7 Cards are dealt to all players, but you only get to use 5 of these cards. The other 2 cards will be thrown away to the dealer never to be seen or used again.

Some new players to 7 card studare wrong when they think they can have 3 pairs. It is possible, having 7 cards, to get a hand like this one: 663399Q, but the smart thing to do is just use the two highest pairs of 99 and 66 and the queen as the kicker.

Alot of the times new players forget that a flush beats a full house or a full house dominates a straight, so we created this article for this purpose. If you don't know what hands beat what hands in poker then it is pointless to even play, as you will probably lose many hands due to ignorance. Try to memorize the different rankings of each hand, it is not that hard. If you can't remember then please print this page and keep it around.

Here is the rankings for each hand. Highest to lowest:

Royal Straight Flush: A Royal Flush is the very best hand in poker, even better than a straight flush. Example: 10-J-Q-K-A, same suit.

Straight flush: A straight flush is 5 cards of the same suit in sequence. Example: 6-7-8-9-10 of hearts is a straight flush.

Four of a Kind (Quads): This is common sense to most people. A four of a kind is Four cards with the same number or face card. The suits will all be different. This is very strong hand to hold. There is a possiblity for 2 players to have the identical four of a kind hands in some card games, such as texas hold'em, this is when the fifth card decides the winner. Example: 7-7-7-7-3

Full house (Full Boat): A Full House is a pair and three of a kind. If there are two people who have full houses the player with the higher three of a kind wins. Example of a Full house: K-K-K-A-A

Flush: A Flush is 5 cards of the same suit. If two players have a flush, the player with the highest flush cards wins. Example: 4-7-8-10-K of Diamonds

Straight: A Straight is 5 cards in sequence. Suits do not matter. If two players have a straight, the highest straight will win over the lower straight. Example: A-2-3-4-5 of any suit.

Three of a kind: A three of a kind explains itself. A hand with three of a kind beats any player with only two pair. Example: 5-5-5-J-K

Two Pair: A two of a kind hand beats any hand that has one pair. Simple enough right? If two players have the same top pair, the second pair decides the winner. Example: K-K-9-9-7 beats K-K-9-9-6.

One Pair: One pair of any denomination beats any High Card. If two players have one pair, the player with the highest pair wins,example, 7-7-2-3-4 beats 4-4-A-K-Q.

High Cards: A high card is a single card that wins if no other player can beat this card. The cards are ranked, from highest down to lowest, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The suits do not matter in this case, the highest denomination wins. Example: 10-9-8-6-3

Please note that suit ranking is only important in 7 card stud games with the bet being "bring in". For example, if the dealer deals two players the same exact card the player with the lowest ranked suited card will place first bet or the player can fold.

From highest rank to lowest, the suits are ranked: Spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs.

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