Seven Card Stud Poker

Ante
The Ante is the set amount of money that is put into the pot before each and every hand.

Burn
The burn is when the dealer takes the top card from the deck and discards it to avoid any cheating that might happen because a player accidentally saw the top card. This will happen before the first deal, and again before any subsequent deals throughout the game. The burned cards are placed in a discard pile which is reshuffled and reused at the end of the hand if the dealer runs out of cards because of the number of players still in the game.

1st Deal
Two cards are dealt face down to each player; these cards are called the hole cards. Then one card is dealt face up to each player; this card is called the door card.

If the dealer accidentally places your hole cards face up then the third card dealt will be placed face down. You may receive your ante back if you hole cards are placed face up. If a low card is dealt face up on a first card then action will begin to the players left.

This round is started by the player with the lowest card face up on the table, the lowest hand. They have the option of throwing in the maximum bet, but are required to bet at least the minimum bet.

2nd Deal
Another card is dealt face up to each player. If an open pair is showing at this point and the game is a fixed limit game, the player has the option of placing a bet that meets either the lower or upper limit.

In this betting round, the highest hand places the first bet.

3rd Deal
Another card is dealt face up to each player.

In this betting round, the highest hand places the first bet.

4th Deal
Another card is dealt face up to each player.

In this betting round, the highest hand places the first bet.

Final Deal (River)
One last card is dealt face down to each player. This card is called the River.

Final Betting Round
In this final betting round, the highest hand places the first bet.

Miscellaneous Rules
If there is a tie for the highest hand then position will determine who moves first, the player dealt first acts first.

If a player goes all in on the ante and receives the low card, then the player to the left of the low card has the forced bet. That player has the option of folding, opening with the forced bet, or opening with the full bet (in a fixed-limit game).

The player who has the forced bet has the choice of opening with a full bet. If they choose to do so, this is not actually a raise; it is simply considered completing the bet.

A seat will receive cards until a hand dies because of a bet. This will happen if a hand is folded while there is no wager.

Any player who leaves the table and is not back at their seat before their turn, their forced bet and their ante will be forfeited. Likewise the hand is killed if the player is not back in time to act on their cards.

If you have not called and you are faced with a wagering position, you cannot pickup your cards or you will be considered to have folded. Your hand will then be dead.

The dealer is responsible for announcing the high hand, low card, pairs and raises.

If the dealer runs out of cards, he has the option of announcing to the table that a common card will be used. The common card, sometimes called the community card, is playable in the hand of every player still in game play.

If more than seven cards are dealt to a hand, it becomes dead. At the showdown, less than seven cards are also considered dead.