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Live Caribbean Stud Poker

Game Rules

Caribbean Stud Poker is a variant of the popular Texas Hold'em poker. Caribbean Stud Poker differs from Texas Hold'em in that it is played against the house rather than against other players.

The aim of Caribbean Stud Poker is to beat the dealer's hand by getting the best possible five-card hand.

An unlimited number of players can play simultaneously at one Caribbean Stud Poker table. Each player can take only one seat at the table.

Caribbean Stud Poker is played with one standard 52-card deck (Jokers are excluded). Only one game is played with one deck of cards, and cards are shuffled after each game round.

To start the game round, place your initial bet in the Ante spot. The dealer will deal five cards to you and five cards to himself/herself. All cards except for one of the dealer's cards will be dealt face down.

You must decide whether to CALL or FOLD. Choose CALL to continue the round by placing a Call bet equal to double your Ante. Choose FOLD to end the round, thereby forfeiting your Ante.

After you have made your decision, the dealer will reveal his/her four remaining cards.

To decide the winner, the highest-ranking hand that can be formed from your five cards is determined and compared with the dealer's hand.

Side Bets

5+1 BONUS
The 5+1 BONUS bet is an optional side bet. You win on your 5+1 BONUS bet when your five cards plus the dealer's first face-up card can create a five-card poker hand of Three of a Kind or better.

At the start of a new game round, you will be given the option to place a 5+1 BONUS bet after you have placed an Ante bet that is equal to or greater than the minimum amount. After your Ante has been accepted, the 5+1 BONUS betting spot will be enabled and blink.

All bets must be placed before betting time expires. Once betting time has expired, the dealer will deal 5 face-up cards to the player and the first face-up card to the dealer.

You must then make a decision to CALL or FOLD, but this decision will not affect the outcome of your 5+1 BONUS bet.

At the end of the round, the dealer will turn all his/her cards face up and announce the result.

Winning Hands

The individual cards are ranked in descending order: Ace (high or low), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

An Ace can be the highest value card in a Straight of A, K, Q, J, 10 or the lowest value card in a Straight of 5, 4, 3, 2, A.

Possible hands from the highest payouts to the lowest.

  1. Royal Flush is a straight flush involving the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 all in the same suit.
  2. Straight Flush is a hand that contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit, for example: Nine, Eight, Seven, Six and Five, all Hearts.
  3. Four of a Kind is a hand that contains all four cards of one rank and any other card. For example, four Aces in your hand would be Four of a Kind. Quads with higher ranking cards defeat lower ranking ones.
  4. Full House is a hand that contains three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, e.g. three Kings and two Sixes. Between two full houses, the one with the higher ranking three cards wins.
  5. Flush is a hand where all five cards are of the same suit, but not in a sequence, e.g. five cards that are all Clubs. Two flushes are compared as if they were high card hands; the highest ranking card of each is compared to determine the winner. If both hands have the same highest card, then the second-highest ranking card is compared, and so on until a difference is found.
  6. Straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank in at least two different suits, e.g. Nine, Eight, Seven, Six and Five in two or more suits. Two straights are ranked by comparing the highest card of each. Two straights with the same high card are of equal value, as suits are not used to separate them.
  7. Three of a Kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank, plus two cards which are not of this rank or the same as each other. For example, a player having three Kings in their hand would have Three of a Kind. Higher-valued Three of a Kind defeat lower-valued Three of a Kind. If two hands contain Three of a Kind of the same value, the Kickers are compared to break the tie.
  8. Two Pairs is hand that contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank (that match each other but not the first pair), plus any card not of either rank. An example of this would be having two Aces and two Kings. To rank two hands both containing Two Pairs, the higher ranking pair of each is first compared, and the higher pair wins. If both hands have the same top pair, then the second pair of each is compared. If both hands have the same two pairs, the Kicker determines the winner.
  9. Pair is a hand that contains two cards of one rank (e.g. two Kings), plus three cards which are not of this rank or the same as each other. Pair is the lowest hand you can be paid out for. Higher ranking pairs defeat lower ranking pairs. If two hands have the same pair, the Kickers are compared in descending order to determine the winner.
  10. High Card is a poker hand made of any five cards not meeting any of the above requirements. Essentially, no hand is made, and the only thing of any meaning in the player's hand is their highest card.

Game Outcomes

The dealer must have at least an Ace plus a King or better card to qualify.

In other words, the lowest qualifying hand would be Ace, King, 4, 3, 2; and the highest non-qualifying hand would be Ace, Queen, Jack, 10, 9. If the dealer does not qualify, you win even money on your Ante and the Call bet is returned to you (push).

If the dealer qualifies and beats your hand, you lose both your Ante and Call bet.

If the dealer qualifies and your hand beats the dealer's, you win even money on your Ante, and the Call bet pays according to the posted pay table.

If you and the dealer tie, both your Ante and Call bet are returned to you (push).

Payouts

RETURN TO PLAYER

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage is 96.30%.

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage on total wager is 98.19%.

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage for 5+1 BONUS bet is 91.44%.


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