加勒比撲克
加勒比撲克(又稱聯獎撲克)是個賭場內的賭桌遊戲,規例類似梭哈。不過,有別於標準撲克遊戲,加勒比撲克是與莊家,而不是其他牌手鬥牌。(並像其他賭場遊戲一樣,長遠而言賭客無法勝出。)由於沒有「偷雞」或其他欺騙對手的成份,大多數撲克牌手都不視加勒比撲克為「撲克」。(例如當一個牌手說玩撲克,他指的可能是七張梭哈,而不會是加勒比撲克。)
以下為賭場的一般規例,但個別賭場的細節(如派彩和限注)可能不同。
遊戲開始時,每個閒家須把底注放在指定的位置。荷官宣布截止下注後,每個閒家並莊荷會獲發5張牌,牌面向下。荷官會打開莊家其中1張牌,然後賭客可以看牌,但只可在自己的牌,而且不可與其他參與該局的賭客討論牌局。
閒家可以選擇繼續或蓋牌;如選擇繼續,須在指定位置放下兩倍於原注的加注。如選擇蓋牌,則視作放棄原注。 所有閒家都已作出決定後,荷官會翻開莊家的底牌。莊家如果成局(牌型為A/K或以上),會與閒家(由右至左)逐一鬥牌,牌型較大者為勝。
在加勒比撲克賭桌上必須遵守以下規則:
- 每名賭客只可控制一手牌,不可在一局內持有或押注於多於一手牌。
- 投注「累進大獎」者須負責確定賭桌上的顯示燈已亮起。
- 賭客不可互相或與荷官交換或溝通有關牌局的資訊。賭客如有違規,該門作廢牌論,所有賭注會被沒收。
- 如發牌錯誤(牌數有錯或意外翻開),出錯該門作廢並退回賭注,而賭局繼續。
- 賭桌/賭場管理人員有權作最後決定,不得異議。
- 如閒家只獲發4張牌,荷官會向他另外發1張牌而繼續牌局。如莊家獲發的牌數錯誤,則全局作廢。
- 閒家看牌時不可把牌從桌面拿起,當他決定了加注或蓋牌後不可再觸摸牌隻。
- 如有兩隻或以上任何一家的底牌在截止下注前亮開,則全局作廢。
如閒家在鬥牌中勝出﹐原注會得到1賠1的獎金,而加注的獎金按牌型而異,賠率如下(總數不可超過該賭桌的獎金上限):
黃袍麒(同花大順 | 1 賠 100 |
同花順 | 1 賠 50 |
四條(四支) | 1 賠 20 |
夫盧(葫蘆) | 1 賠 7 |
同花 | 1 賠 5 |
順子(蛇) | 1 賠 4 |
三條(三支) | 1 賠 3 |
兩對 | 1 賠 2 |
一對或以下 | 1 賠 1 |
如莊家不成局(牌型小於A/K),所有加注會退回,而所有閒家的原注會得到1賠1的獎金。如閒家在鬥牌中落敗,原注和加注都會輸掉。
此外,加勒比撲克設有累進大獎。閒家可以把一枚1美元(澳門賭場則為港/葡幣20元)的籌碼放進指家的位置,只要閒家該局牌型為「同花」或以上,不論上注多少和莊家是否成局,都可中獎:
牌型 | 美國獎金 | 澳門獎金 |
黃袍麒 | 100% 累進大獎 | 100% 累進大獎 |
同花順 | 10% 累進大獎 | 10% 累進大獎 |
四條 | $500 | $5000 |
夫盧 | $100 | $1500 |
同花 | $50 | $1000 |
Winning progressive payout hands are paid in accordance with the amount on the meter when it is the player's turn to be paid. However, if more than one player at a table has a royal flush progressive payout hand, each player shares equally in the amount on the meter when the first player with a royal flush is to be paid.
Caribbean Stud Poker in the United Kingdom
Caribbean Stud Poker differs slightly in the United Kingdom, and most parts of Europe, from the US. The game is officially known as "Casino Five Card Stud Poker", and not all casinos have the jackpot prize. Those which do have the prize, usually the large chain groups, officially call the game "Casino Jackpot Five Card Stud Poker". In both instances, the game is commonly referred to as "Casino Stud Poker".
The basic rules are the same in the UK as the US, although the payouts differ - the maximum bet is generally £100 on the ante and £200 on the raise, and all payouts are paid on the raise, meaning the maximum payout can potentially be £10,000 (a Royal Flush pays at the same odds, 50:1, as a Straight Flush).
Casinos offering the jackpot generally have the card shuffled by a card shuffling machine - the cards are then removed and dealt out by the dealer, or croupier. Independent and small casinos generally have the croupier shuffle the cards by hand.
British casinos do not use the chip dropper system; instead, a £1 chip is placed on a small plastic circle on the table, which lights up. The croupier then presses a button on a panel in front of them, which keeps the lights lit up once the chips are removed. The dealer removes the chips, and can then tell which players are playing the jackpot game and which are not.
If the dealer does not show an Ace/King, hands playing the jackpot must be turned over, face up, and shown to the dealer and table. If the player is not playing the jackpot prize, the cards are not shown.
Player Strategy
Using optimal strategy the house edge is 5.224% of the player's ante bet. This strategy can be complicated and does not lend itself to practical use in a casino. Using a strategy of raising with Ace/King/Jack/8/3 or better the house edge is 5.316%, very close to the optimal strategy house edge.
Knowledge of what other players hold can decrease the house edge. It has been estimated with the knowledge of 6 other player's hands (30 cards) and associated optimal strategy the player can gain an edge of 2.3%. Given that sharing information is against the rules and that a computer would be needed to calculate the appropriate strategy it is unlikely this could ever be achieved in a real life casino.