Poker has become world famous as of late, with televised competitions and celebrity poker game events. Its universal appeal, though, stretches back in reality a bit farther than its television ratings. Over the years many variants on the earliest poker game have been created, including a handful of games that are not quite poker anymore. Caribbean stud poker is 1 of these games. Regardless of the name, Caribbean stud poker is more closely resembling blackjack than old guard poker, in that the players wager against the bank rather than each other. The winning hands, are the long-standing poker hands. There is no bluffing or different kinds of deception. In Caribbean stud poker, you are expected to ante up just before the croupier declares "No further wagers." At that point, both you and the casino and of course all of the other gamblers attain five cards. After you have looked at your hand and the dealer’s initial card, you have to either make a call bet or give up. The call bet’s value is equal to your original wager, meaning that the stakes will have increased two fold. Bowing out means that your bet goes instantly to the house. After the bet comes the showdown. If the bank does not have ace/king or greater, your wager is given back, with a figure in accordance with the ante. If the house does have ace/king or better, you win if your hand defeats the dealer’s hand. The bank pays out chips equal to your ante and set expectations on your call bet. These expectations are:
- Even for a pair or high card
- two to one for two pairs
- 3-1 for 3 of a kind
- 4-1 for a straight
- five to one for a flush
- seven to one for a full house
- twenty to one for a 4 of a kind
- fifty to one for a straight flush
- 100-1 for a royal flush