Alternative Stud Poker Variants One of the most popular Stud poker variants is Seven-card Stud. It also serves as the base for most Stud poker variants. Five-card Stud is another basic pattern upon which many Stud poker variants are built. We will describe neither Seven-card nor Five-card Stud. These games have their own pages at this site. The games described below are alternative Stud poker variants, which were design as ad-hoc games, but then became popular enough to get their own names.
Razz Seven-card stud played with ace-to-five low hand values is called Razz. It is normally played with a bring-in, paid by the player with the highest-ranking up-card on the initial deal. In Razz, aces are always low, even for the purpose of assigning the bring-in. On all subsequent rounds, the player with the lowest exposed hand starts the betting. London Lowball London Lowball is similar to Razz, but is played with ace-to-six low hand values. It is usually played at no limit or pot limit. All other rules are identical to Razz. Six-card stud Six-card stud is almost identical to seven-card stud, except that the last face-up round is not played, which makes two down, three up, one down. It can also be played one down, four up, one down. In this case the first betting round starts after only two cards are dealt, one down and one up. The 1-4-1 form is very similar to five-card stud with an extra down-card. Alligator Alligator stud is a variation of Six-card Stud. It starts with one down-card and one up-card. When these cards are dealt the first betting round starts. In the second round two additional up-cards are dealt to each player. The fourth up-card starts another betting round, and the fifth up-card initiates the last round. This game is normally played in no limit or pot limit. Zanetti Zanetti is the same game as Alligator with the only difference of two down-cards and one up-card dealt in the first round, while in the last round the player can use only one of the down-cards.
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