LET
IT RIDE POKER
Let it Ride was developed by Shuffle Master Inc., the company
that makes the automatic shuffling machines that you see
at blackjack, Caribbean Stud, and Let it Ride tables. Like
Caribbean Stud Poker, Let it Ride is an easy games to play
and features a large jackpot. The difference is that players
do not compete against the dealer as they do in Caribbean
Stud Poker, and that you have the opportunity to take hack
up to two-thirds of your bet.
The rules are simple and easy to learn. Each player is dealt
three cards. There are also two "community" cards
which are common to all players. The five cards make up
each player's poker hand. The objective is to end up with
at least a pair of tens or higher. If you do you will win,
and the payoff depends upon the ranking of the hand. The
higher the rank the greater the payoff-up to one thousand
to one for the royal flush-as is illustrated by the following
chart
| Hand |
Payoff |
| |
|
| Pair of tens
or higher |
: 1 to 1 |
| Two pair |
: 2 to 1 |
| Three of a kind |
: 3 to 1 |
| Straight |
: 5 to 1 |
| Flush |
: 8 to 1 |
| Full house |
: 11 to 1 |
| Four of a kind |
: 50 to 1 |
| Straight flush |
: 200 to 1 |
| Royal flush |
: 1000 to 1 |
The games is played
on a blackjack-size table with room for up to seven players.
At the start of each games, each player must make three
bets in three different betting circles or spots located
in front of him on the layout. These circles are marked
"1," "2," and "$." The fact
that you must wager at least three times the table minimum
on each hand is in itself unique compared to other table
games. For example, if the table minimum is $5 you start
each hand with three $5 bets, or $15. You place one red
chip ($5) on the number one spot, another red chip on the
number two spot, and a third red chip on the dollar sign
spot. Even though you have wagered $15, you will see that
you have the opportunity to remove, or "take down,"
up to two of the three initial bets (up to $10).
An automatic shuffling machine is used to shuffle and deal
three cards at a time. After each player has made his initial
mandatory three bets, the dealer will give three cards facedown
to each player and to himself One of the dealer's cards
is "burned," or removed from play > leaving
him with two cards. These become the community cards used
by all players to complete their five-card poker hand (initial
three cards plus the two community cards). There are no
draw cards in Let it Ride.
Each player examines his initial three cards and based on
the strength of the hand or potential to end up with at
least a pair of tens or higher, he or she must decide to
let the bet in the number one spot ride, or to take it down.
If you want to let it ride, you tuck your cards under the
chips in the number one betting spot-like standing in blackjack
games where cards are dealt facedown. If instead you want
to take down the first bet because your initial three cards
aren't particularly good ones, you scratch the cards on
the table-like asking for a hit in blackjack. The dealer
would then push your chip(s) in the #1 betting spot toward
you, and they may be removed from the layout.
After players complete their decision on the first bet,
the dealer will expose one of the community cards. This
becomes the fourth card for each player. Each player then
must decide, based upon the strength of the four-card hand,
whether to let the #2 bet ride or to take it down, following
the same procedure explained for the #1 betting spot.
