Poker- The Seven Card Stud Variation
The game of poker is probably the most popular form of card game in the world. It is the game with most coverage. Celebrities playing on television and common folks doing it in their living rooms, poker is truly a classic. A variation of the game is the 'seven card stud' that used to be so popular everyone has probably played a game or two. Compared to other poker variations like 'omaha' and 'hold'em' which goes through four rounds only, seven card stud has five.
The game starts one the players had placed their bets in a pot; that is putting the antes. Once the antes are placed, the dealer will collect it. He will then start to deal cards, three for each player: one 'door card' is facing up while the other two 'hole cards' are down.
Since each player has been dealt with three cards, the fist round is commonly known as 'third street'. The dealer will determine which player has the lowest up card; such player will need to offer a mandatory 'bring in' wager which is usually higher than the ante but lower than minimum. These wagers, antes and bring in, need to be familiarized to avoid confusion. Once the bring in is made, the player on his left has the following choices: call the bet, fold, or raise it.
The second round or the fourth street starts when all the wagers for the bring in are placed. Every player is given another door card. Contrary to the first round, the player with the highest hand starts the round but he is not required to make a wager, only to check. If any player wagers, the next player must either call the bet, fold or raise it. Now, the raise is equivalent to a double. The next round or the fifth street sees the dealing of a hole card to remaining players. Just like in the second round, the player with the highest hand starts the game. He may bet, which is still not compulsory, or he may check. The stakes are now higher as the betting continues. Next is the sixth street when another door card is dealt to all remaining players. Again the betting rules are the same as the fifth street with the highest hand first.
Last is the seventh street when one more hole card is dealt. The remaining players have a total of seven cards now- three holes and four doors. The final wager ensues. Once the bets are made, each player will reveal their hands. The one with the highest, of course, wins. In case only one player made a wager while the rest decided to fold, that player wins. He does not even have to reveal his hand.
