How to play Stud High/Low

Author: Jesse McLean

Summary: This article explains the basic rules of Stud High/Low

Seven card stud can also be played High-Low (usually with an 8 or better qualifier). High Low (split pot) games award half the pot to the best high hand, and half the pot to the best low hand. One hand can be both high and low (A2345 is the nut low, and also a straight, or straight flush) for high. This means there is a bit more action in Stud 8 that straight stud. It’s called Stud 8 (or better) because low hands only count if they have 5 cards 8 or below in them.

The basic structure of a seven card stud game is as follows.

1) Everyone antes (this is typically a 1/10th of a small bet).
2) Everyone gets three cards (two down and one up – the “door card”)
3) There is a betting round, started by the bring in. The bring in is the player with the lowest door card. The bring in bet makes a half or a whole small bet.
4) All active players get another face up card (fourth street).
5) There is a round of betting.
6) All active players get another face up card (fifth street).
7) There is a round of betting. All active players get another face up card (sixth street).
9) There is a round of betting.
10)All active players get one last face down card (the river).
11) There is one last round of betting.

The best five-card high hand wins half the pot. Simple.

If there are any players who can make a no-pair hand with an 8 or lower as its highest card, then they compete for the other half of the pot. Low hands are ranked on which would lose to the other (ignoring straights and flushes, Ace low). 8765A loses to 87654 because a 4 is higher than an ace. 8432A loses to 76543 because 8 is higher than a 7.

If there is no valid low hand, then the best high hand wins the whole pot.

Stud 8 is great fun, and you don’t have to scoop the whole pot too often to make a nice profit.