How to Play 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker

Playing any type of poker for the first time can be daunting, especially for anyone new to casino card games in general. However, some variants are more complex than others — such as 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker.

This variation of poker is widely available at poker sites, but it is crucial that you understand how to play online poker before you dive in. To make it easier for you, we will explain the gameplay basics and rules below.

What is 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker?

Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker is a casino card game that challenges players to create the best five-card hand they can. Each player receives seven cards throughout the course of a game, and multiple rounds of betting occur.

At the end of a game, the prize pot will be split between two players: one with the strongest high hand (based on traditional hand rankings), one with the best lowball (A - 5) hand.

This presents all players with two opportunities to claim a share of the winnings, depending on whether they have enough cards to build a powerful high or low hand of five.

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7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker Gameplay and Rules

Gameplay and Rules

Gameplay and Rules

During each betting round in a game of 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker, players can take the following actions:

Fold — Discard your hand
Check — Keep your cards but move the action along to the next player
Bet — Make a wager according to the limits at the table
Call — Match another player’s bet exactly
Raise — Increase the size of the active wager

However, not all of these actions will be available to you at all times. It depends on how previous players have acted during the current betting round.

Here is how a typical game of 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker flows:

All players at the table ante an equal amount (clarified before the game starts).
The dealer passes three cards to each player: one (the “door” card) is face up, the other two (the “hole” cards) are face down.
The player holding the lowest-value door card starts the first betting round with the bring-in. The rest of the players make their bets, moving around the table in a clockwise direction.
The dealer passes each player another card (“Fourth Street”), and the player whose face-up cards are of the best value starts the next betting round. They may either place a bet or check, unless a player’s face-up cards show a pair. In this case, the stakes may be raised.
All players are dealt a new face-up card (“Fifth Street”), and another betting round begins (started by the player with the strongest visible hand).
Each player receives another face-up card (“Sixth Street”), and the next betting round begins (following the same rules as before).
Finally, the dealer passes each player still in the game one final face-down card (“the river”). All participants should have three cards face down on the table and four face up. As before, the person holding the highest visible hand takes first action in the last betting round.
The showdown brings the game to its finale. All remaining players reveal their five-card hands. Whoever has the best high hand wins 50% of the pot, while the player with the best low hand gets the remaining 50%. However, if no players have a qualifying low-value hand, the person with the best high hand claims the entire pot.

However, 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Poker uses the ‘eight or better’ stipulation. To win with a low hand, a player needs an unpaired hand of five cards that are equal to or less than an eight. If no players have a low hand meeting this requirement, only the high hand will win.

Furthermore, if two or more players hold an identical high or low hand, they will share their half of the pot equally.