7 Card Stud Hi/Low Rules Index:
7 Card Stud Hi/Low Description
sharing the pot
Poker Winning Hands


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7 Card Stud Hi-Low refers to the low hand, and means that, if a low hand exists, it must consist of cards valued at 8 or lower. If a low hand doesn't exist, the high hand wins the entire pot. There is ALWAYS a qualifying high hand.

Qualifying low hands consist of five cards with different numerical values from Ace to 8. If multiple players meet this standard, the player with the lowest high card will win the low hand and split the pot with the high hand (e.g. Ah, 2d, 5c, 6c 7d BEATS Ac, 2c, 6d, 7h, 8d). The best low hand is A, 2, 3, 4, 5 - straights and flushes do not count against a low hand, but a pair will disqualify it. An easy way to figure out a low hand score is to look at the two highest cards in that hand. For example, an A, 2, 3, 4, 6 scores a 64, and would therefore beat an A, 2, 3, 5, 6 because it's score would be 65.

One final point - players do not need to decide if they are playing for a high hand or a low hand, as all hands in the showdown will be evaluated for both and ranked as appropriate.


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The value of potentially sharing the pot between a high hand and a low hand is that there is more action in the game. Some will play for the high, and some for the low. But sometimes you can play for both! As mentioned above, straights and flushes do not count against a low hand. Your high hand consists of five cards from the total of seven available at the showdown. The same is true for the low hand. And guess what? They don't have to be the same cards! If your cards are Ad, 2d, 3c, 4d, 5d, 6c, 7d - you have a low hand of A-5, and a high hand of Ace high flush


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The Hand Ranks	Description
Royal Flush -	Highest straight flush, five cards in sequence with all five cards of the same suit, having an ace as the high card.
Straight Flush -	A straight (five cards in sequence) with all five cards of the same suit.
Four of a Kind -	Four cards of the same rank. Also known as quads. hand called four kings or quad kings. In a contest among players holding four of a kind, the hand with the highest rank wins.
Full House -	Any three cards of one rank plus any two cards of another rank. In a contest among players holding full houses, the hand with the highest three of a kind wins.
Flush -	Five cards of the same suit. In a contest among players holding flushes, the hand with the highest top one or more cards wins. When the top cards are tied, the next card is compared; when the top two cards are tied, the third card is compared; and so on.
Straight -	Five consecutive cards. An ace can be high or low. In a contest among players holding straights, the hand with the highest top card wins.
Three of a Kind -	Three cards of the same rank. Also known as trips or, especially in hold'em, a set. In a contest among players holding three of a kind, the hand with the highest rank wins.
Two Pair -	Two cards of one rank plus two cards of another rank.
One Pair -	Two cards of the same rank.
No Pair -	None of the above.

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*Check here for more details on hand rankings in Seven-card stud poker games.

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