Stud poker refers to any of a number of poker game variants in which each player receives a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple betting rounds. Stud poker games are also typically non-positional games, meaning that the player who bets first in each betting round may change from round to round (it is usually the player whose face-up cards make the best hand for the poker game being played).
This game is for up to ten players. Before the cards are dealt usually is required to be made a bet by all the players. The player with the highest ranking face-up card must open or drop. A wild card is considered higher than an ace. If two players hold equal ranking cards, the player nearer the dealers left opens. After the opener, each player drops, stays in, bets, raises, or re-raises in the normal way until betting is equalized.
Further rounds of dealing one card face up to each player alternate with betting intervals, until the end of the fourth interval (when each of the players has one face-down and four face-up cards). On these deals, the dealer leaves the deck resting on the table and takes cards one at a time from the top. On the betting intervals, the player with the right to open is the one with the highest ranking completed hand in exposed cards - the dealer announces that player and also announces exposed hands possible flushes and straights, and the last deal. The showdown, follows the fourth betting interval; all active players expose their hole cards.
- If all the players check, the betting interval ends and the play continues
- If a player drops out, he turns all his cards face down and does not reveal his hole card.
- If on any betting interval only one active player is left, he wins and play ends. He need not show his hole card.
- A "four flush" is often ruled a ranking had in stud poker, i.e. four cards of the same suit plus one other. At showdown (and in deciding the start of a betting interval) it beats a pair but loses to two pairs).
Standard Game (variants)
Six card stud
Six Card stud poker is usually played identical to seven-card stud poker games, except that the last face-up betting round is removed (thus it is two down, three up, one down). It can also be played as 1-4-1, where the first betting round occurs after only two cards are dealt (one down and one up). This latter form more closely resembles five-card stud poker with an extra down card.
Seven card stud
This game is for 2 to eight players. The opening deal is of three cards: two hole cards, then one face up. All in all there are five betting rounds in Seven Card Stud. There may be fewer rounds if before all seven cards are dealt a player makes a bet and no one else calls, in which case he or she will win the pot. A hand in seven card studs is still complied of five cards, and it is up to the player which cards to use and which cards to leave out of the hand.
Seven card stud: low hole card wild card
As above, but each player's lower ranking hole card is wild - as, for him is any other card of that denomination. Sometimes players re allowed to choose either one of their hole cards (and its denominations) as wild.
Mexican stud
This is like five-cards stud except that all cards are dealt face down. After the second and each subsequent dealing round, each player turns up any one of his face-down cards, leaving one chosen card as hole card. Sometimes a player's final hold card is rules wild, together with any other cards of that denomination that he holds.
Other five-card stud variants
- Last card down; the last card is dealt face down, giving two hole cards
- Last card optionally down: a player may turn up his hole card before the last dealing round and receive his firth card face down.
Low-hand stud
The lowest hand wins the pool. The lowest exposed hand begins each betting interval. Other rules are as for the form of stud being played. The lowest exposed hand begins each betting interval. Other rules are as for the form of stud being played.
