Internet poker has become globally acclaimed as of late, with televised tournaments and celebrity poker game events. Its universal appeal, though, stretches back in reality a bit further than its TV ratings. Over the years several variations on the original poker game have been developed, including a few games that are not really poker anymore. Caribbean stud poker is one of these particular games. Despite the name, Caribbean stud poker is more closely affiliated with chemin de fer than long-standing poker, in that the players wager against the dealer rather than the other players. The winning hands, are the established poker hands. There is no bluffing or other kinds of bamboozlement. In Caribbean stud poker, you are expected to ante up prior to the croupier announcing "No more bets." At that point, both you and the dealer and of course all of the other players receive five cards. After you have looked at your hand and the dealer’s initial card, you need to either make a call wager or give up. The call bet’s amount is on same level to your original ante, meaning that the stakes will have increased two fold. Bowing out means that your ante goes immediately to the casino. After the bet comes the face off. If the dealer doesn’t have ace/king or better, your wager is given back, with an amount equal to the initial bet. If the dealer has a hand with ace/king or greater, you win if your hand defeats the dealer’s hand. The house pays out chips equal to your original bet and fixed odds on your call wager. These expectations are:
- Equal for a pair or high card
- two to one for two pairs
- three to one for 3 of a kind
- 4-1 for a straight
- 5-1 for a flush
- 7-1 for a full house
- 20-1 for a 4 of a kind
- fifty to one for a straight flush
- one hundred to one for a royal flush