To Begin With
Casino Stud Poker (CSP) is not real poker at all. It is an almost carbon copy of the American casino game, Carribean Stud Poker. In both games the object for the player is to have a better hand than the dealer at the showdown. Hands are rated in the strict poker sense.

The Play
You sit down at a CSP table and place your cash money on the table in a way that lets the dealer know you want to play. The dealer will exchange your money for cash chips with which you can start betting. There are table limits that mean there is a minimum bet and a maximum bet for your ante.

Before the deal begins, players must make an initial ante bet inorder to be dealt cards. This is placed on a small circle in front of the player and marked for that purpose. When the antes are placed the dealer deals one card to each player's box and then to themselves, and does this five times. All cards are face down except the fifth card to the dealer. This is left face up for all to see. When the deal is finished, players pick up their cards and decide whether they want to play their hand or pass it.

Key Rules
There are two things to know about this game that come into force right at this point in the play.

1) In order to 'play' their hand, the player must make another bet of exactly twice their ante bet. This is called a raise. Choosing not to raise is choosing to pass, and results in the loss of the ante.

2) The dealer will only compete with the player's hand if their hand has a value of at least, Ace-King-x-x-x ( x is any card ). This is called qualifying.

The rules of the game mean that the betting levels are fixed and that players who raise with a hand, will only be paid out (at even-money) on their ante bet if the dealer does not qualify. So if you have a strong hand, like 10-10-10-x-x, you will not only be restricted to raising twice your ante but if the dealer does not qualify, you will only be paid out on your ante bet. The raise is returned.

When all players have made their decision, the dealer exposes all their own cards to see what the value of their hand is. If they don't qualify then all ante bets are paid. If they do, then the dealer compares their hand with each individual player hand. Winning player hands are paid out on both ante and raise bets, losing player hands forfeit all bets.

Bonus Payouts
Winning player hands are paid according to the bonus payout scheme in the table.

What this means is that if you beat the dealer's hand with your own hand of Two Pair, then your raise bet will be paid at odds of 2-1 whilst your ante bet gets paid at evens. Thus you will win a total of five units. [Raise bet = 2 units, paid at 2-1 returns 4 units. Ante bet = 1 unit, paid at Evens returns 1 unit. So 4+1=5]

Playing Conditions
It is a general rule that players should not disclose their hands to each other during the play. So don't show your cards to other people expecting them to do the same in return. Whilst this will annoy the house if you do it, there is no practical benefit from it. In fact The Good Gambling Guide recommends you do not do it because seeing other peoples cards may induce you to play a hand that you would otherwise pass!