Until just a couple of years ago, seven-card stud was the most popular poker variant. Everyone who's ever played the game is familiar with it because most of the home variants such as "follow the ace" are based on it. In the casino and at tournaments, the game is played with no wild cards, and because each player gets seven cards, the game is limited to between two and seven people.

A seven-card stud hand consists of five betting rounds, instead of four like you would find in Omaha or hold 'em. There are two betting variants you may find, depending on the pot limit. With a higher-limit game, the first two rounds are a set amount and the limit doubles on the following three rounds.

Seven-card stud is a game of antes. That means that ever player has to put some money into the pot before the game begins, and the amount depends on the limit. Most antes are between one-tenth and one-fourth of a traditional bet. After the antes are placed, the dealer puts the money into the pot and each player is dealt two cards face-down and one card face-up. The two face-down cards are hole cards, and the face-up card is the door card.

The first bet is called "Third Street" because players have gotten three cards already. After cards are dealt the bets begin; in the first round the player with the lowest door card has to place a "bring in" bet. After that bet is placed the player to the left can call the bet, raise it, or fold.

After all bring-in round bets are made, every player is given another face-up card and the second betting round starts. The player with the highest card does not have to bet; they can check if they wish. If a player shows an open pair, they have the choice to make the largest bet available to them.

Next, players are dealt a third face-up card; the player with the highest up card bets or checks first and the action goes around the table counterclockwise. During the next round, a fourth card is dealt and betting continues in a similar manner.

The seventh card is dealt face-down; each player should have three hole cards and four up cards. A final betting round takes place and players must show their cards when it's over. The highest five-card hand gets the pot, and if one player bets and all the others quit, that player automatically wins and is not required to show their cards.