Variations of Poker: Stud Poker
Equally playable by players of all levels, Stud Poker is an enjoyable and exciting poker variant that has nothing to do with male horses (or the like). Instead, it refers to select poker games where cards are dealt to players both face up and face down. Of course, house rules and variations exist, which will change the game from table to table, so you are definitely bound to see different styles as you play.
A good way to define Stud poker is to think of it as the opposite of Draw poker. While you’ll still try to get the same basic hands, Stud poker is more of a game of chance (on the surface) since players aren’t able to replace the cards like they can in Draw poker. For this reason, winning can depend more on the cards dealt as opposed to your ability to replace cards and alter the chances in your favor.
Poker may owe its origins to different games played though the world but American history is rich with variations of stud poker. Early colonists in the American Revolutionary war passed the time with three-card games. When the American Civil War came around, Five-card stud made its first appearance and spread out to the rest of the country. Then came Six-card stud, and later on, Seven-card stud became the favorite of casinos and the choice of friends gathered around the table for poker night. Unfortunately for poker fans, Stud poker came under attack from the anti-gambling establishment.
Since Stud poker was considered a game of chance (as opposed to a game of skill), it was banned under anti-gambling laws. Draw poker was lucky enough to be considered “scientific” (since you could influence the outcome with skill) and therefore not a game of chance. As Stud poker was forbidden, players moved to legal forms of cards like Draw poker and left Stud poker behind. However thanks to relaxed gaming laws, Stud poker is making a welcomed comeback. Take a look around the next casino and you’ll see many players enjoying a game of Stud poker. That’s in addition to it being the game of choice for many social poker games when the gang comes over for a game.
Before we leave, remember that while Stud poker is more of a game of chance, like any other poker game, it’s also psychological warfare - you can greatly alter your take-home winnings at the end of the night by deciding when to bet, raise, or fold. It’s the winnings that count and not how many times you win. Bet, raise and fold well and you can turn a losing night into a “Drinks are on me” night.
