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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.
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