Editing Seven-card stud (section)

== Rules ==
The Poker game begins with each [[Player (game)|player]] being dealt two cards face down and one card face up. The player with the lowest-ranking up-card pays the [[Betting in poker#Bring-in|bring-in]], and betting proceeds after that in normal clockwise order. The bring-in is considered an [[Open (poker)|open]], so the next player in turn may not check. If two players have equally ranked low cards, the card's suit may be used to break the tie and assign the bring-in (see [[high card by suit]]). If there is no bring-in, then the first betting round begins with the player showing the highest-ranking up-card, who may check. In this case, suit is not used to break ties. If two players have the same high up-card, the one first in clockwise rotation from the dealer acts first.

After the first betting round, another up-card is dealt to each player (after a [[burn card]], and starting at the dealer's left as will all subsequent rounds), followed by a second betting round beginning with the player whose up-cards make the best poker hand. Since fewer than five cards are face up, this means no straights, flushes, or full houses will count for this purpose. On this and all subsequent betting rounds, the player whose face-up cards make the best poker hand will act first, and may check or bet up to the limit of the game.

The second round is followed by a third up-card and betting round, a fourth up-card and betting round, and finally a down-card, a fifth betting round, and [[Showdown (poker)|showdown]] if necessary. Seven-card stud can be summarized therefore as "two down, four up, one down". Upon showdown, each player makes the best five-card poker hand they can out of the seven cards they were dealt.

Seven cards to eight players with an additional four burn cards makes 60 cards, whereas there are only 52 in the deck: in most games, this is not a problem because several players will have folded in early betting rounds. In the event that the deck is exhausted during play, the four previously dealt burn cards can be used, but if these are not sufficient, then the final round will have a single [[community card]] (which can be used by everyone) dealt into the center of the table in lieu of a down-card to each player. Discarded cards from a folded hand are not reused.

Stud poker players use the information they get from face-up cards to make strategic decisions. A player who sees a certain card folded is able to make decisions knowing that the card will never appear in another opponent's hand.