The Gameplay of 7 Card Stud Eight or Better

Posted by Academy52 on December 30th, 2020

7 Card Stud Eight or Better is one of three 7 Card Stud variants in addition to the normal 7 Card Stud and Razz . Unlike 7 Card Stud and Razz where the highest and lowest hands respectively win the pot, 7 Card Stud Eight or Better divides the pot between the best high hand and the best lowest hand. Another name for 7 Card Stud Eight or Better is 7 Card Stud Hi / Lo 8 or better.

How is 7 Card Stud Eight or Better played?

With 7 Card Stud Eight or Better, the idea is that with 5 of the 7 cards dealt during the betting rounds you make the best highest hand combination or best lowest hand combination. The pot is eventually split between the winner of the highest hand and the winner of the lowest hand. For the highest hand, the normal hand ranking applies as we are used to from Texas Holdem . The lowest hand does not qualify until the hand is 'Eight or better'. This means that the hand is only valid if the 5 cards with which you make a combination are 8 or lower, with an ace as the lowest card. For example, 8-7-5-3-2. The best lowest hand cannot have any pairs. The hand is not considered the lowest hand. A straight or is not taken into account flush . Just like 7 Card Stud and Razz, 7 Card Stud Eight or Better is usually played in a fixed limit variant. The amount of the bet is always the same for everyone and a re-raise is always a maximum of double the first bet. Suppose a Rs 500 / Rs 1000 game is played, the bet over the first two betting rounds is always Rs 500 and over the last three betting rounds is Rs 1000. If there is a raise, this is always a maximum of double, so from Rs 500 to Rs 1000 and from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000. 7 Card Stud Eight or Better does not play with blinds , but with antes. Each player pays the ante in advance, which is already the pot.

The gameplay of 7 Card Stud Eight or Better

After the antes have been bet, all players are dealt three cards, 2 face down (hole cards) and 1 face up (door card). Then the 'bring in' is determined. The bring-in must enter the lowest betting limit to start the first betting round. The player with the lowest exposed card is the bring-in. Suppose two players have the lowest card, the closest player to the dealer's left places the bring-in. After the bring in is placed, a normal betting round follows in which players decide whether to call , fold or raise. All bets and raises must be equal to the bet amount of the low limit. After the betting round is over, the game will look like this.

4th street:  All players receive a fourth open card. The player with the highest open hand combination starts this betting round. (This can be one pair or high card ). He can choose to check or bet. It is then up to the other players to decide what to do. 

5th street:  All players are dealt a fifth face up card. Again, the player with the highest open hand combination at that time is given the right to bet first. After this, the other remaining players decide what to do. From 5th street, all bets and raises must be equal to the bet amount of the highest limit.  

6th street:  All players are dealt a sixth face up card. As with 5th street, the player with the highest open hand combination at that time gets the right to bet first. After this, the other remaining players decide what to do. Again, all bets and raises must be equal to the bet amount of the highest limit.  

7th street ( river ):  All players are dealt a seventh face down card. As with 5th and 6th street, the player with the highest open hand combination gets the right to sit in first. After this, the other remaining players decide what to do. Again, all bets and raises must be equal to the bet amount of the highest limit.  

Showdown:  All remaining players then show their cards. The player who bet last has to show his cards first. After this, the other players show their cards clockwise or throw them into that muck. At the time of showdown, the player with the highest hand and the lowest hand is considered. They will divide the pot. If no one qualifies for the lowest hand, the full pot goes to the player with the highest hand. 

High hand ranking

As mentioned earlier, the highest hand in 7 Card Stud Eight or Better has the same ranking as in Texas Holdem, as follows:

• Royal Flush 

• Straight flush 

• Four of a kind  /  Quads

• Full House 

• Flush

• Three of a kind

• Two Pair

• One Pair

• High Card

Low hand ranking

The low hand ranking is just a bit different. To qualify for the lowest hand, you must make a hand with an 8 and or lower cards. The best possible lowest hand is A-2-3-4-5. This is also called a wheel . The worst possible low hand is 8-7-6-5-4. Remember that with this hand you will always win if no other low hands qualify. Below we give a small overview from strong to weak low hands.

• A-2-3-4-5

• A-2-3-4-6

• 2-3-4-5-6

• 2-3-5-6-7

• A-3-4-5-7

• A-3-5-6-7

• 3-4-5-6-7

• A-4-6-7-8

• 2-5-6-7-8

• 4-5-6-7-8

  When determining the best low hand at a showdown, always look at the highest card in the low hands first. Suppose player 1 plays 4, 6, 3, 7, 8 and player 2 plays, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 then player 2 wins. Player 2's highest card is one 7 and that of player 1 is one 8 and because one is 7 lower than one 8, player 2 wins. It is also possible that the highest card is the same for both players. All the beginners who are trying their luck in poker must read top poker and rummy blogs which will help them to boost up their poker knowledge.

   

  Learn more - Poker Tutorial For Beginners

  Also Read 

  - What is 5 Card Draw

  - How To Play 7 Card-Stud 

  - Learn to Play Poker