Stud Poker at Online

Five Card Stud Rules

When Five Card Stud poker is played properly real competition occurs in less than one hand in ten and furthermore, when this real competition does occur, it is usually restricted to two players. As a result, ordinary Stud is more of a gambling game than a light pastime. However, for those who want to play it there are six basic rules which should be followed almost implicitly. If you do follow them, there is no guarantee that you will win, but if you do not follow them, you are certain to lose. They are:

Rule I

Do not stay on the first round unless:
(a) You have a pair.
(b) Your hole card outranks any card shown.
(c) Your hole card is as good as any card showing and your up card is a nine-spot or higher.
Exception: Once in a while, if both your hole card and up card are higher than any card showing except that of the original bettor, you may stay.

Rule ll

Do not stay if you are beaten in sight.
In other words, suppose you stay with a nine-spot showing and a king in the hole. On the second round you draw a ten-spot and some other poker online player draws an ace. Right at this point you should give up all interest in the pot, the reason being that:
(a) If you don't improve, you can't beat the ace.
(b) If you do improve, the man with the ace may improve also and will still beat you.
(c) And, most important, the man with the ace showing may have an ace in the hole. Whereupon, if you catch a pair, your bad stay is really going to prove expensive.

Exception: In a Table Stakes game where you have already wagered substantially more than half your money, or in a limit game where you have already wagered the limit bet several times, you may violate this rule. It's simply a matter of percentage. Example: You have twenty-five chips in front of you in a Table Stakes game and an ace in the hole. On round one the bet is five chips. On round two the bet is fifteen chips. On round three a player now shows a pair of deuces. You have made no pair. Nevertheless, you should stay for your remaining five chips. After all, the player with the deuces very likely has no other pair. And while the chances are greatly against your improving, you are getting very good odds for your money. Furthermore, you are safe from the great danger of the man who stays optimistically-namely, if you do improve and the other man still has an "immortal," you can't lose any more since all your money is in.

Rule III

On the fifth card, if you show the best hand, check-do not bet. The reasons for this are:
(a) No player who can't beat what you show is going to call.
(b) If you have nothing extra in the hole and anyone calls you, he will have you beaten.
(c) If you do have an "immortal" and check, someone may bet into you and give you a chance to raise him back; if you bet, the best you can hope for is a call.

Exception: This is one rule of principles that should be broken almost as often as it is kept. For instance, suppose you have bet out on the fourth card in a Table Stakes game and been called by a player showing no pair. If the fifth cards improve neither hand in sight, you really cannot expect the other player to bet into your possible sure winning hand and give you a chance to raise him back. Therefore, you may bet yourself. Your bet in this case may be made with another ace in the hole, with a card that pairs one of your smaller cards so that your hand may still win if called, or as an absolute bluff with nothing at all in the hole, knowing that if you are called you will be beaten.