7 Card Stud used to be the most popular variety of online poker or in casino, until Texas Hold’em.

Stud is different from Texas Hold’em and Omaha in a several ways.7 Card Stud is not a community card game. Each player is dealt seven cards throughout five betting rounds with the best five-card poker hand winning.

Before a game starts, each player must post an “ante”, a mandatory amount that ensures there is some money in the pot.

After all players have placed their ante they receive their initial cards. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each player is dealt three cards, then the player with the lowest face up card is known as the “bring-in” and must make a wager of half the small blind.

7 Card Stud is divided into five rounds of betting.

Once the bring-in bet has been made, each player can fold, call, or raise to the betting limit.

Everyone is dealt another up card. At this point, the player with the highest two up cards starts the betting.

Everyone is dealt another up card. The player with the highest combination of up cards starts the betting.

Everyone is dealt another up card. Again, the player with the highest combination of up cards starts the betting.

This last card is dealt face down. The first person to act on the river is the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.

The player with the best hand wins.