Up next you will learn to play seven-card stud.

If you read the article Stud poker you will find out the basics of all stud poker games. Before delving into the beautiful world of seven card stud you should be familiar with general poker game play, with general stud poker game play and with Basic poker hand ranking.

Seven-stud poker was the most popular poker game until not so long ago. Now Texas hold'em wins the popularity contests.

However you will find avid seven-stud poker players and casinos who still host seven-stud poker games. When the game is played in casinos antes and bring-in are used. The ante is a small forced bet placed by all the players. The Bring-in is a forced bet made by the player who holds the lowest face up card. In home games only the ante is used.

Let's head to the table and learn how to play seven-card stud:

• After the antes are placed each player will be dealt three cards.
• Two of the cards are face down and one card is face up.
• The player who's face up card has the lowest value will place in addition to the ante he put on the table, a bring-in.
• If two players have equally ranked low cards the suit of the cards will be used to determine who has to place the bring-in.

Let's take a look at the two common conventions for ranking suits:

• Colors alternate: Diamonds (lowest), Clubs, Hearts, Spades (highest).
• Alphabetical: Clubs (lowest), Diamonds, Hearts, Spades (highest).

So, in our seven-stud game if two players tie with the same value low card the player who holds the diamond low card – if we agree to the alternating colors conventions or the club – if we agree to the alphabetical order convention places the bring-in.

If you are playing seven-stud poker at home you will need to inform the other players of the convention you have chosen to break in case of a tie.

If you are playing with a bring-in it is considered an open so the next player can check or not. If you are playing home, without a bring in, the betting first round begins from the player that holds the highest ranking face-up card.

In case of a high card tie the player to the left of the dealer starts the betting round and the action continues in a clockwise motion.

When the first betting round ends another card, face-up, will be dealt to the players who remained in the hand. The second round begins from the player whose face-up cards make the best poker hand. In all the other betting rounds the player with the best face-up poker hand will start th action. Since a limited number of cards are face-up straights, flushes or full-house don't count.

When the second betting round has finished players will be dealt one more face-up card, another betting round will follow, then another face-up card will be dealt and then another betting round follows. The final card follows – face-down – and the last betting round takes place. When the last betting round ends the showdown follows. In the showdown players will make the best poker hand from the seven cards they were dealt.

Let's take a look at a easier way of learning the order of the dealt cards:
Two face down cards – four face-up cards – one face down card.