7 Card Stud is a classic but not very common kind of poker. However, when you've got tired of Hold 'em, this is exactly what you need. The essence of this poker is to collect the best 5-card combination of seven cards in hand. In 7 Card Stud, the main thing is the ability to remember the cards dealt and firmly recognize your initial combination's potential. Although 7 Card Stud is similar in many ways to many classic poker games (Texas Hold 'em, Omaha, etc.), there are a number of differences that are worth pointing out.
Bets
One of the main differences in 7 Card Poker is the lack of blinds. Bets are made by all players in the same amount, depending on the set table limit.
Each player at the table places a mandatory Ante bet, which varies from 10% to 25% of the minimum bet. Often 7 Card Stud has a fixed betting limit.
Starting Hand
Here the main thing is patience; the initial combinations that guarantee a potential victory for the player are quite rare. Therefore, before folding on the first hand, take a closer look at your opponents' cards and analyze the possible options.
Strategy
As in any other form of poker, in this case, the main thing is to think, and nothing can replace practice. Therefore, we will not regard strategies in 7-card poker as some special, generally accepted system. Here the outcome of the game, as well as your success, depends on the ability to control your bankroll and feel the opponent. A little later, we will discuss this topic in more detail.
Basic Rules
Unlike many types of poker, in this case, there is no concept of community cards. Each player is dealt seven cards, from which they have to choose the best 5-card combination. The number of cards each player has can supply only eight players. The maximum number of cards in a deck is 52. So let's look at the game order. As a rule, a fixed limit is played in 7 Card Stud. We will consider a game with a fixed 10/20 table limit in our example.
Beginning of the Game
A dealer deals the cards, starting clockwise from their left. The game starts with an Ante bet that all players place, usually 1/5 of the lowest limit of the table. Like the Blinds in Texas Hold 'em, the required Ante bet fills the pot.
Third Street
First distribution. Each player is dealt two cards face down and one face up. All cards that are dealt face-up must remain on the table. Then the first round of betting begins. The player with the lowest card makes the first bet. If two players have the same low cards, the one with the higher suit makes the first bet.
Classification of suits from low to high: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades.
The first bet is called Bring-in, and the table limits determine its size; in our case, it is 2, that is, doubled Ante. After that, the rest of the players, starting to the left of the first bettor, can call, raise, or fold. The increase in the bet in the first round is ₽10 (lower limit of the table). In each round, a maximum of one bet and three raises are allowed; therefore, the maximum bet of the round in our example is ₽40.
Fourth Street
The fourth card is dealt face-up, and a new betting round begins. Now the player with the best cards makes the first bet. The amount of a bet or raise in this round is ₽10 (lower limit of the table). If the player has a pair, they can bet ₽20 (upper limit), and the rest of the players, to the left of the player with the best cards, make their bets.
Fifth Street
The fifth card is dealt to the players face up, and the bet increases by ₽20. The game is restarted by the player with the best hand and play continues as usual.
Sixth Street
A new card is dealt to each player, face up. The same action continues, and the bet level increases according to the upper limit.
Seventh Street - River
The last card is dealt to each player face down, and rates continue at the same level in the last round.
Showdown
The players reveal their cards. The player with the strongest 5-card hand out of 7 cards wins, and the last player to bet is the first to reveal their cards.