Five Card Stud is played very similar to 7 Card Stud. The obvious difference is that each player receives 5 cards. The first card is dealt face down with the four following cards dealt face up. All players must ante before any cards are dealt. The amount of the ante reflects the table limit.

You are dealt one down card, the "hole card", and one up card. The player showing the lowest card by suit (highest - spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs - lowest) must bring in the first round of betting with a forced bet of half the lower limit. The next player to act, left of the first better, can ‘complete' the bet, call or fold. After the initial betting round, three more up cards are dealt to the players, with a round of betting after each card. In a 5 Card Stud game, a bet and three raises are allowed. The final raise is capped and the only options you have are to call or fold at that point.

The betting action of the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the table structure. The exception of this rule is when a player shows a pair after the 3rd street. All players have the option to bet the higher limit for the second round of betting. If a player does bet the higher limit, subsequent bets must also be at the higher limit. The last two rounds of betting are at the higher limit.

Once all betting is done, a showdown takes place. The first person to show their hand is the last person to show strength with a bet or raise. All 5 cards are used at showdown. The player holding the best poker hand wins the pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split.