Rules of Five-Card Draw and Seven-Card Stud
 
 
Five-Card Draw
After the ante each player is dealt five cards face down. Starting with the player to the dealer's left, each player checks, bets, or raises. To open, a player must usually hold a pair of jacks or better. In many games a joker is used, usually as a bug but sometimes as a wild card.

Once the first round of betting is complete, each active player, starting to the dealer's left, has the option of discarding from one to five cards and receiving replacements from the dealer. Sometimes the rules of a game restrict to three the number of cards any player may replace.

After the draw, there is a final round of betting, usually starting with the player who opened the pot. In the showdown the best high hand wins.


Seven-Card Stud
Three cards are dealt to each player, two face down and one face up. Depending on the betting rules, either the low card or the high card on board starts the action. When there are two low (or high) cards of the same rank, either the card of the lowest ranking suit (clubs, then diamonds, then hearts) or the card closest to the dealer's left starts the action, once again depending on the betting rules in effect.

After the first round of betting, a fourth card is dealt face up, and now the high hand on board starts a second round of betting. (If there are two identical high hands, the one closest to the dealer's left begins.)

A fifth and then a sixth card are dealt face up with a round of betting after each. A seventh card is dealt face down, followed by a final round of betting. In each case the high hand on board starts the action. In the showdown the best high hand wins.