How to Play 7-Card Stud

7-Card Stud Rules

The basics:
• 2–8 players (no community cards, so no button — antes and bring-in replace blinds)
• Each player antes a small forced bet before the hand
• Players receive 7 cards total across 5 betting rounds: 2 face-down, 4 face-up, 1 face-down
• Best 5-card hand from your 7 wins

The streets:
1. Third Street — 2 down cards + 1 up card (door card). Player with lowest door card posts the bring-in (forced small bet). Action proceeds clockwise.
2. Fourth Street — one more up card. Player with best showing hand acts first.
3. Fifth Street — one more up card. Bets double from here.
4. Sixth Street — one more up card.
5. Seventh Street (the River) — final card dealt face down. Last betting round.
6. Showdown — best 5-card hand wins.

Reading Up-Cards: The Core Stud Skill

Because players have up to 4 exposed cards, a huge portion of Stud strategy involves reading what opponents hold and remembering folded cards.

What to track:
• Which cards are dead (folded face-up) — a player drawing to a flush has fewer outs if their suit cards have appeared
• What opponents' up-cards suggest about their hidden cards
• Players showing two of a kind up-cards likely have three of a kind or a full house
• A player showing a suited run (consecutive same-suit up-cards) is likely on a flush draw

Memory is essential: Strong Stud players remember every exposed card that has been folded. If you're drawing to a straight with 9-T-J showing, and three 8s have been folded, your draw to an 8 is nearly dead — adjust accordingly.

Starting Hand Selection in Stud

Premium Stud starting hands (three of a kind, high pairs, high three-card flushes):
• Three of a kind (rolled-up trips) — the best starting hand; disguised as only one card is visible
• High pair (AA, KK, QQ) with kicker — especially if pair is hidden (both down cards) and kicker is live
• Three-card flush (suited three-card hand) with high cards
• Three-card straight flush (suited connected three cards)

Playable starting hands:
• Medium pairs (8-8 through J-J) with a live kicker
• Three high cards to a straight (Q-J-T, K-Q-J)
• High three-card flush with at least two of the suit still live

Fold these:
• Low pairs with many dead outs
• Three-card flushes when 4+ cards of your suit are dead
• Three small unconnected cards with no suit

Fifth Street: The Most Important Decision

Fifth Street is the most critical decision point in Stud — bets double here and continuing becomes expensive. By Fifth Street you should have a clear picture of your hand's potential.

Continue if:
• You have a strong made hand (two pair, three of a kind or better)
• Your draw has 8+ live outs with the pot offering sufficient odds
• You're ahead based on up-cards and have strong equity

Fold if:
• Your draw is weak and/or many of your outs are dead
• An opponent's up-cards clearly beat your best possible hand
• The pot odds don't support continuing with a marginal draw

Fifth Street is where recreational Stud players leak money by chasing draws with dead cards. Discipline here separates profitable from unprofitable play.

7-Card Stud vs Texas Hold'em: Key Differences

No community cards: Every player builds their own private hand. No shared information like flop/turn/river.

No positional advantage: In Stud, the player with the best up-cards acts first each street — position changes every street unlike Hold'em's fixed position.

Memory replaces position: Card counting (dead card tracking) is the primary skill advantage in Stud. Players who remember folded cards have a significant edge.

No button or blinds: Antes and bring-in replace the blind structure. All players pay antes every hand.

More drawing hands: With 7 cards to choose from, flushes and straights appear more frequently than in 5-card games.