How to Play Seven Card Stud High-Low Poker
Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo is a variation of Seven Card Stud in which each pot is split between the player with the highest hand and the player with the lowest hand. This form of poker is also sometimes called Seven Card Stud 8 or Better because for the lowest hand to qualify, it must not contain any cards ranked higher than 8.
Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Hand Values
High hands in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo are ranked in the same manner as for all traditional poker games. The highest five card hand, using any combination of the player’s seven cards, wins the high half of the pot.
Low hands must have five cards ranked 8 or lower, with no pairs. Aces count as low and straights and flushes do not count against you. The best low hand, for example, is A-2-3-4-5. When comparing two low hands, you can determine which one wins the low half of the pot by starting with the highest card and working down.
Let’s compare two low hands for an example:
A-4-6-7-8 vs. 3-4-5-7-8
Starting with the highest card and working down, we see that these two hands both tie with their two highest cards. Moving down to the 3rd card in each hand, we see that one hand has a 5 and one hand has a 6. Since the 5 is lower than the 6, the hand 3-4-5-7-8 wins the low half of the pot.
Scooping the Pot
When one player wins the entire pot, it is called “scooping the pot.” This can happen if nobody qualifies for the low hand or if the same hand wins both halves of the pot. For example, a hand of A-2-3-4-6 all of the same suit could win the low half with its 6-low and it could also win the high half as a flush.
Betting Structure
Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo is almost always played in the fixed-limit format. That is, each player may only bet and raise in specific increments. In a $5/$10 game, the players would be able to bet and raise in $5.00 increments during the 3rd and 4th street betting rounds and in $10.00 increments during the 5th, 6th and 7th street betting rounds.
Antes
The rest of the game is played almost identically to 7 Card Stud. To begin each hand, each player must pay a small, forced bet called the “ante.” The size of the ante depends on where the game is played, but it is generally about 10% the size of the upper betting limit.
Third Street
This portion of the hand is called “Third Street” because each player receives three cards. Two of these cards are dealt face down and two are dealt face up. The player with the highest card showing must pay the bring-in bet.
The bring-in bet is a mandatory bet equal to half the size of the lower betting limit. Once the bring-in has been paid, the play continues clockwise around the table, beginning with the player who paid the bring-in bet. That player may complete the bring-in (make it an even $5.00 to play) or raise it. All bets in raises must be made in increments of the lower betting limit.
Fourth Street
Next, each player receives one card face up. This time, the player with the lowest hand showing acts first. This player may check, fold or bet. After that, betting continues clockwise around the table. All bets are still made in increments of the lower betting limit.
Fifth Street
On Fifth Street, each player receives another card face down. There is another betting round and player with the lowest hand showing acts first once again. On this street and for the rest of the hand, all bets must be made in increments of the upper betting limit.
Sixth Street
Each player receives one card face up. The player with the lowest hand showing begins the betting.
Seventh Street and Showdown
Each player is dealt one card face down. There is one last round of betting that begins with the player who has the lowest hand showing. After the players have all had a chance to act, the remaining players have a showdown.
The player with the best low hand wins half the pot and the player with the best high hand wins the other half. If there is no qualifying low hand, the player with the highest hand wins the entire pot.
Where to Play Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo?
If you want to practice Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo online, there are quite a few poker sites that offer the game. We have ranked and reviewed all of our favorite Seven Stud Hi-Lo poker sites, so you can find the best place to play the game online.