The game of 7 card stud poker has been a favorite of the well-to-do poker gambler for years. The reason for this preference is because there are so many opportunities to bet, since there are five rounds of betting. When you have five opportunities for betting on anything, you just know that the pot of winnings will grow and grow until a winning player claims the pot.

Stud poker was a favorite back in the Old Wild West in the United States because, in those days, it was an easy game in which to cheat. There were so many cards flying around the table and so much money floating around that it was very easy for an indiscreet lady and/or gentleman to get his/her cards mixed up with someone else's. Today, those things don't happen in places like Las Vegas or in the online poker tables parlors on the Internet. Well, the cheating doesn't occur, but the big pots and old-time excitement still can be found at the 7 card stud poker table.

The game of 7 card stud poker is played with a traditional deck of 52 cards. There are options, however, to the traditional game in which 7 card stud is played with 2 Jokers or designated wild cards, or both. In the case of the latter, you really have a wild game! The cards are dealt in this manner: each of the players receives two cards face down, and then four face up cards on which there is a round of betting. A seventh card is then dealt to all players face down. Since the object of the game is to develop the best 5 card hand out of the seven cards you were dealt, it is easy to see that a reckless player could lose plenty by staying in the game a round or two too long instead of folding and living to play another hand.

Generally speaking, it advisable to stay in the game with any hand three of a kind or above. If you see that your first three cards do not lend you an opportunity for three of a kind or better, fold that hand like a cheap suit. For example, if your two down-the-river cards and your first face up card are an Ace (clubs), 10 (clubs) and 3 (clubs), you have an opportunity to get a flush by drawing two clubs in the next four cards you are dealt. However, if you had the Ace and 10 of clubs and drew a 9 of hearts, fold your cards and live to play another hand of 7 card stud poker.