7 Card Stud
To be dealt cards, everyone has to pay and ante. This is typically a very small amount to get some money in the game before the hands are dealt.
After all players have anted, each player is dealt two cards face down and one face up. The player with the lowest up card makes a forced bet of either half minimum bet or full bet (player's choice) to start the game. The rest of the players, in clockwise order, either call the opening bet, raise it, or not call and "fold" their hands back to the dealer.
All get a fourth card face up followed by a round of betting. From this round on, the player with the highest up card(s) is always first to check or bet.
After the fifth card is dealt face up, the minimum bet goes up in value.
The sixth card is dealt face up and there is another round of betting.
The seventh and last card is dealt face down and followed by the final round of betting. The dealer then determines the highest hand and awards the pot.
Seven Card Stud is a High card game. More winning hands are decided by the highest pair of two pair or just the highest pair, than by straights, flushes and other big hands. So if you start with a straight or flush draw, it should have at least two high cards or at least one card that is higher than anything up on the board. These draw hands and low pair starting hands need to improve or turn a high pair quickly to justify continued play.
Any time your high hand is beaten on the board, fold, unless you think you still have the best draw hand. Fast play early high hands (that could win without improvement) to thin out the competition. Slow play draw hands to keep other players in to increase the pot odds in case you hit.
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