Web poker has become world celebrated as of late, with televised competitions and celebrity poker game events. The games popularity, though, stretches back quite a bit further than its TV scores. Over the years many variants on the earliest poker game have been developed, including a few games that are not quite poker anymore. Caribbean stud poker is one of these games. Despite the name, Caribbean stud poker is most closely affiliated with vingt-et-un than long-standing poker, in that the gamblers bet against the bank instead of the other players. The winning hands, are the long-standing poker hands. There is no concealment or other kinds of boondoggle. In Caribbean stud poker, you are required to ante up before the croupier announcing "No more wagers." At that instance, both you and the casino and of course all of the other gamblers are given 5 cards. After you have looked at your hand and the casino’s initial card, you have to either make a call bet or give up. The call bet’s value is equal to your original bet, meaning that the risks will have doubled. Giving Up means that your wager goes instantly to the dealer. After the bet is the showdown. If the dealer does not have ace/king or greater, your bet is returned, with an amount equal to the ante. If the dealer does have ace/king or greater, you win if your hand beats the dealer’s hand. The bank pony’s up cash equal to your initial bet and fixed expectations on your call bet. These odds are:
- Equal for a pair or high card
- two to one for 2 pairs
- three to one for 3 of a kind
- 4-1 for a straight
- 5-1 for a flush
- seven to one 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
