Five-card stud poker is the earliest form of poker known to man, having first appeared during America's civil war back in the mid 1860s. Though this particular form of poker ranked most popular for a number of years, today it is played far less than a number of other poker games which are enjoying a steady rise in popularity. Texas Holdem and Omaha are prime examples. This is also highly evident by the fact that 5-card stud poker is not even featured in the mega-popular World Series of Poker.

Today's 5-Card Stud Poker
Five-card stud poker is still very popular in various parts of the world, particularly in Finland. The Finnish are known to play a unique form of 5-card stud called Soko (aka Scandinavian Stud as well as Canadian stud). The game of 5-card stud is often played in other various forms including no limit, pot limit, spread limit, and fixed limit games.

How 5-Card Stud Poker is Played
Whether you're playing 5-card stud poker in a land casino or online makes little difference. The game is - for all intents and purposes - the same. In live play, a game of 5-card stud starts with each poker player being dealt a single card facing down, and then followed by a single card facing up. Whenever the game is played with what's known as a ‘bring-in,' the player with the lowest-ranked up-card is required to cover the cost of the ‘bring in.' When two poker players have low cards that are ranked the same, the tie can be broken according to the ranking of their suits.

When there's no bring-in, the first round of betting begins with the 5-card stud poker player revealing their upcard with the highest rank. This player also has the option to check. Once the initial betting round has been completed, another card is dealt to each player facing up, beginning with the poker player seated to the left side of the dealer. Play continues this way throughout the hand.

Let the Betting Action Begin
Betting now begins with the player having upcards with the strongest poker hand. During this, and all of the next betting rounds, the 5-card stud poker player acting first can either check or bet as much as the game's limit permits. This second round of betting is followed by a third card dealt facing up to each player, followed by a third betting round. Once again this commences with the 5-card stud poker player showing the strongest poker hand. Next, a fourth card is dealt facing up, followed by a fourth wagering round and the final showdown, unless there's only one player left in the hand at the end of this betting round.

• 5-Card Stud Rules