Official Poker Rules BoardDocument OPR-207 · Updated 28 September 2026

Game rules · Stud

Five Card Stud High-Low With a Buy Rules

Five Card Stud High-Low with a Buy is played exactly like Five Card Stud High-Low, except that once every player has five cards, each may pay a set price to replace one of them. A replacement for an upcard is dealt face up and a replacement for the hole card face down. The final betting round, the high-low declaration and the showdown then follow.

Also known as 5 Card Stud High-Low With a Buy, Five Card Stud Hi-Lo with a Buy

Players: 2 to 10
Cards per player: 5 (1 down, 4 up)
Buys: 1 card, usually one round
Pot: High-low split
Showdown: Usually by declaration

Article 1Players, deck and objective

1.1

The object of the game is to win half the pot with the highest or lowest hand, or the whole pot if the other players fold.

1.2

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck with no wild cards. High hands rank according to the standard poker hand rankings; the method of ranking low hands shall be announced before the deal.

1.3

Except for the buy described in article 3, all rules are those of Five Card Stud High-Low, which in turn follows Five Card Stud.

1.4

This is a home game. It is normally played with the players declaring high or low before the showdown.

Article 2Antes and the deal

2.1

Every player antes. Each player is dealt one card face down and one face up, and there is a betting round.

2.2

Three more cards are dealt face up, one at a time. There is a betting round after the second and third upcards.

Stage	What happens
Deal	One card down and one up to each player; betting round
Second upcard	One card up; betting round
Third upcard	One card up; betting round
Fourth upcard	One card up, completing five cards
Buy	Each player in turn may pay to replace one card
Final betting round	After everyone has had the chance to buy
Declaration and showdown	High or low declared; pot split

2.3

The published description places the buy immediately after the fifth card is dealt and the final betting round after the buy. Groups that also bet before the buy shall announce this before the deal.

Article 3The buy

3.1

After the fifth card has been dealt, each active player in turn, clockwise, may buy one card. Buying is optional. The dealer shall announce before the deal which player is first to decide.

3.2

A player who buys discards one card and pays the agreed price into the pot. A common price is one big bet.

3.3

The dealer deals the replacement face up if the discarded card was an upcard, and face down if the discarded card was the hole card. Each player therefore always has one hole card and four upcards.

3.4

A player may buy only one card in each round of buying.

Example

Buying a card for low

Player A has 9♦ in the hole and 4♠5♣6♥K♥ showing.

A pays one big bet, discards the K♥ face up, and receives the 3♦ face up. A's hand is now 9-6-5-4-3, a nine-low.

Article 4Final betting round, declaration and showdown

4.1

When every player has had the chance to buy, there is a final betting round.

4.2

Each remaining player then declares high or low, either in turn or simultaneously, as announced before the deal. Declaring both ways is usually not allowed.

4.3

The best hand among those who declared high shares the pot equally with the best hand among those who declared low. If the pot does not divide exactly, the odd chip goes to the high hand.

4.4

If the group plays cards speak instead of declaration, the highest and lowest hands at showdown split the pot.

Example

A buy that wins the high half

Player B has J♣ in the hole and J♠8♦8♥2♣ showing: two pairs, jacks and eights.

B discards the 2♣ and buys the 8♠, dealt face up. B now holds a full house, eights full of jacks.

B declares high. The only other player declaring high shows a pair of aces, so B wins the high half.

Article 5Variations

Two buys. The game may be played with two rounds of buying, the second costing more than the first.
Price. The cost of a buy is for the group to agree; one big bet is common.

For another stud game in which players pay for cards, see Buy Your Card.

Article 6Strategy notes

A buy is only worth its price if the replacement is likely to change which half you can win, or to win the half you have declared for.
Because a bought upcard is dealt face up, opponents see exactly how your hand has changed; a bought hole card stays hidden.
Players who decline to buy usually hold a hand they are content with.

Article 7Frequently asked questions

What does it mean to buy a card in poker?

It means paying a set amount into the pot to discard one card and receive a replacement. In this game the buy happens once every player has five cards.

Is a bought card dealt face up or face down?

It matches the card it replaces: face up for an upcard, face down for the hole card.

How much does a buy cost?

Whatever the group agrees before the deal. One big bet is a common price. With two rounds of buying, the second costs more.

Do you have to buy a card?

No. Buying is optional, and a player may keep all five cards.

Final authority

Where any doubt remains in the application of this document, Rob is right.

Hand rankings, high to low: royal flush · straight flush · four of a kind · full house · flush · straight · three of a kind · two pair · one pair · high card. Suits never break ties.

Five Card Stud High-Low With a Buy Rules · OPR-207 · officialpokerrules.com/five-card-stud-high-low-with-a-buy/

OPR-207Uncontrolled when printed