Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo (8 or better) is a popular, well-known form of poker. A maximum of eight players can play at a Seven Card Stud table. There are five betting rounds in a complete game of Seven Card Stud, not including the ante. Each player, starting from seat 1 (the seat to the left of the dealer), is dealt two cards face down, then four cards face up, and the final (river) card is dealt face down.

Each player must put an ante into the pot before he receives his first three cards. The initial deal consists of two cards dealt face down, called the hole cards, and one card dealt face-up, called the door card.

The player with the lowest exposed (door) card (using suits in reverse bridge order—clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades—if there is a tie) is required to initiate action by betting a minimum of half the lower limit. This starting bet is called the bring-in. When you have the bring-in, you always have the option of betting either half the lower limit or the lower limit for the table designated. For example, in a $2-$4 game, the player with the lowest door card must make a forced bet of either $1 or $2. (See "Betting" below.)

Seven Card Stud Poker uses what is called a dealer-button to indicate the theoretical dealer of each hand. After each hand is completed, as with standard poker rules, the button moves clockwise to the next active player. This player will be considered “the dealer” for that hand. A single deck of cards to play a hand of poker, where a deck refers to 52 cards excluding the jokers. Online poker rooms use what is called the Random Number Generator (RNG) to shuffle a deck of cards for the hand (read Texas Holdem page to find out more).

A fresh table starts off with all the players posting the “ante” (putting a predetermined amount in the pot before the cards are dealt). This amount is based on the size of the game. While the ante amount is not based on a set rule, the same is decided upon by the prevailing game trends. For e.g. the ante amount for a 1/2 table is 25 cents while for a 3/6 table, it is 50 cents. A new game on an active table starts with all the players at the table posting antes.

In Seven-card stud 8 or better 8 or better poker players receive seven cards, three "down" cards and four "up" cards.

After the antes have been placed each player is dealt three cards (two "down" cards and one "up" card). The "up" card is also known as the "door card" or "Third Street". The lowest "up" card must initiate the action with a "Bring-In" bet. (If two or more players have the same lowest card, the person who brings it in is determined by suit order progressing from clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades.) In cases of a tie, the player to the left of the dealer initiates the betting action. Examples:

After each player has two upcards, one player has an ace showing, no other player has an ace and no player has a pair, the player with the ace has first action (initiates the betting).
After each player has two upcards, two players have ace-king and no other player has a pair, the player with the ace-king sitting closest to the left of the dealer initiates the betting. Suits have no bearing here.
After each player has two upcards, two players each have king-king and no player has ace-ace, the player with the pair of kings sitting closest closest to the left of the dealer initiates the betting.

Each player is allowed one bet and three raises in each betting round. To continue to play, players must take an action from what is displayed to them on each "street" or betting round (unless they are all-in).

After the first round of betting another card is dealt face-up to each player that still remains in the pot (those who didn't fold on "third street"). This is "Fourth Street" (the second round of betting). From "Fourth Street" on, the highest hand showing begins the action by checking or betting. If a player makes a single bet, the other players may call, raise the single bet or fold.

Upon completion of the betting on "fourth street", another card is dealt face-up to those who remain in the pot. This is called "Fifth Street" (the third round of betting - which doubles (the value of each bet is double of what was available in the first two rounds) - and continues at this amount for the remaining betting rounds). The highest hand showing again starts the action by checking or betting.

Upon the completion of betting on "fifth street", another card is dealt face-up. This is "Sixth Street" (fourth betting round).

The final card is dealt down. The last card is also known as the "River Card" or "Seventh Street" (final round of betting).

Once the final card has been dealt, it is the Showdown which essentially determines who wins the hand after all the rounds of betting have been completed. The player can use all his seven cards to create the strongest FIVE CARD hand according to the standard hand rankings. The highest hand ranking wins the standard straight up 7 Card Stud. This is slightly different in a 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo game.