Western Stud Poker

1. Western Stud may be played only on tables displaying the Western Stud table layout. A single deck of cards will be used. Players do not play against other players. Each player may play only one hand following each shuffle of the deck.
2. Each player must place an ante wager in the designated wagering area in front of the player’s position.
3. Any dealer tip delivered as a wager may be placed in front of the ante wager. If the player continues play with an additional wager, the player may also place an additional dealer tip, equal to the first dealer tip, in front of the additional wager.
4. Immediately prior to the commencement of play and after each round of play has been completed, the dealer shall shuffle the cards. Following shuffle and cut, the dealer deals four cards to each player, and four cards to each of two separate hands to the dealer. The cards are to be dealt face downward and one at a time in rotation among the players and the two dealer hands. The first player to receive a card is the player to the left of the dealer; the dealer receives cards last.
5. When all cards have been dealt, the players may examine their hands to determine if they want to beat the dealer’s high hand, the dealer’s low hand, both the dealer’s high and low hands, or decide not to play and forfeit their ante wagers. Straights and flushes do not impair the value of hands for low.
   1. A player must place the player’s cards face down in the “high,” “low,” or “both” decision box on the table layout in front of the player’s position, or if the player decides not to play, shall slide the cards under the player’s ante wager.
   2. A player who opts to play against one of the dealer’s hands must place an additional wager equal to the ante wager.
   3. A player who opts to play against both of the dealer’s hands must place two additional wagers, each of which must be equal to the full value of the player’s ante wager. When a player plays against both of the dealer’s hands, each of the two wagers are considered separate wagers against each of the dealer’s hands. In settling the hand, half the value of the ante wager will be considered as having been placed against each of the dealer’s two hands.
6. Each player may place an additional optional wager called the “River bet.” The River bet need not match the ante wager, and shall not exceed the amount of the ante wager. A player can win a River bet regardless of the outcome of the player’s high or low, or both high and low wagers; that is, the hand can be lost and the River bet won. Only one River bet payout may be made to a player in a single game, that for the highest paying hand held. Upon a player’s winning, the River bet will be paid based on the value of the player’s hand as it appears on the following payment schedule, which shall be displayed on table signage or as part of the table layout:
   
   

   Royal flush pays	25 to 1
   Straight flush pays	15 to 1
   Four of a kind pays	5 to 1
   Full house pays	5 to 1
   Flush pays	2 to 1
   Straight pays	2 to 1
   Any 8 or better low pays	1 to 1

   
   
   
7. When all players have acted, the dealer collects all hands that have been placed under the ante wagers, places the cards into the discard rack or muck, and collects the ante wagers from the folded hands. The dealer then completes the deal by dealing out a fifth and final card to each remaining player and to each of the dealer’s two hands in the same rotation as the deal. The players’ final cards are dealt above the decision boxes and are not commingled with the players’ original cards.
8. The dealer now exposes the two dealer hands, one at a time. The higher standard poker hand must play high for the dealer; the remaining hand must play low for the dealer. If the dealer’s higher hand does not have an ace and a king, or better, the high hand does not play and all wagers on high are a push, receiving no action. All wagers on low will always receive action against the dealer’s low hand.
9. Beginning with the first player to the left of the dealer, the dealer turns over each player’s first four cards, keeping the cards within the decision box. The dealer then turns over the player’s fifth card, leaving it where it was dealt, and verbally announces the value of the hand. The player’s River bet, if any, is settled first and then the ante and additional wagers on the hand are settled. Players’ winning ante and additional wagers on the high and low hands are paid at the rate of 1 to 1 (even money). If a player and the dealer have identical value hands, the hand is a push, receiving no action. The player’s cards are then removed and placed into the discard rack or muck. The dealer continues this process with each player’s hand, in rotation, until all wagers have been settled and all cards have been collected.