Seven-Card Stud is poker without a flop. Each player gets seven cards over five betting rounds — three down, four up — and makes their best 5-card hand from those seven. There's no shared board. The information edge comes from remembering opponents' upcards.
How a Stud hand plays
Each player antes. Third street: two down, one up. The lowest upcard 'brings in' the betting (forced bet). Fourth, fifth, sixth streets: one upcard each, with betting after each. Seventh street ('the river'): one final downcard. Best 5-card hand wins.
Starting hand structure
Stud's starting hands fall into three groups: premium pairs (rolled-up trips, big pairs like AA-TT with live kickers), three-card flushes/straights with high cards, and three-card draws with overcards. Anything weaker is generally a fold to a raise.
Why Stud is a memory game
The crucial information: which cards have been folded vs. which are still live. If two of your suit are in opponents' folded upcards, your flush draw is materially weaker. Top players make decisions based on dead-card counts as much as their own hand strength.
Stud variants
Stud Hi/Lo: the pot is split between best high hand and best 'eight-or-better' low. Razz: lowest hand wins (A-2-3-4-5 is the nuts). HORSE: rotation of Hold'em, Omaha 8, Razz, Stud, Stud 8 — a true mixed game test.
Where to play Stud online
PokerStars runs the most consistent Stud and HORSE traffic. partypoker has occasional Stud rotations. WSOP.com (US) hosts Stud during the WSOP series. Stud is generally a low-traffic variant — be ready to wait for tables.
Seven-Card Stud FAQ
Where can I play Seven-Card Stud online?
PokerStars, 888 Poker, partypoker and WSOP.com (US-regulated) all spread Seven-Card Stud regularly. Check our top-of-page rankings for current bonus offers.
What stakes should I start at?
Start at the smallest stakes the site offers. Even strong live players are often surprised by online aggression and pace. Build comfort and bankroll before moving up.
Do I need tracking software?
Not to start. Once you're playing 5,000+ hands a month, software like Hold'em Manager 3 or PokerTracker 4 will pay for itself many times over by surfacing your leaks.