 
What's
the deal and appeal with Caribbean
Stud?
In
the past, individuals have written
you asking specific questions about
Caribbean Stud Poker. Could you
please give a brief explanation
of how the game is played, its downside
and is it really as popular as everyone
says? Donald B.
The
basic objective of this five-card
stud poker game is to beat the dealer's
hand. To play, you must first place
an ante bet in the circle. Let's
use a $5 ante wager as our example.
You then receive five cards dealt
face down, and the dealer gets four
cards face down and one card exposed.
If you feel your 5 cards can beat
the dealer's hand, you then place
an additional bet equaling twice
your ante ($10). Otherwise, you
fold and lose your original $5.
All that remains is beating the
dealer's hand and you win! Well,
not so fast my friend.
If
the dealer doesn't have at least
a king plus an ace to open, all
you win is even money on your $5
ante wager. True, there is a bonus
payout schedule for hands ranging
from one pair to a royal flush when
the dealer's hand is in play, but
when I've got 15 buckaroos on the
table at risk, I want a $15 payoff
if the dealer is forced to fold.
There, Donald, is your downside.
As
for its popularity, Donald, no argument
from me that Caribbean Stud is one
of the fastest growing table games
today. Many players believe the
attractive payback percentage and
the added thrill of a progressive
jackpot is just too hard to resist.
But smart gamblers-those who stick
with wagers that have less than
a 2% house advantage-realize the
house wins two ways: off the basic
game percentage (5.3%) and as a
percentage return (48%) of the popular
progressive bet.
My
mother and I just discovered the
joys of playing bingo at an Indian
reservation. Our problem is that
if we play more than two cards at
one time, we're overwhelmed. Any
suggestions? Marion E.
Save
the mind labor, Marion, and join
the cybernetic age. Most Indian
reservation bingo parlors rent out
computers (for a nominal price)
that automatically track up to 12
bingo cards at one time. When a
number is called, you one-touch
a video bingo screen, and a computer
searches for the number on all your
cards, then imprints the correct
spot for the game theme or pattern
you are playing.
For the laggards like yours truly,
it's heaven sent.
Dear
Mark,
I can't wait for gambling to come
to Detroit. Do you think with just
three casinos, there will be enough
competition to benefit the player?
Benny D.
A
resounding NO, and here's why. The
precipitous price for those three
casino licensees will have to be
absorbed by the unwilling and unknowing
player. For starters, a state gaming
tax of 18 percent of the casino
profits was set by Michigan's Proposition
E referendum. Next, add an additional
$25 million a year to the Michigan
Gaming Control Board, plus $5 million
for compulsive gambling. State legislators
also enacted laws that require each
licensee to pay more than $8 million
in annual fees. As the Consumer
Price Index increases, so do the
service fees. The casinos must also
pay an additional annual municipal
fee of 1.25 percent of the adjusted
gross receipts, or $4 million, whichever
is greater.
Now if you think the Lords of Chance
will be footing the bill for the
price of a casino license-the highest
amount extracted yet from any casino
operator-lose the tears. They'll
sulk like a 10-year-old when they
have to fork over so much money,
but whose pocket will they really
take it out of? YOURS. How? By oppressive
rules in blackjack, sky-high limits
at table games, tight video poker
machines and even tighter cybernetic
one-armed bandits.
Welcome, Detroit, my hometown, to
what I believe will be some of the
highest table limits and toughest
odds nationwide. For the customers'
sake, I hope I'm wrong and will
have to digest these words.
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