How to Play Seven Card Stud 8 or Better

Seven Card Stud 8, also called Seven Card Stud Hi-Low, is a split-pot stud game where the pot is divided between the best high hand and the best low hand made of five different cards from ace to eight.

Betting and Dealing

Stud 8 is usually played fixed limit. All players post antes, the small bet is used on the first two betting rounds, and the big bet on the last three streets.

• Third street: two cards down, one up; the lowest upcard posts the bring-in or completes to the small bet
• Fourth street: one card up; the highest showing hand acts first
• Fifth and sixth streets: one card up each, big bet in play
• Seventh street: one card down, a final betting round and showdown

Ties for the bring-in are broken by suit, from lowest to highest: clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades. Suits never decide who wins a hand. If the deck runs short on seventh street, a single community card is dealt face up for all remaining players.

Low Hand Rankings

A qualifying low needs five different cards from ace to eight. A-2-3-5-7 qualifies; A-2-3-5-9 does not. Straights and flushes do not count against a low, so the best low is A-2-3-4-5, the Wheel. Compare lows from the highest card down: 6-5-4-3-2 beats 8-4-3-2-A.

How the Pot Is Split

High and low are judged separately, and a player may use different five-card combinations for each. Winning both halves is a scoop. With no qualifying low, the best high takes the whole pot. Two players tying one half split it, which can leave each with a quarter of the pot. Odd chips follow house rules.

Starting Hands

The goal is hands that can scoop. Strong starts include:

• Three low cards headed by an ace, especially connected or suited, such as A-2-3 or A-3-4
• Three connected or suited low cards with both low and high potential
• Rolled-up trips
• Strong pairs with a useful low card, especially split aces with a low kicker

Big pairs like kings or queens need more care than in regular Seven Card Stud, because they often compete for only half the pot. Aces are valuable since they work for both high and low.

Dead Cards and Reading Boards

Four of each player's seven cards are face up. Track every exposed and folded card: if you start with A-2-4 and several threes and fives are dead, your chance of a strong low drops. The same applies to opponents whose needed cards are already gone.

Common Mistakes

• Playing too many hands instead of keeping a tight starting range
• Refusing to fold when an opponent's board clearly beats you and the pot is small
• Ignoring dead cards when judging a draw

Quick Tips

By fifth street the picture is usually clear. Avoid investing heavily in a one-way hand against a board that can scoop, since you risk winning half or getting quartered. Respect an aggressive opponent showing an ace, and use your own board to apply pressure when it represents a strong hand.