Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world, and there are many variations of this game. One such variation is seven-handed poker, also known as 7-card stud. In this article, we will discuss what 7-handed poker is and how it differs from other forms of poker.
Firstly, let’s define what 7-handed poker is. It is a form of stud poker that is played with seven players at the table. Each player is dealt seven cards throughout the hand, and they must make their best five-card hand to win the pot.
One of the main differences between 7-handed poker and other forms of poker is that there are no community cards in play. In games such as Texas Hold’em or Omaha, players share community cards that are dealt face up in the middle of the table. In 7-handed poker, each player has their own set of cards that only they can see.
Another significant difference between 7-handed poker and other forms of poker is how the betting rounds are structured. In Texas Hold’em, for example, there are four betting rounds throughout each hand: pre-flop, flop, turn, and river. In 7-handed poker, there are only two betting rounds: before the fourth card (known as fourth street) and before the fifth card (known as fifth street).
Now that we’ve discussed what makes 7-handed poker unique let’s talk about how to play this game. The first step in any hand of 7-handed poker is for each player to place an ante bet before any cards are dealt. This bet ensures that there is always money in the pot for players to win.
Once all antes have been placed, each player receives three cards: two face-down (known as hole cards) and one face-up (known as third street). The player with the lowest face-up card must place a forced bet called a bring-in bet, which is typically half the size of the minimum bet.
After the bring-in bet has been placed, the next player to act has the option to either call (match the bring-in bet), raise (increase the size of the bet), or fold (give up their hand and exit the hand). This action continues around the table until all players have had a chance to act.
Once all bets have been made on third street, each player receives another face-up card (known as fourth street), and a new betting round begins. This process repeats for fifth street and sixth street, with each betting round getting larger as more cards are revealed.
Finally, on seventh street, each player receives their seventh and final card face-down. The final betting round then takes place before a showdown occurs. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.
In conclusion, 7-handed poker is an exciting variation of stud poker that differs from other forms of poker in several ways. It is played with seven players at a table, each player receiving seven cards throughout a hand without any community cards in play. With only two betting rounds and forced bets such as an ante or bring-in bet at play, it makes for an interesting game that requires skill and strategy to win.
