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5 Card Stud Poker Rules

5 Card Stud poker first appeared during the American civil war and became very popular. It is only in recent years that it has been surpassed by 7 Card Stud and Hold'em.

The game differs from most modern Stud variants because the number of visible cards makes it easier for players to judge the strength of their hands. With four rounds of betting, you need to know when to hold and when to fold. Patience and skill are key to success.

For a number of years, this was one of the games of choice and made it's entry into the World Series of Poker in 1971 where it stayed until it's final year in 1974 (all four won by Bill Boyd).

The Deal

Much like other games, the dealer will deal to the player immediately left of the dealer button, moving clockwise round the table. All players will be dealt two hole cards, one face down and one face up (known as the door card). There will then be a round of betting however the action will start with the player with the lowest card and suit (known as the "force" or "bring-in" bet), This is a forced bet and would be half of the low limit (so if playing $5-$10 would be $2.50). This is an unusual game as most games don't involve the ranking by suit. In 5 Stud, the suits are ranked in alphabetical order Spades, Harts, Diamonds, Clubs with Spades being the top suit and Clubs the lowest. After this initial deal and betting round, the suits do not play a further part in determining the strength of a players hand.

The Third Card Dealt (known as Third Street)

This is the third card to be dealt to each player, dealt first to the player on the immediate left of the dealer, dealing clockwise round the table. This card is dealt face up (you will now have two up and one down) and the dealer should always burn a card to the muck before this card is dealt. This is then followed by a further round of betting and as in the first betting round, starts with the player with the highest two card value (known as 'having the action'). There will be occasions where two or more players have the same hand. The player closest to the dealers left will be the first to play.

The player who 'has the action' after this card is dealt can, as in normal poker games, check to the next player clockwise or make a bet. All bets at this stage are lower limit.

The Fourth Card Dealt (known as Fourth Street)

The Fourth card dealt to players is also dealt face up with the highest hand starting another round of betting, where the action continues clockwise until all players have matched the required bet or folded. This is the first stage where bets are now higher limit, as will Fifth Street.

The Fifth Card Dealt (known as Fifth Street)

This is the final hole card dealt to players to complete their hand. All players still in the hand will have one card face down and four cards face up. There is now a further round of betting until either all players but one are left in the hand, a winner.

Should more than one player still be left in the hand, there will be a showdown in which players will turn over their face down card to reveal their five card poker hand with best hand winning the pot.

The following illustration shows the betting structure of the game.

The following illustration shows the betting structure of the game.

All players ante

Each player is dealt one card face-down (hole card) and one card face-up (door card)

First betting round

Each player is dealt one card face-up

Second betting round

Each player is dealt another card face-up (4th street)

Third betting round

Each player is dealt a last card face-up (river)

Final betting round

Showdown

Why has 5 Card Stud has not reached the popularity of other Stud variations or Texas Hold'em?

The likely reason is that the players receive only five cards, the hand values in 5-card stud vary dramatically from games like hold'em or 7-card stud, where the players each get seven cards and then can choose their best five. It is far easier to make a strong hand when you can pick five out of seven cards, rather than just getting five.

One major problem with 5-card stud, and a reason for the lack of popularity is that there is too much information available to the players on the table. With only one hidden card, it is very easy to see what an opponent's best possible hand might be and bluffing becomes far more difficult. Further, unless the ante is very high, there is little reason to try to chase down an opponent from behind.

In a real poker game, that easy understanding makes the correct play far too obvious to create much excitement, or much betting action for that matter. Winning potential therefore is less than other poker games....not a good advert to pull in numbers.

General 5 Card Stud Poker Strategy

Five Card Stud is predominantly a game or pairs and high cards. You should not play for straights and flushes unless you have three cards to a straight flush on third street. In addition you should not play for a flush or straight unless you think you might hit a straight or flush on fourth street. It is advisable to stay out of the hand unless you have a pair or at least one live card that beats the board. You should fold when you are beaten on the board and do not have a good draw to the best hand.

Playable 5 Card Stud Hands

Play Any Pair - Fast play low pairs to try to get heads up. Consider folding if you don't get trips or a live upcard on third street. Bet/Call high pairs.

Play when you have both cards HIGHER than the board - For example you hold 6 8 and there is no opponent upcard that is higher than 5

Play the hand when you have a high hole card that beats the board with any high card - For example you have J down - 8 up and there is no opponent upcard that is higher than ten.

HIGH UPCARD that BEATS the BOARD with HIGH CARD in the HOLE - An Ace up is a good hand that you can sometimes take past third street unpaired, if you have a good kicker. The high card in the hole does not have to beat the board.

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