Understanding Stud Poker Rules: Stud Poker for Rookies

Poker is one of the most popular gambling games in the world, so no wonder there are so many variations of poker. Today, we are going to take a look at different types of Stud Poker and get a better understanding of Stud Poker rules.

Understanding stud poker rules – introduction

Let’s start with the definition. Stud Poker games are variations of poker where a player must make their best hand using the original cards (usually, 5 or 7). The most popular variations of stud poker are Five Card Stud and Seven Card Stud. However, you can also find stud games like High/Low Chicago or Follow the Queen on online poker sites in the US. We have already talked about how to play Five-Card Stud poker, so if you haven’t heard about this type of stud, check out this article.

A few things to know before you start playing Stud Poker

Stud poker is a non-positional card game, which means that the order of the betting and who is betting first might change from round to round. Similarly to Texas Holdem, there is a dealer button and players pass it to each other after every hand. However, unlike in Texas Holdem, the dealer button doesn’t determine the betting order – it simply shows the order in which the cards are dealt.

Stud Poker rules – fixed-limit game

Another important thing to know about the stud poker is that it is a fixed-limit game. Fixed-limit games have a fixed number of bets and raises. They commonly have two options for betting – big and small bets. Unlike in no-limit variations of poker, the amount of money each player can bet in each betting round is limited.  For instance, if you play on a table with a $10 small bet and $20 big bet, and you have a door card, you can either place a bring-in or a complete bet (a small bet). A bring-in is also usually equal to an ante bet.

Stud Poker Combinations

Stud Poker combos are not very different from the combinations of other types of poker. Thus, if you already know about how to play online poker, you shouldn’t have any problems memorizing them. However, let’s refresh the memory by taking a look at the table:

Seven Card Stud – understanding Stud Poker rules

As we mentioned before, Seven Card Stud is one of the most popular variations of Stud Poker, played all over the US. Here, a player should also make up their hand using original cards. But unlike in Five Card Stud, players have a chance to remove 2 cards and create the best possible combination.

The game starts with players paying an ante bet. This is the smallest bet which is basically an “entrance” to the game. After that, each player is given 3 cards – the first two cards are face down, while the last one is face up. Two hidden cards are also called hole cards. Fun fact – “ace in the hole” expression came from Stud Poker, as sometimes players with a low-ranking face-up card can have advantageous face down cards. Whoever has the lowest ranking card or a door card, starts the betting.

From the third street to the seventh street

In Seven Card Stud, each round of the game is called a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh street, referring to the number of cards. Starting from the third street, let’s imagine the first player decides to bring-in. In that case, the following player can either fold and surrender, call and place an equal bet or raise and place a small bet. In case the player with a door card decides to place a small bet, the next player can fold, call and also place a small bet or raise and place a big bet. After that, all of the following players can choose between the three above-mentioned options – fold, raise, or call.

In the next round, each player is dealt the face-up card and a player with the best-ranking pair starts the round. The pattern repeats itself until the dealer gives the final, seventh card face down. Only in the last round, a player can take a look at all of their face-down cards and chose 5 cards for the best poker combinations. Finally, a player with the best-ranking combo receives their prize.

High and Low Chicago

Once you are already familiar with Stud Poker rules, learning High/Low Chicago wouldn’t be a problem. Basically, the game follows a similar set of rules. However, in High/Low Chicago, the pot is divided among the player with the best hand and the player with the highest or the lowest spade. Although this type of Stud Poker is relatively rare, you can play it on online casino sites in the US.

Follow the Queen

Follow the Queen is also a variation of a 7 Card Stud, where every time after the Queen is flipped, the following card gets to be the wild card. Moreover, players can choose whether they want their 7th card face up or down.

Where to play Stud Poker online

Nowadays, online gambling sites in the US offer numerous variations of Stud Poker games for players of all levels. For example, gambling enthusiasts can develop their Stud Poker skills on Betsson Poker. The platform provides players with non-stop cash tables, poker tournaments, and VIP events. Besides, new players on Betsson can complete a 10-day challenge and win daily bonuses. And if you have already made up your mind, check out this article on Stud Poker online strategies and become a real poker pro.

You can discover more about Betsson here.