5 Card Stud Rules
The Rules for 5 Card Stud are fairly simple and straightforward, especially if you are already familiar with 7 Card Stud or other Stud Poker variants. 5 Card Stud is not nearly as popular as many other poker games, however it is the quickest version of Stud Poker that I know. Remember, these are basic 5 card stud rules and doesn’t really touch on 5 card stud strategy or poker strategy, for that matter. We just want to get the basic rules of 5 card stud poker out there, so that you will know the proper way to play 5 card stud poker.
5 Card Stud Rules - The Open
The open in 5 card stud occurs when the dealer deals the first two cards. Traditionally, the first card is a pocket card (face down) and the second card is an open card (face up). There are, of course, variants to this is 5 card stud, but I will discuss that a bit later on, let’s just get the 5 card stud rules out there, for now. After each player receives their first two card, a round of betting occurs.
5 Card Stud Rules - Third Street
This card is always an open card. Betting occurs on this round, just like in 7 card stud poker. Traditionally, the player with the high card leads the bet although that can be decided before the hand is dealt. These bets are usually lower limit bets as the hand has just begun.
5 Card Stud Rules - Fourth Street (the Turn)
This card, like 3rd Street, is an open card and there is another round of betting. However, this round of betting tends to be a bit more aggressive or higher limit. If playing structured limit 5 card stud, the rules would require this to be at the higher limit. For example, if playing $5-$10 5 card stud, the opening bet on 4th Street would be $10.
5 Card Stud Rules - Fifth Street (the River)
This final card is usually an open card however, I have played where this is a pocket card. I prefer the later because I have found that with only one pocket card it becomes fairly obvious as to what you are holding. I like a little bit more of a challenge when playing poker, which is why I generally shy away from 5 card stud poker all together. Regardless, a round of betting occurs after the river is dealt and all hands are shown.
5 Card Stud Rules - The Variants
Like I mentioned earlier on, there can be a few variants to the rules of 5 card stud poker. Mainly, how many down cards will there be. In 7 card stud, there are 3 down cards, whereas in 5 card stud poker, there are only 1 or 2 down cards. I do personally prefer 2 down cards, but I some people prefer only 1. Take these 5 card stud rules for what they are worth, a guide to understanding 5 card stud poker.
