How to play Stud High/Lo
Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo is a variant of Seven Card Stud where the pot is split in half at showdown:
- Hi, won by the player with the strongest combination. The rankings of high combination is the same as in No-Limit Hold’em.
- Lo, won by the player with the best low hand “from 8 or better”. If there is no low combination, then the entire pot goes to the player with the high combination.
How a Lo-combination is determined
The low combination is determined by the system “from Ace to Five”. Straights and flushes do not count towards the definition of a low hand.
Here is the ranking of low hands in Stud Hi/Lo, where 5, 4, 3, 2, A is the nut low (and 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 wins the least).
- 8, 7, 6, 5, 4
- 8, 7, 6, 5, 3
- 8, 6, 4, 2, A
- 8, 4, 3, 2, A
- 7, 6, 5, 4, 2
- 7, 6, 5, 2, A
- 7, 5, 4, 3, 2
- 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
- 6, 4, 3, 2, A
- 5, 4, 3, 2, A
A situation in which one player wins both the high and the low pot is called a SCOOP. This happens if the player has collected, for example, “6, 4, 3, 2, A” of the same suit.
Otherwise, the dynamics of the game in Stud Hi/Lo are the same as in Stud Hi.
Stud Hi/Lo is a limit game. This means, for example, that on a $2/4 limit, you can raise your bet by $2 on the first two rounds of betting, and by $4 on the next three rounds.
There are no blinds in Stud Hi/Lo. Instead, there is a small bet and a big bet. For $2/4 small bet = $2, big bet = $4.
7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Rules
Ante
Before the cards are dealt, each player contributes an ante. The size of the ante depends on the limit. For example, at the tables $1/2 ante = $0.15.
Third Street
Each player is dealt 3 cards: two closed and one open. The player with the lowest exposed card is forced to start the action and to bet “Bring In” (or a small bet of the player’s choice). Players clockwise from “Bring In” place their bets.
If several players have cards of the same rank, the one with the lowest suit opens the game. Ranking of suits: clubs (the weakest suit), diamonds, hearts of spades (the strongest suit). For example: if one player has a deuce of clubs, and another has a deuce of spades, the player with a deuce of clubs opens the game.
Fourth Street
Each player is dealt one more open card. Now the first turn is for the player whose cards have the highest value. For example, a player with an open queen will bet first if no one else at the table has a king, ace, or any pair. The player can check or make a small bet (for example, $2 for $2/4).
Exception: if the player has a pair open. In this case, he can bet big bet (for example, $4 for $2/4). In this case, all players raise by $4 (instead of $2) until the end of the betting round.
Fifth Street
Each player receives one more open card. Again, the first word belongs to the player whose cards have the highest value.
From fifth street until the end of the hand, all bets are made at the big bet (for example, $4 for $2/4).
Sixth Street
Each player receives one more open card. Again, the first word belongs to the player whose cards have the highest value.
Seventh Street
Each player receives one face down card. Again, the first word belongs to the player whose cards have the highest value.
Showdown
After the final round, the players show their cards. The winner is the one whose combination of five cards is stronger (both hi and lo hands).
Since Stud is played 8-max and there are only 52 cards in the deck, sometimes cards can run out before Seventh Street is dealt. In this case, one card is dealt openly to all players.
How to find 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo cash
Find in the general lobby “OMAHA & STUD” — “7 Stud Hi/Lo”.
How to find 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo tournaments
Use “FILTERS” in the “TOURNEY” section.
