How to Play 7-Card Draw

Not to be confused with 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Draw is very similar to the traditional poker game of 5-Card Draw. The only difference is the number of cards dealt. Like 7-Card Stud, only five cards out of the seven in a player's hand are used to determine the winning hand.

Instructions

1. Ask each player to ante. The ante is a set, small amount of money that each player puts into the pot to begin each hand and to get the pot started.

2. Deal seven cards face down to each player. The dealer should begin with the player to her left and deal clockwise around the table, one card at a time, until each player has seven cards.

3. Begin the first betting round. After each player has had a chance to look at his hand and strategize, the player to the left of the dealer chooses to either bet, check, or fold. If she bets, she states aloud how much money she is betting and places it in front of her. If she chooses to check, she does not put any money into the pot and play continues clockwise. If she folds, she hands her cards face down to the dealer, and she and her cards are out of the hand.

4. Continue play clockwise around the table. Each player has the option to call, raise, or fold. If a player calls, he matches the amount of money the player or players before him have put into the pot. If he chooses to raise, he calls the amount previously put in before him, then raises an additional amount. This forces players who bet prior to him to add the additional amount or fold.

5. Exchange up to four cards for new ones. After the betting round is complete, players have the option to discard up to four cards and get new cards. Players don't have to do this; if a player wants to keep all her cards the same, she should state out loud that she wants to "stand pat."

6. Bet again. Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, another betting round is done. Continue betting clockwise around the table until everyone who remains in the hand has bet the same amount of money.

7. Reveal the players' cards. The player with the highest poker hand in a combination of five of his cards is the winner and takes the pot.