seven-card peek

[Nick_Foxx]

From How to Play Stud Poker by George Henry Fisher (early 1930’s):

"Seven Card Peek is an offshoot of Stud which enjoys popularity among a comparatively small group of players. Instead of the customary five cards, each player may receive as many as seven – any five of which he may consider as his ultimate hand. The first, second and last cards dealt are hole cards, the intermediate four being dealt face up. Betting intervals are introduced after the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh cards have been dealt – five intervals in all.

The chief feature of this game is that it is almost impossible to judge the value of an adversary’s complete hand. He may hold a full house without so much as a pair in sight; a flush with only two cards of a suit exposed; fours without a pair showing; and a royal flush without a single court card in evidence!
Seven Card Peek is enjoyed for its surprises, rather than for its contribution to 'scientific' poker. Nothing thrills a Peek player more than to be able to gleefully expose a straight flush to his overwhelmed opponents. Such hands are by no means rare, in Peek."