How to Play Stud 8 or Better Poker

This article will introduce you to the basics of playing Seven Card Stud 8 or better, commonly known as Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo split.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Before the deal, each player has to put up an ante.

2. Each players is dealt three cards. Two cards are face down and one is face up. The lowest card is forced to make a bet known as the bring-in. The bring in is typically double the ante. The player also has the option to complete to a full bet. For example, in a $2-4 Stud 8 game with a 50 cent ante, the bring-in is $1 and the completion is $2. If the bring-in player does not complete the bet, then the next player has the option to either call the bring in, or to complete to the full bet amount. Once a completion has been made, then subsequent raising shall occur in increments of the full bet amount. Also, in the even that two players have the lowest card, the player with the lowest suit is the bring-in. Suit ranks from low to high are clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades.

3. The next card is dealt face up. This is known as fourth street. Betting then starts with the player showing the highest hand. From fourth street until showdown, the high hand showing will have the option of opening the betting. If more than one player has a high hand, then the player closest to the dealer begins the betting. In Stud 8, a player may not make a double bet with an open pair on fourth street.

4. The next card is dealt face up. This is known as fifth street. Betting doubles from this point until the end. In a $2-$4 game, the betting would now be in $4 increments.

5. The next card is dealt face up. This is known as sixth street. Another round of betting occurs.

6. The last card is dealt face down. This is known as seventh street, or the river. One final round of betting occurs.

7. After the last round of betting, hands are then shown. The highest hand wins half the pot. If there is a qualifying low hand, then that hand wins the low side of the pot. A qualifying low hand is a hand containing five unique cards eight and lower. Straights and flushes do not count against a low hand. Ace is played high or low. The lowest low hand is the wheel, which is A-2-3-4-5. In the event there is more than one low hand, the low side is split. If nobody holds a low hand, then the high hand wins the entire pot.

Tips & Warnings

• You want to play starting hands that have potential to win both sides of the pot.
• If you are drawing to only one side of the pot, then you want to have a big draw to that side.
• Your best hands are those that have three small straight cards, three small flush cards, or three low cards seven or under including an ace.
• Rolled up sets should not be slow played as they have potential to be outdrawn.
• High pairs are trap hands in Stud 8 in full ring games.
• High straight draws are trap hands in Stud 8.
• High flush draws are trap hands in Stud 8.
• Three cards eight lows can be trap hands to play. Play these hands with caution.