Caribbean Stud Poker Basics, How To Play, Strategy, Plus History of the Game

Caribbean Stud Poker

Stud poker is any of a number of poker variants in which each player receives a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple betting rounds. Caribbean stud poker is a casino table game with rules similar to five card stud poker. However, unlike standard poker games, Caribbean stud is played against the house rather than against other players. There is no bluffing or other deceptive techniques. The game rules and best strategies are easy to remember. Each seat at the table has a player's layout and chip slot. A small LED lights up, when a chip that has been placed in the slot is allowed to fall through for collection by the dealer. This light should be watched as this indicates the jackpot bet.

How to Play?
You place a bet in the "Ante" box in your table layout before any cards are dealt. The amount can be anything within the table limit. Optional progressive jackpot can also be played with each hand. For playing the jackpot one can place $1 chip, once all the players who want to take part in the jackpot put their chips, the dealer will press a button allowing all the chips to drop through the slots for collection. These chips drop and activate a LED which stays on until the hand is over to show the winner.

The dealer places five cards to all the players without showing the cards, and the dealer takes five cards showing one of them and by seeing that one card the players will decide whether to play or fold. If a player folds then he/she will lose the bet and if the player chooses to play then they have to wager exactly double the bet in the box (or ante). This is called "Call" bet.

Now, after all the players have decided what to do, the dealer will reveal his other four cards and he can compete with all the playing members provided he has at minimum an Ace with a King (and, of course, higher than that). Or else he will pay an even amount to the players; in this case the call bet is a "Push". If a player has a higher card hand than the dealer then they win and get their Ante & Call bet.

Progressive jackpot
To play the progressive jackpot, a player must make a side bet of $1 at the starting of the game. By paying the extra amount the player is agreeing that they will get a hand of cards that matches a flush or better. What so ever the outcome of the table game is, if the players cards matches to a flush or better, then the player will win the amount announced in the payout table. Players usually win 100% of the pot for a 'Royal Flush', 10% for 'Straight Flush' and a designated amount for 'Four of a Kind', 'Full House' or a 'Flush'. This may vary from one casino to another.

How Progressive Jackpot Works
For every $1 bet, 71 cents goes into the jackpot and the casino keeps the other 29 cents. The contribution may vary. All payoffs are paid right out of the meter. Every time somebody hits a 'Royal Flush' the house contributes ten thousand dollars to the next jackpot. The house edge is just under the cut per bet because the casino puts up the initial $10,000 to start a new jackpot after someone wins the previous one.

Caribbean Stud Strategy
Raise with a pair or higher, fold with less than Ace/King, and raise on Ace/King if any of the following three rules apply.

Raise if the dealer's card is a 2 through Queen and matches one of yours.
Raise if the dealer's card is an Ace or King and you have a Queen or Jack in your hand.
Raise if the dealer's rank does not match any of yours and you have a Queen in your hand and the dealer's card is less than your fourth highest card.