General Rules:

The betting structure of 7-Card Stud is only made in fixed limits (there is no bets without limit in 7 Card Stud) with fixed betting increase. The phases of playing in 7-Card Stud is also different and consists of 7 stages: "Ante", "Third Street", "Fourth Street", "Fifth Street", "Sixth Street", "Seventh Street or River" and " Showdown ".

1 - "Ante"

In Seven Card Stud all players place a pre-determined amount of chips before receiving the cards, this pre-determined amount is called "Ante", so that the "Ante" is the cost that is paid so that the players are able to see their cards.

2 - "Third Street"

In "Third Street" each player receives 3 cards being one exposed and the other two hidden, the player with the lowest exposed card is the "bring-in", which will be obligated to pay a pre-determined amount of chips.

3 - "Fourth Street"

In the "Fourth Street" players receive the fourth card that will be exposed, the first player to decide its game is the one that has the exposed cards with the highest value.

4 - "Fifth Street"

In the "Fifth Street" players receive the fifth card also exposed, and once again the first player to decide its game is the player that has the exposed cards with the highest value.

5 - "Sixth Street"

In the "Sixth Street" the players receive the sixth card also exposed, and once again the first player to decide its game is the player that has the exposed cards with the highest value.

6 - "Seventh Street or River"

In the "Seventh Street or River" the players receive the seventh letter but this time it is hidden and only visible to the player himself, and once again the first player to decide its game is the player that has the exposed cards with the highest value.

7 - "Showdown"

After the last round of betting the player showing first his cards is the one is that has bet in last place or if there was no betting the player who is first place.

As you can see in the figure below each player has four cards visible to all and three private cards visible only to themselves.

Figure I: "Example of 7 Card Stud table game"

Variants of 7-Card Stud:

- Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo

The 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo is almost identical to the 7-Card Stud but you play in "High / Low" (High / Low), in which the pot game is split between the best high hand and the best "Ace to five lowball", utilizing the also three private cards and four exposed cards. The rules 7-Card Stud Hi / Lo differs from the "eight-or-better" in Omaha Hi / Lo, as the "Ace to five lowball" says the low hand "lowball" should consist in five different cards in which sequences and "flushes" do not count, and aces are always low, by that aces enter in hands "lowball", and if there is no hand that fulfills this requirement is the high hand "high" gets the whole pot.

- Razz (Seven Card Stud Low)

The difference between Razz (Seven Card Stud Low) and 7-Card Stud Hi / Lo is that the winning hand will be the "Ace to five lowball" so there is no requirement for "8-or-better" and once again the sequences and "flushes" do not count, and aces are always low.

Below you find also a video explaining in details the rules and general operation of "seven card stud".

Video I: "How to play seven card stud"