For most of the 20th century, 7-card stud was the most popular form of poker played in the world. It evolved from several earlier games to become the dominant poker game until it was replaced by Texas Hold ‘Em.

Poker is believed to have originated in New Orleans in the 1820s and then spread to riverboats, where it boomed. Soon it was all over the United States in saloons are the boats.

The earliest form of stud was a 5-card stud game. This however, was replaced in popularity by many forms of draw poker, including five-card draw.

The earliest versions of stud poker were developed during the American Civil War, where its popularity was at its highest before draw became more popular. Sometime early in the 20th Century 7-card stud was developed, and it became the dominant poker game.

The rules of 7-card stud were simple. Its popularity grew because of all the rounds of available betting.

This is how the game is played:

Two cards are dealt face down to each player, one card dealt face up to each player. There is a round of betting.

Face-up card dealt to each player, followed by a round of betting (a.k.a. fourth street).

Face-up card dealt to each player, followed by a round of betting (a.k.a. fifth street).

Face-up card dealt to each player, followed by a round of betting (a.k.a. sixth street or turn).

Face-down card dealt to each player followed by a round of betting (the river).

Showdown.

Traditional poker hand values are used to determine the winner. Players make the best hand possible from their seven cards to form the best five-card poker hand.

The best hand possible is a royal flush. This is five consecutive cards of the same suit, 10 through ace. For instance, 10s, Js, Qs, Ks, As. This is also considered a straight flush, which is the top ranked had. You can have a straight flush that is not a royal flush – example 2s-3s-4s-5s-6s.

Four of a kind is the second best hand that is all four of the cards in a deck (example: Js, Jc, Jd, Jh).

This is followed by a full house, which is three of one cards and two of an another (example: Js, Jd, Jh, 2h, 2s).

Next is a flush, which is five cards of the same suit, non-consecutive.

After a flush comes a straight – five consecutive cards of different suits.

After that is three of a kind, followed by two pair, followed by a high card.

As stud grew in popularity, several offshoots of the game began to develop, including hi-low, razz, pineapple and other related games.

However, stud’s run as the stud of poker came to an end with the development of a game called Texas Hold ‘Em, which also uses 7 cards, but involves five community cards. The more volatile and exciting game became the centerpiece of the World Series of Poker, and from there it became by far the most popular form of poker.

Stud is still played in many casinos and most pros enjoy playing the game. Many of the events in the World Series are still stud events. However, it has been replaced by Hold ‘Em as the most popular for of poker and seems unlikely to ever recover its place atop the poker world. Still, it has spawned many of the most popular forms of poker and in many ways helped spur the poker boom around the world.