Caribbean Poker - The Basics

The Object of the Game

Caribbean poker holds similarities to both blackjack and video poker. The player plays against the dealer, independently of other players. Your goal as the player is to beat the dealer’s hand. The exciting aspect of the game is that you can win big when you least expect it. The international payoff standard for a royal flush is 100 to 1!

 

The Rules

Caribbean poker is played with a deck of 52 cards. In order to participate in the game, you must first place an ante bet. You are then dealt a hand of five cards, all of them dealt as dark cards. The dealer also receives five cards; four dark cards and one open card. In Caribbean poker, no new cards are dealt. The player and the dealer compare hands formed from their five original cards.

When you have looked at your cards and the dealer’s open card, you must decide whether to make a bet and challenge the dealer’s hand or to surrender. If you wish to challenge the dealer, you must place a bet by pressing the BET button. The bet is always equal to twice the ante. If you do not wish to challenge the dealer’s hand, you must opt to press SURRENDER and lose your ante.

When you receive a good hand, you naturally place a bet to challenge the dealer. When the bet has been placed, the dealer reveals his remaining four cards, and the hands are compared.

The Dealer Must Qualify
In Caribbean poker, the dealer’s hand must contain the equivalent of one ace and one king in order to qualify. If the dealer’s hand does not qualify, you receive 1 to 1 on your ante, and your bet is returned to you without winnings.

If the dealer’s hand does qualify with a value of at least one ace + one king, the best hand wins. Your winning hand receives 1 to 1 on the ante plus the winnings on your bet, which are calculated according to the winnings table.

Push
When the dealer and the player receive poker hands of equal value (i.e. a push game), both the ante and the bet are returned to the player.

 

Winnings Table

Hand	Pays	Card Specifications
Nothing	1 to 1	Five cards of different values.
One Pair	1 to 1	Two cards of the same value.
Two Pairs	2 to 1	Two sets of two cards of the same value.
Three of a Kind	3 to 1	Three cards of the same value.
Straight	4 to 1	Five cards in numerical sequence, but of different suits.
Flush	5 to 1	Five cards of the same suit, of any value.
Full House	7 to 1	One pair + three of a kind.
Four of a Kind	20 to 1	Four cards of the same value.
Straight Flush	50 to 1	Five cards in numeric sequence, and of the same suit.
Royal Flush	200 to 1	Ace, king, queen, jack, and 10; all of the same suit.