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Seven Card Stud Online

Audrey | March 30, 2023 | Updated on: July 31st, 2023

Recently updated on March 30th, 2023

Seven Card Stud

Seven Card Stud is a poker variation second in popularity to a newer variation called Texas Holdem. The game also goes by the names Down-the-River or Seven-Toed Pete depending on the region you live. Another fun fact about the game is that the “S” in another poker variation called HORSE stands for Seven Card Stud.

In this guide we’ll walk you through all there is to know about playing the game. Follow our guide closely for the best shot at winning real money the next time you play.

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The Objective of the Game

The main objective of every player in the game is to win. Winners get the pot money which is made up of all bets that were made during the course of the game. In this version of the game you are competing against other players and whoever is able to build the highest ranked 5 card hand wins the game.

To achieve this, you’ll need a combination of luck and skill. You need luck to get dealt cards with a good working potential and you need the skill to know what moves to make and when.

Seven Card Stud Rules

Let’s get into how the game is played. Every poker session accommodates up to eight players and each one of those players is your competition. The game begins with the dealer handing each player three cards where two of them are handed face down and the other face up. Whoever has the lowest ranking up card must pay the buy-in amount.

The buy-in amount refers to the first wager of the game traditionally made by the person with the lowest-ranked up card as previously explained. This step is non-negotiable and is one example of the kind of disadvantages that come with being dealt a weak card in 7 card stud poker.

Seven Card Stud Poker

If it happens that two or more players have the exact same low-ranking card then the dealer will use the suite as a deciding factor for who must pay the buy-in. If nobody has a low-ranking card then the person with the highest rank card will start the betting round. A normal round of betting will proceed afterwards in a clockwise rotation.

Gameplay in Seven Card Stud Poker

A fourth card will then be handed to every player, followed by another betting round starting with the player displaying a hand with the most winning potential. The rest of the game will continue in the following manner:

  • Third up card will be dealt to each player followed by another betting round
  • A fourth up card will be given followed by another betting round, and then finally a down card will be handed to every player followed by a final betting round.
  • The final betting round is followed by the showdown round where the winner will be announced.

In summary, 7 card stud involves playing 2 down cards, 4 up cards and 1 down card. During the showdown round you must build the best possible hand with the seven cards you’ve received. The player with the best poker hand wins. Make sure that player is you.

Winning Poker Hand Rankings

Now that you know how the game is played we can get into the different hand rankings and ultimately identify the hand(s) that you should be aiming for. You’ll notice that the hand rankings in poker stays the same for most poker variants. The table below shows all available hands in order of best to worst.

Poker Hand Example Description
Five of a kind Image This is the highest-ranking hand in the game. It consists of four like cards and 2 wild or odd cards
Straight flush Image A straight flush hand displays at least 5 cards that are in the same suit and they must go in consecutive order
Four of a kind Image This hand consists of four like cards and 3 odd cards
Full House Image This hand is a mixture of cards. It may consist of 3 cards that belong to one suit and 2 cards that belong to another suit along with 2 odd cards.
Flush Image A flush consists of five cards that don’t follow in consecutive order but belong to the same suite.
Straight Image A straight is the opposite of a flush. It consists of five cards that go in consecutive order, but don’t belong to the same suite.
Three of kind Image This hand consists of three like cards and four odd cards
Two Pairs Image This hand consists of two pairs and three odd cards
One Pair Image This hand consists of only one pair and odd cards
No Pair Image This kind of hand is most common and refers to a hand that has none of the above card combinations.

 

7 Card Stud Strategy

Everybody would like to win something when they play seven-card stud for real money. So, what can you do to optimize your chances of winning? This is where skill comes in and luck takes a back seat. There are a number of strategies that you can try to help you win. Here are some of the seven-card strategies that we propose.

Choose the hands you play: it’s okay to be selective about the hands you play in seven-card stud poker. We advise against starting off with weak hands, or hands that have very little winning potential. This strategy is especially directed at beginners. When you’ve gained more experience then you can venture into playing more challenging hands. Poker hands with a good enough winning potential include:

  • Three of a kind
  • Medium to big pairs
  • Suited broadway cards

Take note of discarded cards: In seven-card stud, quite a few cards are dealt face up so you will have taken note of those. But, it’s a good idea to take note of discarded cards as well that way you get an idea of which cards aren’t in play at the moment and an even briefer idea of the kind of hands your competitors have. This will take a lot of memory power, though. So, if remembering comes easy for you, you might want to use that to your advantage when playing seven-card stud.

Study your competitors: Bluffing is no stranger to poker games and seven-card stud poker is certainly no exception. It might pay off to pay attention to the other player and what they are doing. Although some players are smart enough to not fall victim to a bluffing scheme, you get a few naïve players who might. Take note of their behaviour, body posture and facial expressions for any indications of the kind of poker hand they hold.

7 Card Stud Poker

7 Card Stud Poker Games Free

Some poker casinos are nice enough to offer free poker games where no deposit is required. This gives you the opportunity to play poker games like seven-card stud risk-free. It’s also great for testing out a strategy. Of course, you cannot win real money from free games but this shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the game still.

Other Online Poker Variations

There are several other equally exciting poker variations available to play. Poker is indeed one of the most diverse casino games. When playing poker you not only get to test your skill and luck, but you can also win decent sums of money. Other poker games available at our casinos include:

  • Texas Holdem
  • Razz
  • HORSE
  • Five Card Draw
  • Omaha
  • Badugi
  • Let it Ride

Play Seven Card Stud for Real Money

We hope this seven-card stud poker guide was helpful. Feel free to navigate our site for more poker guides. Also, feel free to visit any of the online casinos that we list in our table above to play seven-card stud poker and other games for real money today.
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