5 Card Stud follows the same pattern of the more popular 7 card stud, with the only difference being the number of cards dealt.  Players are dealt five cards in four rounds and must make their best possible 5 card poker hand from the cards they are dealt.

The game begins with a small ante from all players at the table and each player is dealt two cards face down and one card face-up.  The player with the highest face-up card begins the betting with forced bet (called the bring in) and play moves in a clockwise direction with players either calling the bring, completing the bet (raising to the lower limit) or folding.  There is a limit of three re-raises in all betting rounds.

Next each player still in the hand is dealt another face-up card, followed by another betting round that begins with the player whose face-up cards make the best hand.  Since there are less than 5 cards face-up,no straights flushes or full houses will count for this. 

Next a third face-up card is dealt followed by another betting round. 

Then a final face-up card is dealt followed by the final betting round and then a showdown.  At the showdown players must make their best 5-card poker hand out of the seven cards they were dealt.

5 card stud can be summarized as 1 down, 4 up.