Seven-card stud poker is a popular form of poker where each player is dealt seven cards throughout the course of the hand. It is a variation of stud poker, which is characterized by a combination of face-up and face-down cards. In sevencard stud poker, the player's goal is to create the best five-card hand from their seven cards to win the pot.
At the beginning of the game, each player is dealt two face-down cards, also known as hole cards, and one face-up card, called the door card. The initial betting round, known as the third street, starts with the player showing the lowest door card. The betting continues clockwise with each player having the option to fold, call, or raise.
After the third street, each player is dealt another face-up card, called fourth street, and the betting round ensues. This process continues with a fifth and sixth street, each followed by a betting round. On the seventh and final street, players are dealt a face-down card, and the last round of betting occurs.
Once the betting is complete, the remaining players reveal their hole cards and the best five-card hand wins the pot. The hand rankings in sevencard stud poker follow the standard poker hierarchy, with high card, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush being the most powerful hands.
Sevencard stud poker requires strategy, skill, and careful observation of other players' cards to determine the strength of one's hand and make informed betting decisions.
