Seven Card Stud Hi-Low

In Seven Card Stud Hi-Low poker, players receive seven cards, three face-down cards and four open cards. After the betting rounds are complete and cards are shown, the player with the highest poker hand automatically wins half of the pot. If there is no low hand qualified, the high hand wins the whole pot.

To qualify for low, the player must hold five cards which are at worst 8 low. If two or more players have the same high card, the player with the second (third, fourth…) lowest card wins the low side of the pot.

A maximum of 8 players are allowed to play at one table. Seven Card Stud Hi-Low is played with the “ante”. All active players must post ante, before cards are dealt out. Ante amount is based on the size of the game ($1-$2 game-ante is 25 cents, $10-$20 game-ante is $1). After the ante is posted, each active player is dealt two face-down cards and one exposed card. The player with the lowest open card is forced to initiate the action with a “Bring-in” bet (half of the small bet or full small bet). If two or more players show the same low card, the Bring-in bet will be determined by suit order (clubs, diamonds, hearts and the highest spades). Betting action continues clockwise.

After the first betting round is complete, each player is dealt out another face-up card (The Fourth Street). From this round on, the highest hand shown begins the action by checking or betting. This hand proceeds with the small bet, however, if any of the players show a pair, a double bet is allowed.

After the betting round is complete, another open card is dealt out (The Fifth Street). The first to act is the player with the highest hand shown. Starting from this betting round and for the rest of hand, all bets are increased to the higher bet limit, for example in $10-$20 game-bet now is $20.

Another open card (The Sixth Street) is dealt out to all active players and the betting round begins with the player who shows the highest cards.

After the betting round is complete, the seventh and final card is dealt face-down to all players participating in this hand. And again the first to act is the player showing the highest cards.

When the final betting round is complete and there is more than one active player remaining, the player who bet or raised last, shows his or her cards first. If there was no betting action in the last round, first to show cards is the player with the highest exposed hand. The player, who holds the best poker hand for high, automatically wins half of the pot. The player with the best hand for low wins the remaining half. If there is no qualifier for low hand, the player with the best high hand wins the whole pot. In the event of two or more identical hands, the pot will be equally divided.

After the pot is awarded, players will post ante and new game of Seven Card Stud Hi-Low begins.

For each betting round, a maximum of four bets including one bet and three raises is allowed. The final (third) raise is called the “Cap”. After the betting is capped, no one can make another raise, the player’s choice is only to call or to fold.