Studying the rules of Stud poker is not so difficult: take some of your time and start earning at the tables in the best poker rooms. Now Stud is played almost everywhere: you can find several tables with different limits in almost any room. So what do you need to know to play successfully?
Analysis of the course of distribution
Let’s take a look at how one distribution works – this will help you understand the structure of Stud and navigate at any stage.
At the beginning of a hand, as a rule, all players make a down payment. After that, the dealer distributes cards to the players – one of them can be seen by all opponents, the other two can only be seen by their owner.
Third street
So, the first stage of trading begins. It starts with the poker player who has the weakest open card (door). If two players have the same card, its advantage is determined by suit (from strong to weak: clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades).
After that, the player must make the first deposit (it is twice the amount of the original Ante bet). The poker player has the right not to make an additional bet, then he simply leaves the distribution.
Once the trades are opened by one of the following poker players, the following players can take some actions:
- Call. Equalization of the bet placed by the previous opponent;
- Fold. Throwing a hand and exiting the deal;
- Raise. Rate increase;
- Re-raise. An increase in a rate that has just been increased;
- All-in. You are betting your entire bank;
- Check. The desire to continue playing without increasing the total bankroll (if no one wanted to increase it before you).
As soon as the opponents equalize the bets, the game proceeds to the next stage.
Fourth, fifth and sixth streets
At this stage, each of the opponents will receive one more open card. Now the one with the higher card will start trading. And the trading circle will be repeated with the same options, which we wrote about just above.
And this move will be repeated two more times – additional cards will be dealt (remember that they are all open to opponents). The situation at the table will become more and more tense, because everyone will be able to calculate what the opponents’ chances of winning are.
River
The last stage of the Stud Poker game – the players receive one more card. Only this time rivals will not see her. The first bet is made by the one who opened the trades at the previous stage (if this participant is eliminated, the right goes to the poker player who sits to his left).
The fees are equalized and the players (if there is more than one left) open their hands. After comparing the combinations, it becomes clear who takes the pot. The money will be split if two players have collected combinations of equal strength. Their strength is calculated as in classic Texas Hold’em.
Note that Stud poker has many varieties. All of them are similar to each other and differ only in nuances – in general, the distribution takes place in the manner described above. So, for example, Stud High / Low is played – in this kind of hand, two poker players win at once. The one who collected the strongest set of cards and the one who collected the weakest cards.
These are all the basic rules of Stud poker that you need. Practice in any room, first at low limits, and then move on to more serious hands.