7-Card poker is played with anywhere up to eight players each game. It's highly possible that there may not be enough cards if all 8 players reach the end of the game, especially if the dealer discards a card before dealing to active players. In this case, instead of dealing a single card to every player around the table, the dealer may turn a "community" card, which all active players can use. This card is placed face-up towards the center of the table, and all players share it.
Each player at the table places an ante into the pot, before receiving two face-down "hole" cards, and one face-up card. The player that gets the lowest face-up card (in this instance, an ace is classed as high) will be required to start the betting action. The "bring-in" provided by this player must be at least the minimum amount agreed on before the game. From there, play continues to the left, with raises, calls, or folds.
After betting is finished, a fourth card will be given face-up to all players left in the game, and from this point, the player with the highest showing hand starts the betting action. Because there is no required "bring-in" after the first round of betting, players don’t need to fold until a bet takes place. The fifth card is put forward to each player by the dealer face-up, before another round of betting takes place. Then players are given a sixth face-up card, and a further round of betting. The seventh card provided to players is given face-down, before the final round of betting starts.
Once the final round of betting is completed, the players show their hands, and the one who can make the highest five-card hand out of the seven cards they have been dealt, wins the pot.
The list of handing rankings follows the average hierarchy for poker, from lowest hand to highest:
There are no exceptions to this order, and no other hands can be used. For example, even if a player has three pairs in the seven card set, they will still only be able to show their two highest pairs.
In Seven hand poker, suits are not used to evaluate the strength of a given hand. For example, if two players have the same hand, regardless of the different suits, the pot will be split between these two players.
Once the winning hand has been established among all remaining players, the individual with the highest five-card hand will be awarded the pot. Once that pot has been shipped, all players are able to ante, and therefore be dealt their next hand in the game.
