Stopped in the San Roque Casino in Spain on Easter (technically it may have been Monday) as I was lured in by the signs outside that screamed Poker! When I got inside and asked where the poker room was they said they didn’t have one and showed me to a bastardized version of Caribbean Stud.
For those not familiar with the game (or at least this version of it) the dealer and the player each get five cards dealt to them. Before the deal the player puts up a bet. If you like your hand you put up double your original bet. If you don’t like your hand you fold and lose your original bet.
I don’t really know if they actually followed the AK rule or whether they dealer needed a pair to play. Either way, from what I could tell, if the dealer doesn’t have a pair you win but you only get paid on your original bet and not the double bet. If the dealer has a hand (or AK or better in traditional Caribbean Stud) then you turn over your hand and if you beat the dealer’s hand you’re paid on both your original bet plus the double bet. Of course, all of this is being explained to me in Spanish with some English thrown in here and there so I was more of less just going with the flow.
For those keeping an EV count at home this is one of those dreaded -EV games.
I sat down with 300 Euro and walked away about an hour later with over 1100 Euro.
So far, that puts me up about $1000 in -EV games since I’ve been here.