The rules for 5 Card Stud Poker; Betting Limits, Buy-In, Bankroll, The Ante, and the Deal are all pretty much the same as
7 Card Stud - you can visit that section for more information. However please note that
because 5 Card Stud is not played very often in casinos these days, rules may vary slightly from casino to casino. The truth
is that 5 Card Stud is mostly played as a social game - so the 5 card stud poker rules flex according to the player's tastes.
The Open
A poker round opens with the dealer giving each poker player two cards. Traditionally the first is a pocket (hidden) card and
the second is open (face up). There are variations on this and we'll see why shortly.
Now it's time for the first bets. Low card opening is standard but it's not uncommon for high card to open. The game
progresses the same either way. The betting round circles the table clockwise, and it's on to Third Street.
Third Street
The third card is dealt to each player as an open card. Betting typically follows 7-Card Stud's Third Street play (Low Limit bets).
Fourth Street
Another open card, typically played per 7 Stud's Fifth and Sixth Street (High Limit bets).
Fifth Street
The final card, usually also an open card. Betting as per 7 Stud's Seventh Street (High Limit bets). I've also seen games where
Fifth Street was dealt as a pocket card.
The Trouble with 5 Card Stud
There's a real problem with traditional 5 Card Stud Poker.
With only one pocket card there's not much doubt as to what a player is holding.
Furthermore, since there are only 5 cards per player and no discards, most hands are going to be pretty low, mostly pairs and high
cards. At least in Draw Poker the player gets a chance to improve their hand by drawing new cards. Not so in 5 Stud: you're stuck
with what you get and the other players can see most of that.
The end result? Players with even basic play experience will read the cards fast and early. They'll either drop or be going for the pot
and it's tough to drag anyone but a novice along for the latter streets. Bottom line is; it's a slow game for anything but social events
and "friendly" play.
This is where the variations come in. The more interesting 5 Stud games I've played are those where there are two pocket cards.
Sometimes it's first and last card, sometimes the two opening cards with the player on the dealer's left opening the bets.
In the end these variations are simply attempts to add a little suspense. The hands are still going to be low. And the extra
pocket card just allows for a little more bluffing and the possibility of chubbier pots. The fact that even these variations
only appear in social games tells the same story as before: 5 Card Stud poker has left the building.
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