7 Card Stud Hi Lo Rules

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Seven card stud hi-lo is unlike many other poker games because it has two pots, the high and the low. You get 7 cards and you hope to catch a really high hand or a really low hand, or both. There is a small requirement of having 5 cards 8 or less (no pairs) if you want to win the low pot. This article only goes over the 7 card stud hi-lo rules so if you are looking to learn how to play stud h/l better read this 7 card stud high low strategy article.

The basic rules that you need to remember to play 7 card stud hi-lo are fairly straight forward. Eights or better are needed to qualify to win in 7 card stud hi-lo, meaning that the winning hand must be made with an eight or better for the high hand and the low hand must be below eight to qualify for a portion of the winnings. A hand of stud h/l starts with players putting an ante in the pot. The amount depends on the game limits. A total of 3 initial cards will be dealt to each player, two down cards that only they can look at and one up card that is viewable to everyone at the table. If you are unlucky enough to get dealt the lowest up card you will be forced to complete the ante. Play will continue clockwise from the bring in player until betting has finished for the round.

To determine the bring in player in the case of a tie, the cards are ranked by suit from spades being the highest, followed by hearts, then diamonds, and clubs being the lowest ranking suit. The player with the lowest suited tie card would be the bring in. Next, each player receives another face up card, called the fourth street card. The first player to act is now the player whose face up cards hold the highest value. This acting player can check or bet. All bets are at the low end (for example, in a $2/$4 game, the bet is $2) during this street’s play.

Another card is dealt face up to each player, the fifth street card. The first player, again, is the one whose face up exposed cards holds the highest value. All bet increments raise to the upper limit (for example, in a $2/$4 game, the bet is $4) for this round and subsequent rounds. The sixth street card is now dealt, face up, again, with betting at the upper limit. The final card is now dealt face down. The first player to act is the player whose porch or face up cards have the highest value.

After betting, if more than one player remains when the final betting is complete, the last person to bet will show his cards. If there was no betting during the final round, the player in the early seat will reveal his cards first. Here is what makes 7 card stud h/l different than other games such as Texas holdem. The player with the best hand will win at least ½ of the total pot.

If one or more players have 5 cards that are 8 or below then whoever has the lowest will win the other ½ of the pot. In my experience someone qualifies for the low hand around 30-40% of the time. In hands where no one qualifies then the player with the best hand will take the entire pot. It is also possible for the same player to win both pots. If I have 2 pair with no low hand and you have a 3-4-5-6-7 then you would win both.