Although the basic principles of Stud Poker are standard, the number of variants can be limitless. In Poker games where the dealer names the game, he can decide on his own rules, within reason; even make them up as he goes along. It is, therefore, impossible to cover all variants of the game. Nevertheless, this page contains examples of games that are not covered elswhere on this web-site. The standard game of Five-Card Stud is also included here for reference.

Generally, Stud Poker is a faster game than Draw Poker, and allows for greater skill. Because there is no exchange of cards, the average rank of winning hands is lower than in Draw Poker.

Players
Up to ten may play.

The Ante
Usually, a small compulsory bet is made by all players; alternatively, no ante is made.

Opening Deal
One card is dealt face down to each player (the hole card), then one card face up. Each player examines his hand.

First Betting Interval
The player with the highest-ranking face-up card must open or drop. A wild card is considered higher than an Ace. If two players hold equal-ranking cards, the player nearer the dealer's left opens. After the opener, each player drops, stays in, bets, raises or reraises in the normal way, until betting is equalised.

Continuing Play
Further rounds of dealing one card to each player alternate with betting intervals, until the end of the fourth interval (when one player has one face-down and four face-up cards).

On these deals, the dealer leaves the pack resting on the table, and takes cards one at a time from the top.

On the betting intervals, the player with the right to open is the one with the highest-ranking completed hand in exposed cards — the dealer announces the player, and also announces exposed pairs or better hands, possible flushes and straights, and the last deal.

The showdown follows the last betting interval; all active players expose their hole cards.

Additional Rules
1) If all the players check, the betting interval ends, and the play continues.

2) If a player drops out, he turns all his cards face down, and does not reveal his hole card.

3) If, in any betting interval, only one active player is left, he wins, and the play ends. He does not need to show his hole card.

4) A four flush is often ruled as a ranking hand in Stud Poker, i.e., four cards of the same suit, plus one other. At showdown (and when deciding the start of a betting interval), it beats a pair, but loses to two pairs.

Other Five-Card Stud Variants
1) Last card down: The last card is dealt face down, giving two hole cards.
2) Last card optionally down: A player may turn up his hole card before the last dealing round, and receive his fifth card face down.

This is like Five-Card Stud (above), except that, after the fourth betting interval, each player receives a sixth card face down. This is followed by a fifth and final betting interval.

At the showdown, each active player chooses five cards from his six, to form his final hand.

This game is for two to eight players.

The opening deal is of three cards: two hole cards face down, then one face up. Betting intervals and rounds of dealing face-up cards then alternate as usual, until each player has seven cards, including the two hole cards.

After a final betting interval, each active player chooses five cards from his seven, to form his showdown hand.

As Seven-Card Stud, but each player's lower-ranking hole card is wild, as, for him, is any other card of that denomination. Sometimes players are allowed to choose either one of their hole cards (and its denomination) as wild.

The lowest hand wins the pool. The lowest exposed hand begins each betting interval. Other rules are as for the form of Stud being played.

From 'The Official World Encyclopedia of Sports and Games'
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd 1979

Each player receives three hole cards, arranges them in any order he chooses, and bets. Four up cards are dealt, with betting after each. Each player then turns up his hole cards one by one in a predetermined order, with betting following each turn.

At the end of the third betting interval, when all have two down and three up, each player rejects one card before receiving his sixth, and another before receiving his seventh, the sixth and seventh being dealt up or down to match the reject, and followed by a betting interval. A player may stand pat, but if he does so on the sixth, he must do so on the seventh. Thus the last three bets are made on a five-card hand.

Two down, four up, one down, the last either way by agreement or dealer's choice, with six betting intervals.

Two down, four up, two down, last up or down.

Two down, four up, three down, last up or down.

Four down, four up, four betting intervals, Fours wild.

Three down, four up, one down, five intervals, Fives wild.

A cross between Stud and Draw. Three down, bet; two up, bet after each. Then players take all five into hand, and draw and play exactly as at Draw Poker.

From 'The Penguin Book of Card Games'
© David Parlett 1979