Overview
Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo (or Eight-or-Better) is Seven-Card Stud played as a split pot game. The best high hand and the best qualifying low hand split the pot.
SEVEN-CARD STUD HI-LO
Stud Game - Split Pot · 8 Players Max
Watch a Sample Hand
Watch the hero build the perfect wheel (A-2-3-4-5) card by card across five streets — then scoop both the high and low pots at showdown.
POT: $15
YOU (Hero)
HIGH POT!
LOW POT!
Player 2
Player 3
Ready to Deal
Press Next Step to begin dealing the sample hand.
Step 0 of 9
Game Play
Identical to regular Seven-Card Stud with these exceptions:
The Pot is Split
- Half the pot goes to the best HIGH hand
- Half the pot goes to the best LOW hand (must qualify with 8-high or better)
- The same player can win both halves ("scooping" the pot)
Low Hand Qualification
Low Qualifier: The low hand must be 8-or-better to qualify. This means the highest card in your low hand must be an 8 or lower. Straights and flushes don't count against low hands in Hi-Lo games.
Low Hand Rankings
In Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo, Aces are LOW for low hands. Straights and flushes don't count against low hands (A-2-3-4-5 is a perfect low).
- Best Low: A-2-3-4-5 (the wheel)
- Next Best: A-2-3-4-6
- Continue downward...
- Worst Qualifying Low: 8-7-6-5-4
Making Two Hands
From your seven cards, you make:
- Your best HIGH five-card hand
- Your best LOW five-card hand (if it qualifies)
These can be different combinations of your seven cards.
Important Note
In A-5 low games, A-2-3-4-5 is the best possible low (the wheel), but it's also a straight for high (Ace-high straight if playing for high). You can use the same five cards for both high and low!
Strategy Tips
- Starting hands with A-2 or A-3 become premium hands
- Look for hands that can win both ways
- Three low cards starting are valuable if they're close together (like 3-4-5)
- On later streets, consider whether your high or low is better
- When betting, you want to "scoop" (win both halves) whenever possible
Example
Your seven cards: 
- High Hand: -2-3-4-5 (straight, five-high)
- Low Hand: -2-3-4-5 (the wheel, perfect low!)
- This hand scoops - wins both halves!