5 Card Stud Poker
5-Card Stud is one of the games that currently lent their popularity to Texas Hold’em. It is now mostly played at social events, and it may take time to find an online poker room to play it at. However, 5-Card Stud is still not forgotten and can climb back the ladder one day. One of the reasons for it is that the rules are quite simple and familiar to many. Winning at it remains a challenge, though, even when you know the rules. Anyway, here’s how:
The Open
The game starts when each player is dealt 1 card face down and 1 card up. Traditionally, the first card is called private, or hole card, while the second card is open. The player who has the lowest upcard makes a forced bet. (In some variations the player with the highest upcard starts). He chooses either to bet half of the minimum bet in he game or the whole minimum bet.
The game proceeds in a clockwise manner and goes around the table. Thus, the player to the left of the first one may now choose to call the opening bet, to raise it or to fold right away.
The Third Street
Once the first betting round is over, the third card is dealt to each of the players, and again face up. This is followed by another round of betting, which goes clockwise, just as the previous one. The player with the highest upcard among the two he/she has is the first to start the round. He/she can check, bet or drop out, while the players following him/her can choose to raise or reraise, play or stay, drop or fold. After that the game proceeds to the 4th Street.
The Fourth Street
Each player is dealt 1 card face up. At this point the minimum bet is fixed at the higher minimum level. The third betting round commences.
The Fifth Street
The players are dealt the last card face up, so that each of them now has a total of 5 cards. The final round of betting starts.
The Showdown
After all the betting is over, time for the showdown comes, when all the players, still active in the game, open their cards in a clockwise fashion. Naturally, the highest hand wins the game.