The Colorful and Contentious History of Caribbean Stud Poker
While the game of poker has been around for centuries, the history of Caribbean Stud Poker dates back only a few decades. But what Caribbean Stud Poker history lacks in length, it makes up for with colorful stories and interesting characters. With many land casinos now offering the game, and many online casinos offering big progressives and casino bonuses to go with it, Caribbean Poker history remains an interesting subject with an ongoing evolution.
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Caribbean Poker History: Sklansky’s “Casino Poker”
The history of Caribbean Stud Poker is debatable. Some argue it can be traced back to a beautiful tropical island (as its name would suggest); others argue it was borne from the desert sands of Nevada.
Card game expert David Sklansky falls into the latter camp. He claims to have kicked off Caribbean Poker history by inventing the game’s rules. Sklansky, who is the author of some of the greatest books ever written on the subject of game strategy, called his new game “Casino Poker.” He purports that he did not mass-produce the game because the “Casino Poker” name had already been trademarked.
Caribbean Poker History: Tropical Roots?
Another account of Caribbean Poker history tells of its more “tropical” origins. In this version of its history, the game makes its first appearance aboard a cruise ship bound for the island of Aruba. It is said that a passenger who owned a casino in Aruba saw how popular the game was so bought the concept for use in his establishment.
Caribbean Poker History: Confluence Theory
A third theory suggests that Caribbean Poker history developed from a kind of Aruba-Vegas confluence.
Many gambling fans, experts, patrons and players believe that real Caribbean Stud Poker history involves not one story but several, and includes the influences of players, casino owners, computer programmers and even lawyers and judges. They claim that the eventual establishment of the game’s progressive jackpot is what garnered its now mass appeal.
This theory states that in 1987 a bettor named James Suttle learned a game variation taught to him by a fellow player at the world famous Binion’s Horseshoe Casino. Binion’s Horseshoe was the former home of the World Series of Poker. Suttle bought the idea for the game variation from the man for only US $5,000.
Suttle then sold the concept to casino owner Danny Jones. Jones became one of the most influential figures in Caribbean Stud Poker history when he introduced the game to players at his King International Casino in Aruba. Many cruise ships stopped at the island port, where visitors enjoyed the beaches during the day and played in the casinos at night.
Caribbean Poker History: Enter the Progressive
The biggest innovation in Caribbean Poker history was the introduction of the progressive jackpot. Michael Titus, a computer programmer, met Danny Jones during a game at the Horseshoe. When Jones discussed his plans for the new game, Titus suggested he add a progressive jackpot that would pay out for big hands like Four of a kind, Straight Flush and Royal Flush.
The addition of the progressive jackpot feature was a huge forward leap in Caribbean Poker history. However, as the game grew in other gaming centers, Jones and Titus had yet to reach a deal to license it in Nevada. Jones’ son, Dane, worked a deal to launch the game in Nevada with a company titled DP Stud. It would be one of the worst deals in gambling history.
The DP Stud deal denied Jones and Titus US $1 million in licensing rights for the game in Nevada. The legal wrangling between DP Stud and the Jones/Titus group is largely responsible for the nebulous nature of Caribbean Poker history. Attorneys for DP Stud effectively clouded Jones’ and Titus’ presence in Caribbean Poker history, while illegally replicating versions of the game.
Caribbean Poker History: Online Casinos
With the growth in online casino sites, Caribbean Poker history witnessed another wave of popularity. New players began to discover the game and its renown as a fun, alternative version of traditional poker, has spread to previously untouched territory. Today, players in Latvia can have the same experience as players in Las Vegas. The only thing needed is a computer and an internet connection.