Poker Blinds

A blind or blind bet is a forced bet placed into the pot by one or more players before the deal begins, in a way that simulates bets made during play. The most common use of blinds as a betting structure calls for two blinds: the player after the dealer blinds about half of what would be a normal bet, and the next player blinds what would be a whole bet. This two-blind structure, sometimes with antes, is the dominating structure of play for community card poker games such as Texas hold-em. Sometimes only one blind is used often informally as a "price of winning" the previous hand, and sometimes three are used this is sometimes seen in Omaha. In the case of three blinds usually one quarter, one quarter, and half a normal bet amount, the first blind goes "on the button", that is, is paid by the dealer.

    For example, in a $2–4 limit game, the first player to the dealer's left who, if not for the blinds, would be the first to act posts a small blind of $1, and the next player in turn posts a big blind of $2. After the cards are dealt, play begins with the next player in turn third from the dealer, who must either call $2, raise, or fold. When the betting returns to the player who blinded $1, he must equal the bet facing him toward which he may count his $1, raise, or fold. If there have been no raises when action first gets to the big blind that is, the bet amount facing him is just the amount of the big blind he posted, the big blind has the ability to raise or check. This right to raise called the option occurs only once: if his raise is now called by every player, the first betting round closes as usual.

Similarly to a missed ante, a missed blind due to the player's temporary absence i.e. for drinks or a restroom break can be denoted by use of a special button. Upon the player's return, they must pay the applicable blind to the pot for the next hand they will participate in. The need for this rule is eliminated in casinos that deal in absent players as described above. Also the rule is for temporary absences only; if a player leaves the table permanently, special rules govern the assigning of blinds and button see next subsection.

In some fixed-limit and spread-limit games, especially if three blinds are used, the big blind amount may be less than the normal betting minimum. Players acting after a sub-minimum blind have the right to call the blind as it is, even though it is less than the amount they would be required to bet, or they may raise the amount needed to bring the current bet up to the normal minimum, called completing the bet. For example, a limit game with a $5 minimum bet on the first round might have blinds of $1 and $2. Players acting after the blind may either call the $2, or raise to $5. After the bet is raised to $5, the next raise must be to $10 in accordance with the normal limits.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud poker is a casino table game with rules similar to five-card stud poker. However, unlike standard poker games, Caribbean stud is played against the house rather than against other players. There is no bluffing or other deception.

As a result of the popularity of poker, casinos created a house banked game known as Caribbean Stud Poker in order to lure poker fans to play more table games. The birth of the game is not well referenced, which is unusual for a relatively new game. Gambling genius David Sklansky has laid claim to formulating the game on a well-known poker forum, positing that he invented the game in 1982 using the name “Casino Poker”. When he developed the game the rules had some differences like, the dealer having two hole cards revealed instead of only one hole card revealed as in Caribbean Stud today. Likewise there was no progressive jackpot in the game he allegedly founded. Sklansky was unable to patent Casino Poker due to patent laws, according to the story. A few years afterwards he was approached by a poker player who brought the game to Aruba and had it patented. The poker player and a casino owner changed the rules slightly to form what we experience nowadays as

Another story details that many people claim they played the game under a different name on a cruise ship going to Aruba, before it was known as Caribbean Stud. The proprietor of the now 'Excelsior Casino' is believed to have bought the game after it was discovered on the cruise ship. The casino at the time was known as 'The King International'. This new game has developed a tremendous interest from tourists in its short history. Fanatics of the game flock to Aruba yearly to play some Caribbean Stud at its home.

The true story of how the game as it is played today came into being goes back to 1987 when a gambler named James Suttle learned the game from a down on his luck poker player while playing Texas Holdem at Binion's Horseshoe on Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. The Player offered to teach Suttle the game if he would lend him $5,000.00. James Suttle denies this. James who was a friend of casino owner and game developer Danny Jones, gave the man the loan because he knew that he could sell the game to Jones for a hefty profit. Jones owned the King International Casino in Aruba which latter became the Grand Holiday Casino. The casino was located in the Holiday Inn on Palm Beach in Aruba which was a favorite layover for many cruise lines. Danny began to market the game with minimal success to other casinos and cruise ships under the company D&D Gaming Patients. It wasn't until computer software engineer Michael Titus told Jones that his game needed a linked progressive Jackpot that the game took off. Titus was playing Poker with Jones at the Horseshoe when during a casual conversation about the game including discussion about the games strengths and weaknesses they determined that the game was too strong for the house and players needed an enticement to play in spite of the games favor for the house. It has been a long standing tradition in the gaming industry to add large or progressive jackpots to games that offer weaker returns to the player. The advantage of a progressive jackpot is that it almost always pays for itself through player contributions. In slot machine play this is easily accomplished as the gaming machine is such a key element to the game, on table games this had never been done in a real time environment. Poker games have had progressive Bad Beat jackpots for a long time, but these were calculated on a daily or weekly basis from a jackpot rake at a predetermined period of time. Jones and Titus roughed out the method by which the new game would be implemented and created the first live progressive linked jackpot on a table game which lead to the games rapid growth and popularity. Two days after the Horseshoe meeting Titus resigned from his job at the Las Vegas Hilton and went to work for newly formed Progressive Games, Inc.. Progressive Games started by sharing space with a Las Vegas Sign Company called City Lites which provided signage and jackpot meters for the game. Eventually the company split due to licensing issues in Nevada. Progressive Games moved to Florida and began Global Distribution of the game while Dane Jones, Danny's son, operated the Nevada company for about six months. Eventually, Dane made a deal for the Nevada distribution rights with a company called D.P. Stud. The million dollars that was to be paid to the Jones family for the rights to distribute the game was never paid in full and due to Jones licensing issues in Nevada he was never given just payment. The hardware that went into the Nevada version of the game was illegally knocked off by DP Stud for many years. This is part of the reason the history of the game became so clouded. Dane's fumbled deal ended the Jones family involvement with the game in Nevada. However, the Ft. Lauderdale based Progressive Games went on to distribute the game globally during the next two years. In a major consolidation move Mikhon Gaming bought out Progressive Games and the Nevada distribution company in 1995. The concept patent  for a progressive linked jackpot on a table game, that Titus brought to Caribbean Stud has stood many challenges. It is the Jackpot feature that has made the game a long time success among the new casino games.

The following rules are typical of U.S. casinos, but some of the details the payouts and limits vary from casino to casino.

To play, every player places his ante on a marked spot on the table playing surface the layout where indicated; all ante wagers must be placed prior to the dealer announcing No more bets. Each player also has the option to participate in the progressive jackpot feature of the game. This is also done before the dealer announces no more bets, by dropping a chip in the slot on the table which activates the progressive jackpot light for that seat and that particular hand of play. Each player and the dealer will then receive five cards, face down. The dealer will turn over one of his cards, then push the cards toward the players, after which the players may look at their cards. They may only look at their own cards, and may not discuss what they have with any other players at the table.

Players have the option to play or fold; if they choose to play, they place their bets twice the amount of their respective ante in the bet box. If they choose to fold, they forfeit their ante. After all the players have made their decisions, the dealer reveals his hole cards. The dealer only plays with an ace/king or higher; they then compare their cards to the other players' cards individually, right to left, and the players' hands that beat the dealer's qualifing hand wins.

There are some major rules in Caribbean Stud Poker that must be observed at all times while playing:

Only one hand per player. Players cannot hold or wager on multiple hands at the table.

Players choosing to play the Progressive Payout feature are responsible for ensuring their $1 wager has been inserted into slot and the Indicator Light is ON.

Players may not exchange or communicate information regarding their hands to other players or the dealer. Player violation will result in a dead hand and forfeiture of all wagers.

Incorrect amount of cards to the player constitutes a dead hand or push for that player only.

The decision of the table/casino supervisor is final.

If the dealer is dealt four cards of the five-card hand, the dealer shall deal an additional card to complete the hand. Any other misdeal to the dealer shall result in all hands being void and the cards shall be reshuffled.

Each player shall be required to keep the five cards in full view of the dealer at all times. Once each player has examined his or her cards and placed them face down on the layout, they may not touch the cards again.

If a hole card is exposed prior to the dealer announcing No More Bets, all hands shall be void.

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Dead Money

In poker, dead money is the amount of money in the pot other than the equal amounts bet by active remaining players in that pot. Examples of dead money include money contributed to the pot by players who have folded, a dead blind posted by a player returning to a game after missing blinds, or an odd chip left in the pot from a previous deal. For example, eight players each ante $1, one player opens for $2, and gets two callers, making the pot total $14. Three players are now in the pot having contributed $3 each, for $9 live money; the remaining $5 representing the antes of the players who folded is dead money. The amount of dead money in a pot affects the pot odds of plays or rules of thumb that are based on the number of players.

The term dead money is also used in a derogatory sense to refer to money put in the pot by players who are still legally eligible to win it, but who are unlikely to do so because they are unskilled, increasing the expected return of other players. This can also be applied to the player himself: Let's invite John every week; he's dead money. The term dead money also applies in tournaments, when many casual players enter events with virtually no chance of winning.