5 Card Stud Poker Tips & Strategy for Beginners


	Need more? View our Poker Tips & Strategy Articles archive or Poker Rules section

Beginners Guide to 5 Card Stud

5 Card Stud shares many similarities to the more widely played 7 card stud game. The main difference is that each player is dealt a total of 5 cards with only one of these being hidden from opponents. This means that the winning hand is often less strong than in other forms of poker - a pair often taking down the pot.

Before any cards are dealt each player posts an ante - this is a fraction of a small bet and makes up the initial pot. Each person is then dealt 2 cards, one face down and one visible to all players. The player with the lowest card showing then starts the betting with a forced bet known as the 'bring-in' - that player can also choose to raise at this point.

The remaining 3 cards are all dealt face-up to the table with a betting round after each card. Each card and betting round is referred to as a 'street'. After the 4th street is dealt the betting limit usually doubles. While rules vary there is usually a maximum of 4 raises possible on each street.

Starting hand selection in 5-Card Stud favors pairs. Any pair should be considered as a premium starting hand and should be played strongly. Since you will be dealt a pair only rarely other hands also need to be included. High-card combinations are good here, especially if the highest card is above the visible cards of your opponents. 2 cards to a flush or straight are not playable alone - if the cards are high you should consider this as a bonus adding a few percentage points to your chances of winning.

As in all Stud variations you need to keep a note of the other player's cards - this includes those hands that have folded as well as those still involved. If you have seen several cards that you require already discarded or in an opponents hand it may be prudent to fold if the betting gets heavy.

If an opponent shows a pair on their board on later streets that beats your high-cards holding you must compare your chances of improving with the odds that you are getting from the pot. For example you hold A-K-Q-J on 4th street and an opponent who did not raise before in the hand now shows a pair of 8's. You have many outs here, any ten, ace, king or queen may give you a winning hand (assuming your opponent holds only 1 pair). With 13 outs and having 39 (for example) unseen cards your chances of improving are 1 in 3, taking into account the chance that your opponent may also improve and you should look to call a bet if this is less than 1/4th of the pot size.

Reading your opponents tendencies is an important aspect of 5 card stud poker. Some players will raise in 2nd street with any pair, while others will also raise with a lone ace or 2 cards 10 and above. If you combine this information with the betting on later streets you will be in a better position to know when to call and when to fold.

Good luck at the tables!