5 Card Stud Poker

One of the more popular poker variations. 5-card stud poker is played much like 7-card stud only with 5-cards. The intial deal can vary in this game and depends on how your group wants to play. 5 card stud poker is usually dealt either 2 down, 3 up, or 1 down, 4 up, or 1 down, 3 up, 1 down. Once again it is played exactly like 7-card stud with betting rounds held when each new card is put down. Variations can be the use of wild cards and the rank of hands are the standard one in poker.

Quick steps in 5 Card Stud Poker

All players place a small wager known as an 'ante'.

• The dealer deals each player two cards, one dealt face down, known as the 'hole' card and the other face up.
• The player with the lowest ranking up card must place the opening bet.
• Each player to the left of the player making the opening bet must in turn call the opening bet, raise it or fold.
• Each player is then dealt another card face up followed by a round of betting. This continues until all players have five cards, one face down and four face up or until only one-player remains.
  From the third card onwards, the highest poker hand showing starts the betting.

All players have five cards in their hand, one down and four up.

If there is a showdown, players show all five cards. The winning hand is the highest-ranking five-card poker hand.