In 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 or better (7 Card Stud Hi/Lo) the pot is split 50-50 between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand.
7 Card Stud Hi/Lo is structurally played the same as 7 Card Stud except that the highest hand wins 50% of the pot and the lowest qualifying hand wins 50% of the pot.
A low hand must be high card "8 or better" to qualify. To be eligible to win the low, the highest card must be a 5, 6, 7, or 8. The winning LO Hand (8 or better) is determined firstly by the player with the lowest High card. Upon a tie with the High card, the hand goes to the player with the next lowest High card. Any hand that is high card 9 or higher can NOT qualify as a low hand.
If there is no qualifying low hand then the high hand wins 100% of the pot.
- At the showdown each player can use any five of their cards for their high hand and any five of their cards for their low hand.
- The best low hand is A, 2, 3, 4, 5. This will also count as a straight for high. Aces can be used for both high and low.
- Straights and flushes are not considered when evaluating a low hand.
- A player can "scoop" the entire pot with both the high and low by showing the highest and lowest hands.
General rules & sequence of action for 7 Stud Hi/Lo
- All players ante (except the $0.50/$1 game which has no ante)
- Each player is dealt two cards face-down (hole cards) and one card face-up (door card)
- First betting round
- Each player is dealt one card face-up (4th street)
- Second betting round
- Each player is dealt another card face-up (5th street)
- Third betting round
- Each player is dealt another card face-up (6th street)
- Fourth betting round
- Each player is dealt a last card face-down (river)
- Final betting round
- Showdown
At the showdown, players may use any 5 of their 7 cards to make their best possible high poker hand, and any 5 of their 7 cards to make their best possible low hand.
The highest hand wins 50% of the pot and the lowest qualifying low hand wins 50% of the pot. If no low hand qualifies then the highest hand wins the entire pot.
Very seldom, a situation occurs where there are not enough cards left in the deck to give each player their own river card. In this event, the dealer will turn one boardcard face-up and it will be used as a community card.
Betting Structure for 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
All players must first ante before they receive their initial cards, except the $0.50/$1 game which has no ante. There are five betting rounds in a complete game of 7 Card Stud, not including the ante.
On the first round of betting, the low card by suit is required to initiate action with a bet equal to half the lower limit (bring-in). Suits are ranked: spades (highest), hearts, diamonds, clubs. On subsequent rounds, the high hand on board initiates betting action. If hands are tied, the player to the left of the dealer acts first. In all cases, the dealer will inform the players as to who acts first.
Each bet and raise during the first two rounds of betting is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $4/$8 game, all bets and raises are $4 for the first two rounds. It should also be noted, unlike in traditional 7 Card Stud, that an open pair on 4th Street can only bet the lower limit.
Each bet and raise during the last three rounds of betting is set at the higher limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $4/$8 game, all bets and raises are $8 for the last three rounds (5th street, 6th street and the river).
The maximum allowable number of bets per player during any particular betting round is four. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and can not be raised anymore. Once the pot is capped, players will have only the option of calling or folding.
