How to play Seven Card Stud Hi Lo
Seven Card Stud Hi Lo Rules
Like Omaha, seven card stud has a hi lo variant available for those looking for a little more challenge when playing online poker games.
While seven card stud hi lo is not the most popular poker game in the world, it is gaining popularity in online poker rooms as part of mixed game formats and as players look to ad variety to their regular routine.
Seven card stud hi lo is similar to regular seven card stud except that at the showdown the pot is split between the player with the strongest high hand and the strongest low hand.
Set up, deal and third street
Seven card stud hi lo is played with antes rather than blinds.
The ante is a small wager that each player puts in the pot before the hand is dealt.
Once all players have put in their ante, the dealer gives each player two face down cards and one card face up. This phase of the hand is called third street.
Once all players have been dealt cards, the player showing the lowest up card must make a forced bet called the bring in.
If there is a tie for the lowest card then the suit will determine the lowest.
Clubs is the highest followed by diamonds, hearts and then spades as the lowest.
An easy way to remember this is that the suits are ranked alphabetically from most to least powerful.
Once the bring in bet has been made, play proceeds around the table in a clockwise motion with each player having the option to call, raise or fold.
Fourth street
On fourth street the dealer gives each player another card face up.
As in normal seven card stud, play now begins with the player showing the most powerful poker hand.
Play continues around the table until all players have had a chance to act.
Fifth street
On fifth street the dealer again gives players another card face up and play begins with the player showing the most powerful poker hand.
On fifth street the betting will increase to the higher limit of the game.
For example, if you play online poker in a $2/$4 game of seven card stud hi lo, during fifth street and on all rounds after, all bets and raises would have to be in $4 increments.
Third and fourth street both utilize the smaller bet.
Sixth street
Play on sixth street is the same as fifth street.
Players are dealt another card face up and play begins with the highest showing poker hand as usual.
The betting is also at the higher level just as in fifth street.
The river and the showdown
Once sixth street concludes the dealer gives each player one final face down card and this phase is called the river.
As with sixth street, play begins with the player showing the most powerful poker hand.
Once all players have had a chance to call, the players remaining in the hand will have a showdown to determine the winner of the pot.
Since the game is seven card stud hi lo, half of the pot will be awarded to the best hi hand and half the pot will be awarded to the best lo hand.
In seven card stud hi lo, a lo hand is any five cards of different rank, eight or below.
There will always be a hi hand winner in this game but there may be times where there is no qualifying lo hand.
