Stud 8 or Better is the Hi/Lo version of Seven Card Stud. It is a "split-pot" game that is quite popular. It is played with up to eight players at the table.

• Players receive seven cards, three "down" cards and four "up" cards.

• Your hand(s) are determined by using the best five of seven cards for your high hand and your best five of seven cards for your low hand (if you qualify for low).

• The game is played like Seven Card Stud (with the exception that you cannot make a double bet on "Fourth Street" if a pair is showing).

• If someone qualifies for "Low", the pot is split.

Basics: There is no qualifying on the "High" side - the best hand automatically wins half the pot and could win the whole pot. (Click here to see the Ranking of Hands.) To win the "Low" side, however, you have to qualify (which is why the game is called Seven Card Stud "8 or Better").

To qualify for Low: It takes a five-card hand with different numerical values from Ace through eight (with the Ace being the lowest value) to qualify for the "Low" half of the pot. The best "Low" hand is A,2,3,4,5 (also known as the "wheel" or "bicycle"). The winning "Low" hand is the one with the lowest high card in it. If two or more players qualify for "Low" but have the same highest card, the second lowest high card (and if necessary progressing down to the third, fourth, or fifth lowest high card) would be the winning hand. For example, a 2,3,4,6,8 would be a better "Low" hand than an A,2,4,7,8.

Important:

1) Straights and flushes do NOT count against you on the "Low" side.

2) You may use any combination of cards for the "High" hand or the "Low" hand or you may use the same cards for both the "High" and "Low" sides.

Split Pots: Any leftover odd chip goes to the "High" hand. If two or more players tie for the "High" side of the pot and there is an odd chip, the player with the highest card in their hand is awarded the odd chip. (If they have the same high valued card, the suit takes preference going from Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs.) If two or more players "tie" for the "Low" side of the pot and there is an odd chip, that chip is awarded to the player with the lowest card in their hand. (If they have the same lowest card, the suit takes preference in the order of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades.)

When a player "scoops" a pot, they win the whole pot. (This is your mission.)

Click here to see the procedure for Seven Card Stud. (The procedures for Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better are the same.)