There are three main types of poker: draw, hold’em and stud. These games are just as popular at online gambling sites as they are at land-based casinos. As with any variation of poker, you’ll need to be strategic to be successful in a seven-card stud game. No need to fret, though, plenty of poker sites offer demo versions of the game to practise on. This means that, whether you’re an experienced poker player or a complete beginner, there’s a poker site for you. Let’s run through some of the basics before you get started!
Everything you need to know about online seven-card stud poker
The Basics
While there are similarities between seven-card stud poker and Texas hold’em, there are plenty of differences, so definitely worth getting to know each game in its own right.
Seven-card stud poker is played using a standard 52-card deck and each player receives a mixture of face-down and face-up cards. All players can openly view the other’s face-up cards. This is beneficial as it can help you to work out hand possibilities for yourself and, of course, you, helps you to make an educated guess as to what your opponents might be holding. The downside, especially for beginners, is that there’s a lot of information to process in a short space of time, which is why this game takes several years to truly master. Each player must make the strongest possible 5-card hand from the 7 cards they have been dealt with. Normal poker hand ranks apply the same as in Texas hold’em.
Bet Types
Seven-card stud poker is a pot-limit game and there are three bet types used:
- The ante – is the amount every player must put into the pot before the start of a new hand to be dealt in.
- The bring-in – is the first bet of the game. It is typically half the amount of the lower pot-limit value.
- Pot limit – is essentially the amount you are allowed to bet each time it is your turn to act. The pot limit is split into two values, i.e. $10/$20. The lower value is used for betting on the first four cards, the higher value is for the remaining.
The rules
- To start the game, all players place a small ante bet.
- They each then receive two face-down cards and one face-up card. Whichever player has the lowest-ranking face-up card starts off the betting – in this case, ace is classed as a high-value card. This bet is called the bring-in
- Betting continues, with players given the choice of calling— equalling the previous player’s bet—raising— betting higher than the previous player—or folding— discarding your hand and not betting.
- After this, the fourth cards are dealt, again face up, to those who haven’t folded. The player with the highest value of face-up cards starting the betting off this time.
- The fifth cards are also dealt face up, followed by a round of betting. From this point until the end of the hand, the minimum bet is the higher value pot limit.
- The game’s sixth cards are also dealt face up— which means each remaining player has four face-up cards— and there’s another round of betting.
- The seventh— and final— cards are dealt to the players still in the hand, face down, and the final round of betting commences.
- The showdown. The remaining players reveal their hands to determine which player has the best hand and is, therefore, the winner.
Start playing seven-card poker in a few simple steps!
- Compare top online poker sites
Our expert review team has found the top sites offering seven-card stud poker, so all you need to do is browse the list to compare their features and pick out your favourite. All our featured operators are fully licensed to operate in Canada and regulated by governing bodies, so you’re guaranteed a safe and fair online poker experience. - Sign up
Signing up is straightforward. All you’ll need to do is provide a few personal details and create your poker username. This is your alias which will appear at the seven-card stud poker table. - Deposit and claim your bonus
Once you’ve created your account, go to the cashier and make your first deposit. Each site offers a number of payment methods, including various e-wallet options, such as Neteller and Skrill, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that’s suitable. Welcome bonuses will often be credited to your account when you’ve made your bonus, though you may need to manually activate it. Use the live chat feature to seek assistance if you have any questions. - Play a freeroll
It’s a good idea to play with a demo game if you’re new to this variation of poker. Alternatively, if your welcome bonus gives you free poker chips, you could use these to get some practice without real money games before denting your own bankroll. - Choose a seven-card stud poker table
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with this poker variation, you’ll be keen to find a table to start playing. You should always choose a table that suits both your bankroll and skill level. We’d recommend starting on the lowest limit tables if you’re completely new to the game!
Time to play seven-card poker online!
Think seven-card stud poker sounds like your kind of thing? Take a look at our list of the best poker sites and compare their offers to pick your favourite, sign up and start playing poker today!
