§ 637a.10. Seven-card Stud Poker; procedures for dealing the cards; completion of each round of play.
(a) A certificate holder that offers Seven-card Stud High, Seven-card Stud Low, Seven-card Stud High-low Split or Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker shall observe the procedures in this section.
(b) No more than nine players may participate in a Seven-card Stud Poker game. Each player who elects to participate in a round of play may be required to place an Ante bet. The rules governing the placement of an Ante bet and the amount of the Ante bet, if any, shall be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 (relating to table games Rules Submissions) and posted on a sign at each Poker table.
(c) Starting with the first player to the dealer’s left and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, the dealer shall deal two rounds of cards face down and one round of cards face up to each player.
(d) After each player has been dealt three cards in accordance with subsection (c), the first betting round shall commence with one player making a Forced Bet. The amount of the Forced Bet shall be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 and posted at the Poker table. The player required to place the Forced Bet shall be determined by comparing the up card of each player. In the event that two or more up cards are of the same rank, the up cards shall then be ranked by suit with the highest to lowest ranked suits in the following order: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. The Forced Bet shall be made by the player with the:
(1) Lowest ranked up card for Seven-card Stud High Poker.
(2) Highest ranked up card for Seven-card Stud Low Poker.
(3) Highest ranked up card for Seven-card Stud High-low Split Poker. To determine the highest ranked up card, an ace shall be ranked below a two.
(4) Lowest ranked up-card for Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker. To determine the lowest ranked up-card, an ace shall be considered the highest ranking card.
(e) Following the placement of the Forced Bet, each subsequent player, starting with the player to the left of player who placed the Forced Bet and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, may fold, call or raise the bet. After the last player has responded to the most recent bet, the betting round shall be considered complete.
(f) Upon completion of the first betting round, the dealer shall burn the top card of the deck and then, starting with the first remaining player to the dealer’s left, deal a fourth card face up to each player who made or called the last bet. The next betting round shall commence as follows:
(1) For Seven-card Stud High, Seven-card Stud High-low Split or Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker, the player with the highest ranking high hand showing shall be required to bet or check.
(2) For Seven-card Stud Low, the player with the highest ranking low hand showing shall be required to bet or check.
(3) If the highest ranking hand showing is held by two or more players, the player closest to the left of the dealer shall be required to bet or check.
(g) Following the initial bet or check required under subsection (f), each subsequent player, proceeding in a clockwise rotation, may fold, call, raise or, if the preceding players have not made a bet, check. Once a bet has been made, the next player in a clockwise rotation may fold, call or raise. After the last player has responded to the most recent bet, the betting round shall be considered complete.
(h) The dealer shall then deal two additional rounds of cards face up and one round of cards face down to each player who made or called the last bet. Prior to each round of cards being dealt, the dealer shall burn the top card of the deck. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if insufficient cards remain in the deck to give each remaining player either a sixth or seventh card, the top card of the deck shall be burned and a common card shall be dealt face up in the center of the table. If there is either one or no card remaining in the deck when a common card is to be dealt, the dealer shall shuffle the burn cards, burn a card and then deal the common card. The dealing of each round of cards or, if applicable, each common card under this subsection shall be followed by a betting round conducted in accordance with subsections (f) and (g).
(i) If more than one player remains in the round of play after the final betting round has been completed, a showdown shall be used to determine the winner of the pot. Each player remaining in the game shall form a five-card Poker hand from the seven cards dealt to the player. The winner of the pot shall be:
(1) In Seven-card Stud High Poker, the player with the highest ranking five-card high hand.
(2) In Seven-card Stud Low Poker, the player with the highest ranking five-card low hand.
(3) In Seven-card Stud High-low Split Poker or Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker:
(i) The player with the highest ranking five-card high hand and the player with the highest ranking five-card low hand, subject to subsection (j), shall divide the pot equally. If a pot cannot be divided equally, the excess amount, which may not exceed $1, shall be given to the player with the highest ranking high hand.
(ii) If a tie exists between two or more players for the highest ranking high hand, the high hand share of the pot shall be divided equally among the tied players. If the high hand share of the pot cannot be divided equally among the tied players, the excess, which may not exceed $1, shall be given to the player with the highest ranking high card by suit.
(iii) If a tie exists between two or more players for the highest ranking low hand, the low hand share of the pot shall be divided equally among the tied players. If the low hand share of the pot cannot be divided equally among the tied players, the excess, which may not exceed $1, shall be given to the player with the lowest ranking low hand Poker card by suit.
(iv) For purposes of this subsection, the cards shall be ranked by suit with the highest to lowest ranked suit in order as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs.
(j) In Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker, a winning low-hand may not contain a pair, a three-of-a-kind or a four-of-a-kind or a 9, 10, jack, queen or king. In the event that none of the hands of the remaining players satisfies this requirement, the entire pot shall be awarded to the player with the highest ranking high hand.
(k) In Seven-card Stud High-low Split Poker and Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker, the player may form two different hands of five cards each out of the player’s seven available cards, enabling that player to contend for both the high hand and low hand share of the pot. A player may use the same five-card grouping to make a high hand and a low hand. For example:
(1) A hand consisting of a 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 would qualify as a straight for purposes of the high hand and as a high ranking low hand.
(2) A hand consisting of five cards of the same suit, none higher than an 8, would qualify as a flush for purposes of the high hand and as a high ranking low hand.
(l) In Seven-card Stud High-low Split Poker and Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or Better Poker, an ace may be used concurrently as a low hand card to make up a low hand and as a high card to make up a high Poker hand.
(m) Notwithstanding the requirements in subsection (c), if the certificate holder is offering Super Seven-card Stud High-low Split Eight or better, starting with the first player to the dealer’s left and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, the dealer shall deal four rounds of cards face down and one round of cards face up to each player. After examining the cards, each player shall discard two cards. The first betting round shall commence in accordance with subsection (d).
Authority The provisions of this § 637a.10 amended under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202(b)(30), 1207(3) and (9) and 13A02(1), (2) and (4).
Source The provisions of this § 637a.10 amended January 31, 2014, effective February 1, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 619; amended August 30, 2019, effective August 31, 2019, 49 Pa.B. 4956. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (362512) and (370569) to (370570).
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