7 Card Stud Poker

7-Card Stud is played with a 52-card deck. You are delivered two down cards and one upcard. There is a round of betting, then three more upcards are delivered (with betting after each round), then a final downcard and a final round of betting. The best 5-card poker hand wins the pot. All 7-Card Stud games at Parkwest Bicycle Casino have structured betting. In a structured game, such as

$3-6, the smaller bet is made on the first two betting rounds and the larger bet is made after the fifth, sixth and seventh cards are delivered. If there is an open pair on the fourth card, the players have the option of making the small or larger bet. In all 7-Card games, a bet and three raises are allowed.

HIGH/LOW SPLIT

This is another variation of 7-Card Stud where there can be two winners. The best high hand splits the pot with the best low hand. In most games, however, in order to win the low hand, the player must have an 8-low or better. This is said to be a 'qualifier'. If there is a qualifier, the betting rules are like 7-Card Stud, where the high hand bets first. In a 'no-qualifier' game, the Razz (7-Card Low- ball) rules apply. In either case, the bet on the fourth card is the smaller bet. In an 8 or Better game, if there is no low, the high hand wins the entire pot.

RULES FOR 7-CARD STUD

The buy-in for all 7-card Stud games is generally 10 times the minimum bet.

Check and raise is permitted.

The ranking of hands is the same as in Draw Poker, except there is no Joker.

An all-in wager of less than half a bet does not reopen the betting for any player who has already acted and is in the pot for a previous bet. A player facing less than half a bet may fold, call or complete the wager. An all-in wager of half a bet or more is treated as a full bet, and a player may fold, call or make a full raise.

A bet and three raises are allowed for each betting round. However, completing an opening forced bet does not count as a raise. If only two players remain before the third raise is made, then there is no limit on raises.

String bets or raises are not allowed. Putting a half-raise or more into the pot must be completed. Anything less is a call only. A player who puts a single chip into the pot that is larger than the bet to him is assumed to have called the bet, unless he announces raise.

No pot may be awarded until all losing hands have been killed. The winning hand should remain face up until the pot is awarded.

Suits do not count in ranking of hands to determine the winning hand. The ranking of suits is used only to determine the lowest card for a forced bet, drawing for seats in games, etc. Suits are ranked Spades (highest), Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs.

A card found face up on the deck (boxed card) shall be treated as a 'scrap of paper', and is ignored. A Joker, when found in a game that does not use a Joker, is also a 'scrap of paper'. A card being treated as a scrap of paper is replaced by the next card below it in the deck when possible. If not possible, it is replaced at the end of that round. If a player does not call attention to the Joker among his down cards before acting on his hand, then he has a foul hand and forfeits all rights to the pot and all monies involved.

A player who antes and/or asks to be dealt-in, but is unable to make it back to the table when it is his turn to act on his hand, forfeits his ante and his forced entry bet, if any. His hand is dead and will be discarded in turn.

If a player does not have the correct number of cards on the deal and no action has been accepted, the hand will be a misdeal. If there has been action ('action' defined as two or more players, except the forced opener, acting on their hands in turn) before the mistake is noticed, the player with the incorrect number of cards will have a dead hand; he will receive his money back, unless he has forfeited that right by acting on his hand.

If a player folds his hand after making a forced bet or on a round of checking, his seat will continue to receive a card until there is a wager.

If a player's first or second hole card is accidentally turned up, the third card is dealt down. If the player fails to receive two down cards, the player has a dead hand and receives his ante back.

If a dealer burns and deals a card before a round of betting has been completed, that card or cards must be eliminated from play along with an additional card for each remaining player in the hand, after that round of betting has concluded. Play then resumes in a normal fashion.

If a dealer burns two cards or fails to burn a card, if possible, move the cards to the right position to rectify the error. If it happens on a down card and there is no way to tell which card was received, then the player must accept the card.

If the dealer turns the last card face up to any player, and there are more than two players, all remaining players receive their last card face down. Prior to action for the round of betting, a player whose last card is exposed will have the option of being live in the wagering or being declared all in.

If there are only two players remaining and the first player's final downcard is dealt face up, the second player's final downcard will also be dealt face up, and the betting proceeds as normal. In the event the first player's final card is dealt face down and the opponent's final card is dealt face up, the player with the exposed card will have the option of declaring all in. This decision must be made prior to any action on that round. In all situations where a final card is exposed, the player who is high on the board using all the up-cards will start the action.

On all fixed limit games (i.e., 3-6, 5-10, etc.), if a player makes an open pair on the fourth card, that player has the option of betting either $5 or $10 (5-10 limit). If he bets $5, the next player(s) may raise in increments of $5 or $10. If a $10 bet or raise is made, the next raise must be in increments of $10 (i.e., player A bets $5, player B raises to $15, player C has the option of calling the $15 bet or of raising to $25. He may not make it $20.) If that player checks, all other players, in turn, have the option to bet $5 or $10.

If there are not enough cards left in the deck for each player, the Dealer is to deal all the cards except the last card. He then scrambles the last card and the four burn cards, cuts the deck, burns a card and delivers the remaining down cards, using the last card if necessary. If there are five players remaining with-out a card, the dealer will not burn so that each player may receive a fresh card. If the dealer determines that by using this procedure there will still not be enough cards for all the players, he cannot give any of the players a downcard. Instead, he is to announce to the table that there are not enough cards to go around and a community card will be used. The dealer will then burn a card and turn a card up in the center of the table. That card plays in everyone's hand. The player with the highest hand initiates the action.

A player who calls when he is beaten by his opponent's up cards is not entitled to a refund.

A player must have seven cards in order to win. Any other number of cards constitutes a dead hand. Players must protect their own hand.

A card accidentally dealt off the table must play. If it is the last card, it is to be treated as an exposed River Card.

The splitting of pots among players will not be allowed under any circumstances in any game. All hands must be played to completion.

When a player turns any of his up cards over after a bet has been made, he risks losing all rights to the pot.

Please contact the Player Rewards Center for more information.