Seven-Card Stud is a classic poker variant where players receive seven cards — some face-up, some face-down. There are no community cards; each player builds their own private hand. What makes Stud unique is the information available: you can see several of each opponent's cards throughout the hand.
Stud was the dominant poker game before Texas Hold'em rose to popularity in the 2000s, and it remains a key game in mixed games like HORSE. For more Stud variants and the full database, visit Poker Game Database.
Watch a Sample Hand — Five Streets
Step through all five streets — watch cards appear face-up and face-down, and see how visible upcards shape strategy.
POT: $15
YOU (Hero)
WINNER!
Player 2
Player 3
Ready to Deal
Press Next Step to begin dealing the sample hand.
Step 0 of 9
Ante
Instead of blinds, Seven-Card Stud uses antes. All players post a small ante to start the hand, which seeds the pot.
The Deal — Five Streets
Third Street: Two cards face-down ("hole cards") + one card face-up ("door card") per player. Betting round follows.
Fourth Street: One card face-up each. Betting round follows.
Fifth Street: One card face-up each. Betting limit doubles in Fixed-Limit Stud. Betting round follows.
Sixth Street: One card face-up each. Betting round follows.
Seventh Street (the River): One card face-DOWN each. Final betting round, then showdown.
Each player ends up with 7 cards: 2 hole cards (face-down) + 4 upcards (face-up) + 1 final card (face-down). Best five cards from seven wins.
Third Street — Bring-In
The player with the lowest door card must bring in — post a forced partial bet. This is the bring-in. Action then continues clockwise. If two players show the same rank, suits break the tie (clubs < diamonds < hearts < spades — low to high).
Fourth Street Through Sixth Street
The player with the highest visible hand acts first each round. Unlike the bring-in on Third Street, this is the player who appears to be winning based on their face-up cards. That player may check or bet.
The Showdown
After the final betting round, remaining players reveal all their cards. Each player selects their best five-card hand from their seven cards. Standard poker hand rankings apply. See Hand Rankings.
Key Features
You can see some of each opponent's cards throughout the hand — use this information!
Tracking which cards are "dead" (already folded face-up) is critical to knowing your actual outs.
Position changes every street based on visible card strength, not the button.
Starting hand selection is extremely important — three-card starting hands that connect (pair, three-flush, three-straight) are valuable.
Strategy Tips
Pay close attention to which cards are already out (dead cards). If you need a 7 to complete a straight and three 7s are already folded, your draw is nearly worthless.
Starting with a pair or three of a kind is powerful. Hidden pairs (both matching cards in the hole) are especially strong.
Three suited cards (three-flush) have good potential — but watch the board for dead cards in your suit.
If your upcards are weak and opponents' boards are strong, fold early and save chips for better spots.
Don't chase draws when dead cards have already eliminated most of your outs.
For Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo, Stud-8, and dozens of Stud variants, visit Poker Game Database.
