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The objective of Caribbean Stud Poker is to have a higher ranking hand than the dealer. The players place their initial bets, known as ante, in the specified area. Once all the ante bets are placed, the dealer deals five cards face down to each player. He also deals five cards to himself, but four are dealt face down and one is dealt face up. Hence the players have the advantage of knowing one of the dealer’s cards before they make their move. The players then see their hand and decide whether they want to play or fold. Folding entails forfeiting the ante.
In order to be in play the player must place an additional bet double the amount of his ante. This bet is known as the call. When the players have either folded or placed their call bets, the dealer opens his four face down cards. If the dealer does not have a king or higher the game ends. The players are paid out 1:1 on their ante bets and are returned their call bets. In a variation to the game some casinos play ace of higher for the game to proceed. If the dealer’s hand is king or higher he proceeds to open each player’s hand in turn. This is done only for the players who have placed call bets. If the player’s hand is lower ranked than the dealer’s hand, then the player loses both his ante and his call bets. However if his is higher ranked than the dealer’s hand, then he is paid out 1:1 on the ante bet and paid out on the call bet as per the following schedule. Royal flush is paid out at 100:1; straight flush is paid out at 50:1; four of a kind is paid out at 20:1; full house is paid out at 7:1; flush is paid out at 5:1; straight is paid out at 4:1; three of a kind is paid out at 3:1; two pairs is paid out at 2:1 and one pair or less is paid out at 1:1. It is important to remember that these payouts are made if and only if the players’ hands are higher ranked than the dealer’s hand. Caribbean stud poker also plays a progressive jackpot, which is independent of the game described above. In order to be eligible for playing the progressive jackpot the player has to deposit $1 in the designated area at the time of placing his ante bet and cannot fold after seeing his cards. The current amount of the jackpot is indicated on the progressive meter. In many casinos all tables playing Caribbean stud poker are linked to a common jackpot. If the players get the required hand they get paid for the progressive jackpot irrespective of whether they win or lose the normal game. Royal flush is paid out at 100% of the progressive meter, whereas straight flush is paid out at 10% of the progressive meter. Four of a kind, full house and flush are paid out at a flat amount of $500, $100 and $50 respectively. |
