Five-card stud rules

One card hidden, four dealt face up one at a time.

  • 2-10 players
  • Standard deck

The earliest stud game, and the tightest. Each player gets one card face down and four face up, one at a time, with a betting round after each.

How it plays

The hole card is the only thing hidden, so almost the whole table is readable. With just five cards and no draw, hands finish small — a pair often wins, and two pair is a strong holding.

Order of play

After the first face-up card is dealt, the lowest card brings in the betting. From then on the best face-up hand acts first each round.

Because so little is concealed, the game is more about betting than about cards. A visibly strong board can win the pot without ever being shown down.