Most people know Texas Holdem and Omaha better – although at one point in history, Stud was the more popular poker variant in the US – therefore it makes perfect sense to introduce the game through the prism of the differences between it and the above said poker variants.

The most fundamental difference between Stud poker and Texas Holdem is the fact that the former, unlike the latter, is not a community card game. Therefore it does not feature any blinds either. It has to have a compulsory bet however, because according to the fundamental theorems of poker set forth by authors like David Slansky, without a compulsory bet there is no action. The catalysts of action in Stud poker are the ante and the bring-in. Exactly who pays these compulsory bets is determined through an elaborate and rather interesting ritual at the beginning of every hand.

The seven card version of Stud – which is indeed its most popular variant – features no fewer than five betting rounds, topping Texas Holdem by one. What this means is that there are many more opportunities for Stud players to get more money into the pot, which also translates as more opportunities to commit mistakes for some.

Another interesting difference is the one concerning the identity of the player who starts every betting round with the exception of the very first one. In seven card Stud it is always the player holding the best visible hand who has to begin the betting round. Due to the fact that each and every one of the participants will use up no fewer than 7 cards from the deck, the maximum number of participants is limited to eight. What this basically means is that the most seven card Stud games will be shorthanded. While there definitely is a positional advantage in seven card Stud as well, this advantage is not predetermined. Players never know who the first one to act will be until the cards are actually dealt.

The luck factor is much more pronounced in Stud poker, at least over the short term. What this translates to is much larger short-term variance, which also means that the game requires a much sturdier bankroll to effectively swallow the increased variance. Stud poker isn’t however more of a gambler’s game than Holdem or Omaha. Here is the list of some top US poker sites to play online poker games.