How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker
Game objective:
In Caribbean Poker, you play against the dealer. The goal is to beat the dealers hand.
You place the first bet, called the ante, and are then dealt a five-card hand. The dealer is also dealt five cards, four face-down and one face-up. You can choose to either fold or bet. If you fold, you will lose your ante and the hand will end. If you bet, then twice the amount of the ante is automatically wagered, and the dealer then reveals the remaining four cards. A dealer is required to have an Ace-King or better in order to continue play. If the dealers hand is not Ace-King or higher, you are paid even money on the ante and nothing on the bet.
If the dealers qualifying hand is better than yours, the house collects your ante and bet.
If the dealers qualifying hand is worse than your hand, you are paid even money on the ante, and an amount on the bet according to your hand, as shown in the payoff table below.
A draw, or push, is declared if the dealers qualifying hand ties with your hand. Both the ante and the bet are then returned to the player.
In addition to the minimum combination of Ace-King for the dealer to qualify, he may also have any of the combinations listed below:
- One pair
- Two pairs
- Three of a kind
- Straight
- Flush
- Full house
- Four of a kind
- Straight flush
- Royal flush (highest)
If both the hands have the same ranking, the winning hand is the one with the highest numbered cards. For example, a flush with an Ace high beats a flush with a King high. In case of the same highest numbered cards, then the highest card(s) not held in common will determine the winner. The suit order of the cards is not taken into account while deciding on the winning cards. Should the two hands be absolutely identical in ranking, then the hand is a push, and both the ante and the bet are returned to the player.
| Payoff Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| Poker hand | Win | Cards |
| Royal Flush | 100 to 1 | Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of the same suit. Example: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit. |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 | Five cards in numeric sequence, and of the same suit. Example: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 of the same suit. |
| Four of a Kind | 20 to 1 | Four cards of the same value. Example: 5, 5, 5, 5, 2. |
| Full House | 7 to 1 | One pair plus three of a kind. Example: K, K, K, 4, 4. |
| Flush | 5 to 1 | Five cards of the same suit, of any value. Example: K, J, 9, 6, 3 of the same suit. |
| Straight | 4 to 1 | Five cards in numerical sequence, but of different
suits. Example: 5, 4, 3, 2, A. |
| Three of a Kind | 3 to 1 | Three cards of the same value. Example: 9, 9, 9, A, 8. |
| Two Pairs | 2 to 1 | Two sets of two cards of the same value. Example: 4, 4, J, J, A. |
| One Pair | 1 to 1 | Two cards of the same value. Example: 8, 4, J, J, A. |
| High Card | 1 to 1 | The rank of hands containing less than one pair is determined
by the highest ranking card. Example: 2, K, 9, 6, 3. |
[source: Party Casino]