At the start of a Seven Card Stud game all active players are to post an "ante", a notional bet that is determined by the stakes (Link to Betting Stakes Table) of the game. Each player is then dealt two "down" or "hole" cards and a third one face up available for all players to view. The player with the lowest card showing is required to start the action by either betting the minimum "bring-in" bet or making a full "small" bet. If more than one player is showing the same low card rank, suits in alphabetical order are used to determine who starts the action (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades).

The first player to the left of the bring-in has the option to fold, call the bring-in, or raise to a full "small" bet. Once it has been raised to the "small" bet, all subsequent raises in that round must be in the amount of the "small" bet. Action then continues clockwise around the table until betting is completed for the round. On all rounds of betting, there is a cap of four (4) bets/raises per round (e.g. 1 bet and 3 raises). The bring-in is considered a bet.

In a tournament, if the player who has the lowest up card is already all-in due to the ante, the next player clockwise around the table who has chips is forced to pay the bring-in or raise to the "small" bet. If the bring-in player has enough for the ante but is short for the bring-in, that player brings-in all their chips, and next player has the option to fold, call the reduced bring-in, or bet the "small" bet.

How to play part 2

Players then receive another "up" card, called "Fourth Street." The action now begins with the individual who has exposed cards having the highest value. If two or more players show cards of the same rank, the first such player to the left of the dealer begins the action. This player will have the option to either bet or check. Fourth Street bets and raises are in "small" bet increments (e.g. $1 in a $1/$2 game) unless any player has paired their up-cards. In that situation, each player has the option of making either a "small" or a "big" bet (or raise). Once a "big" bet has been made, all subsequent raises must be "big" bets. After that round is finished each player receives another "up" card, "Fifth Street," and again the first player to act is the individual with exposed cards of the highest poker rank.

It is important to note that starting on Fifth Street and for the remainder of the deal, all wagers are to be in the "big" bet increment ($2 in a $1/$2 game).

Remaining players in the hand receive one final exposed card, "Sixth Street," and again the first player to act is the individual with exposed cards of the highest poker rank. Lastly, each still active player is dealt a seventh and final card face down and known only to that person. On Seventh Street, if insufficient cards remain in the deck to deal a card to each active player, a single community card is dealt face-up in the center of the table. All remaining players may use the community card to complete their hands as in a Hold'em game. The final round of betting will once more begin, as the previous ones, with the player whose exposed cards have the highest poker value acting first.

If there is more than one player remaining when the final round of betting is completed, the last bettor or raiser shows his or her cards. If there was no bet on the final round, the player whose exposed cards have the highest value is to present their hand first.

The player who has the best five-card hand wins the pot. Determination of winners follows standard Hand Rankings. In the event of identical hands, the pot is equally divided between the players with the best hands. After the pot is pushed to the winning player(s), a new game of Seven Card Stud begins.