home-based poker games<\/a>.<\/p>\nWhat Is Stud Poker?<\/h2>\n\n
If you\u2019ve only played straight poker until now but you want to expand your horizons, stud poker is a great starting point. Stud poker can encompass several poker variants in which a player is dealt a number of face-down and face-up cards in multiple betting rounds.<\/p>\n
To be more specific, the player receives the first card face-down and the other four cards face-up in the first version of stud poker. Each betting round occurs after a card has been dealt to each player. This means that the number of betting rounds is the same as the number of cards in each player\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n
Stud games are considered non-positional games, meaning the player that bets first in the first round might not be the first to bet in the second one. Furthermore, stud poker features an unofficial rule that the player starting the round should be the one whose face-up cards make the best hand in the game.<\/p>\n
Basic Stud Poker Play<\/h2>\n
As you might know, poker has different betting structures, which influence the number of betting rounds in a game and how it is played. Generally, it is understood that games with four or fewer betting rounds (like five-card stud) work well with any betting structure and are well suited for pot-limit and no-limit plays. On the other hand, games with more betting rounds are best suited for spread-limit or fixed-limit plays.<\/p>\n
It is recommended for later betting rounds to feature higher limits compared to earlier ones. Take, for example, the $5\/$10 seven-card stud game featured in some Nevada casinos, where you start the betting with $5 bets in the first two rounds and continue it with $10 bets later. There are also $5\/$10\/$20 seven-card stud games where you get to bet $20 only in the last round.<\/p>\n
Another typical play is to allow larger bets to be made in the second round if there is an open pair<\/i>. That means that at least one player\u2019s face-up cards make a pair.<\/p>\n
Another interesting fact is that stud poker implements names for each round of play. Each betting round is called after the number of cards players have in their hands when the round begins. So the round is called fourth card<\/i> or fourth street<\/i> if the players are holding four cards, for example. However, the final round is commonly called the river <\/i>or the end <\/i>regardless of the number of betting rounds.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Stud Poker Variants<\/h2>\n
As I\u2019ve already mentioned, there are numerous stud poker variants that might intrigue you. Take a look at some of the most commonly played stud poker variants below and learn how to play them.<\/p>\n
Five-Card Stud<\/h3>Although five-card stud is not as popular as it was a few centuries ago, it is still the first choice in some European countries, like Finland. Bear in mind that land-based and online five-card stud variants differ when it comes to betting rounds.\n
The former allows for betting after the cards have been dealt, while the latter requires players to ante up their bets in advance. When it comes to the game\u2019s rules, just follow the rules I\u2019ve outlined before, and you\u2019ll be good to go.<\/p><\/div>\n
Seven-Card Stud<\/h3>Seven-card stud is the most widespread stud poker game in the United States. It differs from its predecessor as each player first receives one face-up and one face-down card. The player with the lowest-ranking cards opens the betting round, and betting proceeds in a clockwise order after that.\n
Another card is then dealt, followed by another betting round. The game continues this way until the fifth betting round, when another down card is dealt, which might call for a showdown. This is why seven-card stud poker is also known as two down, four up, one down,<\/i> or 2-4-1.<\/p>\n
On top of the original variant of the seven-card stud, there are about ten more variants. You might not be able to find all of these versions in casinos, but they\u2019re great fun for home poker nights.<\/p><\/div>\n