Poker Rules

How to Play Chicago Poker: Chicago High and Low Rules

How to Play Chicago Poker: Chicago High and Low Rules
Image
Alex Sakuta Content Editor
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: August 29, 2025 · 5 minutes to read

In this article, we’ll dive into Chicago Poker, a variation of seven-card stud with an exciting twist, perfect for anyone who loves to gamble on dramatic momentum swings. Based on our own experience, success in this game comes down to tracking live spades, balancing hand strength with spade equity, and knowing when to be aggressive. Let’s explore what Chicago Poker is, and learn how to play this unique poker format using a standard deck of cards.

What is Chicago Poker?

Chicago poker has two main objectives. Players aim to create the best traditional five-card poker hand while also trying to hold the qualifying spade in the hole — either the highest spade for High Chicago or the lowest for Low Chicago. If you accomplish both, you win the pot outright. If no down-card spade is dealt, the entire pot automatically goes to the player with the best hand. People who love to play Chicago poker often say the hidden-spade race keeps every hand exciting.

How to Play Chicago Poker

This poker game is almost always dealt with fixed-limit betting like traditional poker seven-card stud, pot-limit or no-limit games are rare home variants. After antes, a dealer runs the action over five familiar streets: Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh.

Antes

All players post an ante to seed the pot before any cards are dealt. The value is usually about ten percent of the lower betting unit, but may vary in home games.

Third Street

Every player receives three cards: two face-down (hole cards) and one face-up. The lowest exposed card by rank and suit (♣ < ♦ < ♥ < ♠) posts the bring-in and acts first.

Fourth Street

A second up-card is dealt. From this street onward, the highest exposed hand acts first. Bets are placed at the lower limit. Players who understand how to play Chicago poker know that spotting a live spade in the hole can justify calls with weaker boards.

Fifth Street

A third up-card is dealt. Betting now switches to the higher limit. By Fifth Street, many players can see whether their spade is still live — as no higher or lower spade, depending on the variant, can appear on board anymore — and adjust aggression accordingly.

Sixth Street

A fourth up-card is dealt, followed by another betting round at the high limit. Because just one card remains to come, hands that lack either a strong high potential or the lead spade often surrender here.

Seventh Street

The seventh and final card is dealt face-down to the remaining players. A last round of betting ensues. By Seventh Street, each player holds three down cards (the two originals plus the river) and four up cards.

Showdown

If two or more survive the showdown, everyone must show their cards. First, the standard five-card hand rankings decide half the pot. Then, players expose their down-cards to verify who owns the winning spade. If the player with the highest spade also owns the best hand, they scoop it all.

Hand Scores in Chicago Poker

Though the pot is split, the hand side still follows the classic poker hierarchy. Before diving into the list, remember that any five cards out of the seven may be used and that suits are equal except for the special spade bonus.

  • Royal Flush – Ten through Ace of the same suit.
  • Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
  • Four of a Kind – Four cards of identical rank plus any fifth card.
  • Full House – Three of a kind plus a separate pair.
  • Flush – Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
  • Straight – Five consecutive ranks of mixed suits.
  • Three of a Kind – Three identical ranks and two unrelated cards.
  • Two Pair – Two distinct pairs plus a kicker.
  • One Pair – Two matching ranks and three kickers.
  • High Card – When no combination is formed, the highest individual card decides.
Remember:

Сards are ranked the usual way, except for that special spade bonus.

Varieties of Chicago Poker

Chicago’s central idea — splitting the pot with a secret suit qualifier — has inspired several off-shoots. Here are the most common variations of Chicago poker:

  • High Chicago (North Side) – Best hand splits with the highest spade down-card, A is tops.
  • Low Chicago (South Side) – Best hand splits with the lowest hidden spade, by default the A counts as both highest and lowest, so it wins the spade half if it remains down. Some home games designate the 2 as the nut low — confirm before starting.
  • Chicago Hi-Lo – A home-game blend in which the pot is quartered: best high hand, best qualifying low hand (Ace-to-Five lowball), highest spade, and lowest spade each take 25 percent.

Some newcomers confuse Chicago poker with a bar-room pastime called Indian poker, where each participant sticks a card on their forehead — sometimes people even press multiple cards to their forehead into a playful headdress. With that, every other player can see the value while the holder avoids looking at their own card, keeping it against their forehead without looking. In this quick game, the highest card wins outright, and no split-pot calculations are involved.

Winning Strategies in Chicago Poker

Because half the pot is decided by a hidden suit card, Chicago rewards information management and selective aggression more than ordinary stud.

Track the Suit

Keep track of every spade on the board. If you’re holding K and spot A on another player’s board, your spade is no longer the best. Adjust your strategy or consider a bluff to aim for just half the hand.

Value of Hidden Aces

The highest value Ace of spades (or its low counterpart, depending on the variant) is a monster because it can capture both halves of the pot. Slow-play it early to disguise your equity, but bet for value on later streets.

Dual-Equity Hands

Drawing to a strong five-card hand and holding a live spade gives you two ways to win and justifies calling with slimmer pot odds. Conversely, marginal boards without spade equity should be folded sooner than in regular stud.

Online Poker Gaming

Many players now play poker on the internet. From our in-depth experience, honing these reads in online poker rooms is a low-risk way to practice. Thanks to modern platforms, you can play Chicago poker or practice seven-card stud poker online against real opponents. Digital tables let you refine reads and bankroll management without looking your rivals in the eye — perfect for learning how to play Chicago poker before taking it to a live room.

FAQs About Chicago Poker

Why is this poker called Chicago poker?

The exact origin is murky, but many believe the variant began in Mid-western home games and borrowed Chicago’s name for its “tough streets” mystique. No documented link exists; the title simply stuck and spread worldwide.

How do you determine the winner in Chicago poker?

After the final betting round, award half the pot to the best five-card poker hand and the other half to the highest (High Chicago) or lowest (Low Chicago) spade that remained face-down throughout the hand. One player may win both.

Can I play Chicago poker with two people?

Yes, Chicago scales to heads-up play the same way seven-card stud does. The ante and betting structure should be increased slightly to keep pots meaningful with only two contributions.

Can I say “Chicago” twice?

Some home games allow a “double call” side bet: after antes but before Third Street, a player may announce “Chicago, Chicago”. If that player later wins both the hand and the spade, an agreed-upon bonus (often another full pot) is paid by the other players. This rule is entirely optional — agree to it before the first deal. There is no such option in formal card-room rules.

What is the highest card in Chicago poker?

In a hand of cards, Ace-high represents the highest card. In High Chicago, the A is the nut spade. In Low Chicago, the default is that A is also the nut low, although some home games nominate the 2 instead — agree on this before the first deal.

How are points counted in card games in Chicago?

In regular seven-card High or Low Chicago, you don’t keep points at all — chips move every hand, with half the pot for the best five-card hand and half for the winning spade. Points tally only shows up in the Scandinavian five-card version, where players record results instead of betting.

Recommended