see which cards your opponents have received, giving you clues about the hands they may be able to make.
At the same time, other players can do the same with your cards. For example, if you have three cards of the same suit showing, your opponents can take into account the possibility that you are working towards a flush. It is therefore important to pay attention not only to your own cards.
How do you play 5-card stud poker?
In 5-card stud poker, each player eventually receives five cards. As with 7-card stud, the cards are not all dealt at once. You first receive a combination of face-down and face-up cards, after which additional cards are dealt during several rounds.
In the classic form of 5-card stud, each player first receives one face-down card and one face-up card. Three more cards are then dealt face up. A betting round follows each new card.
This means that you gradually see more of your opponents’ hands as the game progresses. After the final betting round, each player has a maximum of five cards. The best five-card hand wins the pot.
The main difference from 7-card stud is therefore the number of cards. In 5-card stud, you receive five cards, while in 7-card stud you receive seven cards and use the best five.
Which poker hands can you make?
The ranking of poker hands in stud poker is the same as in most other poker variants. From strongest to weakest, they are:
- Royal flush: ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit.
- Straight flush: five consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Four of a kind: four cards of the same rank.
- Full house: three cards of the same rank and a pair.
- Flush: five cards of the same suit.
- Straight: five consecutive cards of different suits.
- Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank.
- Two pair: two different pairs.
- One pair: two cards of the same rank.
- High card: when you do not make a combination, your highest card counts.
In 5-card stud, you use the five cards you receive. In 7-card stud, you choose the best five cards from your seven cards.
Which actions can you take?
During a betting round, there are several actions you can take. When no bet has been placed yet, you can check. This means you stay in the hand without placing an additional bet.
You can also bet and place a wager yourself. When another player has already bet, you can call by matching their bet. You can also increase the bet with a raise.
If you think your hand is not strong enough, you can fold. You discard your cards and no longer take part in the rest of the hand.
Which actions are available depends on the situation and the rules of the specific variant. The online software automatically indicates what you can do when it is your turn.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 5-card and 7-card stud poker?
In 5-card stud, each player receives five cards, while in 7-card stud, each player receives seven cards. In 7-card stud, you ultimately use the best five cards from your seven-card hand.
How many cards do you get in 7-card stud?
Each player receives seven cards: three face down and four face up. The best five-card poker hand is then formed from these seven cards.
Is stud poker the same as Texas Hold’em?
No. In stud poker, each player receives their own cards and there are no community cards. In Texas Hold’em, each player receives two face-down cards, while five community cards are also dealt.