Variants of Seven Card Stud Poker

There are many variants of seven card stud poker and we will cover some of the most popular. The first and most common variant would be seven card stud high low (hi-lo) poker. This game is played just like seven card stud. However, the highest ranking hand and the lowest ranking hand will split the pot.

If you are not familiar with playing low hands, the lowest ranking hand would be an ace, two, three, four and five; or commonly known as the bike. Many players also refer to this hand as 54. When playing hi-lo poker, the ace can be used as a high card or low card, as needed in your hand.

Razz is another popular poker game played much like the game of stud except is only played for low hands (or lowball as it is sometimes called). The best five cards for a low hand is again an ace, two, three, four and five; or 54. This has actually become a very popular game with online players and many of the online poker sites make it a point to offer it for their players to enjoy.

We also have the game of Chicago (or Black Mariah as it is sometimes called) that is played like seven card poker, except the highest ranking hand and the highest spade which is in the hole (hole cards face down) will split the pot. This can mean that one player can “scoop” the whole pot if he has the highest spade in the hole and the highest ranking hand.

Baseball is another variant that is played in many home games and is played just like seven card, but three’s and nine’s are wild cards and if you are dealt a four, you get an extra card. Also if a player is dealt a three, nine or four they must add an amount to the pot for that wild card or extra card, usually the amount of the ante.

With so many wild cards, it is not unusual for a player to be dealt a straight flush or five of a kind. There are many other miscellaneous forms of seven card stud poker and it is not uncommon for players to make up their own versions. Whether you play at home, or want to become a professional player, make certain you learn the rules for your particular favorite game.