In the Stud Poker variants, each player receives a portion of their hand in hole cards and upcards. These cards are only his hand, there are no community cards. The main differences between the different variations are how many cards the players receive and in what order they are dealt. The basic bet to make the pot attractive is the “ante” (each player must put this bet into the pot before the game begins). This “forced” bet is also called a “forced bet” (other forced bets are blinds or bring in). Now every player who has placed the ante gets cards. The first betting round is then opened with the “Bring In”, usually the lowest open card. This makes Stud Poker a poker game in which the position to the dealer does not matter. In stud poker there are all limit structures, some variations are played as high-low. Five Card Stud was first mentioned during the American Civil War and from this the alternative forms of Stud Poker developed like the following:
Five Card Stud
Game process
The antes are placed and the players are dealt one face down and one face up card. The player with the lowest card (sometimes the highest, usually depending on the limit variant) must bet the Bring In. If two or more players have the same card value face up, the suit decides in this order (from low to high): clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. The English names serve as a reminder: Clubs,Diamond,Heart, Spades.
Now the hand is held clockwise (call), raised or folded. Usually the number of bets is limited to four (one bet and max. three raises).
After the first betting round has been completed, each player who has not folded his hand is dealt the second card face up. The highest open poker hand opens the second betting round, which is the same as the first.
Two more cards are dealt face up, one betting round after each card, the sequence of which corresponds to the first betting round. After the last betting round, the showdown takes place if more than one player has cards left. The player who placed the last action (bet or raise) begins by showing his cards. The dealer verifies the best poker hand and awards the pot.
Seven Card Stud
Game process
Instead of one card face down and one card face up after placing the antes as in Five Card Stud, players are dealt two face down cards and then one face up card. The betting rounds now begin again. After the fourth card is dealt face up, each player is dealt the seventh card face down again, followed by the final betting round. The order of the showdown is the same as in Five Card Stud, with the seven cards forming the best five-card poker hand.
Common Card
When eight players are seated at a table, the 52 cards on the deck may not be enough to give each player seven cards. (7 x 8 = 56 )
In addition, in casinos, for security reasons, one card is discarded (burned) face down before each round in which cards are dealt. (Burn Cards)
In this case, the dealer places a card face up on the table that any player can use for his hand. This “community card” is also called a common card and is very unpopular with Seven Card Stud players.
This variant has almost completely eliminated Five Card Stud from casinos and was the most played form of poker before the online boom.
Example: Seven Card Stud Hand
razz
Razz is very similar to Seven Card Stud Poker, but it wins the lowest hand. It is not necessary to qualify with “Eight or better”, as is the case with other low variations. The ace is always the lowest card and neither straights nor flushes count.
The best possible Razzhand is therefore 5,4,3,2,A, also called five high, the wheel or the bicycle.
London Lowball
London lowball is a form of stud poker derived from razz but includes flushes and straights. So the best possible hand is 6,4,3,2,A in at least two different suits.
Now we’d like to introduce you to some “exotic” stud games:
Six Card Stud
The same procedure as Seven Card Stud, but the fourth card face up is omitted.
The hand therefore consists of two face down cards, three face up cards and one face down card.
Variants of Six Card Stud:
Alligator Stud
Alligator Stud begins with a face down card and an open card, followed by the first round of betting. Then two cards face up and the next betting round.
Finally, the last card and the last betting round. Alligator Stud is usually played in No Limit format.
Zanetti Stud
Similar to Alligator Stud, but before the first betting round two cards are dealt face down and one card face up. The special feature of this variant is the rule that only one of the first two hole cards may be used for the hand.
Mississippi Stud
Mississippi Stud is like Seven Card Stud Poker. After the first betting round, however, players are dealt two cards face up. After the second betting round, another card is dealt face up, followed by the third betting round. Now the seventh card is dealt face up again and the last betting round is played. Each player has two face down and five face up cards to make the poker hand. Mississippi Stud is also often played as a high low variant.
In addition, there are many variations of Stud, such as:
- Cards are removed from the deck and a joker is used
- All cards are dealt face down
- Players decide which cards to reveal
- Players must discard cards from their hands
Conclusion
The Stud variants require some theoretical and mathematical knowledge. Therefore you should inform yourself in advance about the strategy and probabilities.
But we’ll come to that in the next blogs.
Until then have fun and success on casino777.ch and stay curious
