Progressive Caribbean Stud Game

In this game dealers used to shuffle the cards themselves and then deal out each hand of five cards to the players in turn, left to right of the dealer's position. However, in almost all casinos now a shuffling machine is being employed. This Shufflemaster machine shuffles each deck automatically, and then deals out sets of five cards once all the players have made their required ante bets and optional jackpot bets.

The dealer simply picks up each set of five cards as they are dealt out by the shuffling machine and spreads them face down in front of each player who has made the required bets. The final set of five cards is kept by the dealer, who turns the topmost dealer's card face up, with the remaining four dealer's cards being below that card, face down. This doesn't mean much, but it does let you see one of the dealer's cards.

Once this is done, the dealer resets the machine; it will proceed to shuffle the second deck to get ready for the next round. Now all the players can look at their cards.

Remember that this game plays as a Five Card Draw Poker game, but without any draw! The five cards you get are all the cards you will get. Dealer's cards has nothing to do with your winning hand unlike in Hold-Em poker, or in Let It Ride, where the dealer's cards are common cards to all players. In Caribbean Stud, the five cards you hold are the only cards you will get for that hand, and you will win or lose entirely based upon the relative strength of these cards, versus whatever cards the dealer has.

To stay in the hand thereafter, you must make a bet in the bet box below the ante box, and this bet has to be twice the ante bet amount. If you think your hand can beat the dealer, you do this, then place your five cards face down to the left of this bet and wait to see what happens. If you do not do this, you simply throw your cards toward the dealer over and above your ante bet area. This surrenders your ante and progressive bets. Once all players at the table have decided whether to bet or not, the dealer will then turn over the dealer's cards.

To win your bet, two things must happen:

First, the dealer must qualify. "Qualifying" is a rule of the game for the dealer. The dealer's cards must be at least Ace-King or better! If the dealer does not have Ace-King or better, the dealer will simply pay ante bets at even money to all players who are still in the hand to this point, and take their cards without looking at them.

It is at this point where your optional $1 progressive bet comes to play in probably the most important fashion.

If your hand contains a flush or better, including the jackpot pays of Straight Flush and Royal Flush and the dealer did not qualify, and you already made the one dollar jackpot wager, you of course first have to declare to the dealer that you do indeed have a "bonus hand." If you do not tell the dealer that you do have such a hand, and the dealer does not qualify, the dealer will not look at your cards and you will lose the winnings to which you would have been entitled. This is very important to remember.

Second, if the dealer does qualify with Ace-King or better, the dealer will then turn over all players' cards right to left of the dealer's position, those players who are still in the hand to that point. If the player's hand beats the dealer's hand, the player is paid in accordance with the payoff hierarchy. This payoff hierarchy is as follows:

One pair = even money (1:1) Two pair = 2:1 Three-of-a-kind = 3:1 Straight = 4:1 Flush = 5:1 Full House = 7:1 Four-of-a-kind = 20:1 Straight Flush = 50:1 Royal Flush = 100:1