When most people hear the name Caribbean Poker, they immediately think of regular poker, where a group of players sit round a table and play against each other, either in person at land games or over the internet. However, Caribbean Poker, or Caribbean Stud Poker as it sometimes called, is a different game completely and is considered more of a casino game than a poker game because players play against the house as opposed to each other. That said, many of the rules that apply to regular poker - specifically five card stud - apply to Caribbean Poker.
List of 28 Online Casino Bonuses that allow Caribbean Poker
When it comes to playing this fine casino game, the Caribbean Poker rules are pretty straight forward. As in regular poker, each player must pay an 'ante' before each hand is dealt. Once antes have been paid, each player (including the dealer) is dealt five cards face down, which means you are the only person that can see your cards. The dealer kicks off the action by revealing one of his cards. Based on this card and the strength of your hand, you can either fold, which means you lose your ante, or you can continue playing. If you choose to play on, you have to bet twice the ante in the bet box.
Once every player has either folded or bet, the dealer reveals all of his cards. The dealer must hold and Ace-King or better to continue playing. If he doesn't, every player (who is still in the hand) has their bet and their ante refunded, and a new hand begins. However, if the dealer has an Ace-King or better, here's where Caribbean Poker really gets exciting.
If your hand beats the dealer's hand, you win according to the hand you have. For instance, every winning hand in Caribbean Poker is ranked, and the higher your hand is ranked, the more you'll win. If your hand is the same as the dealer's, it is considered a tie and you'll get your original bet and ante back.
Caribbean Poker Payouts
Below are the standard payouts in Caribbean Poker from highest to lowest. (Note that the progressive values apply to Progressive Caribbean Poker).
- Royal Flush 100:1 (or 100% of progressive jackpot)
- Straight Flush 50:1 (or 10% of progressive jackpot)
- Four of a Kind 20:1 (or 500 x side bet)
- Full House 7:1 (or 100 x side bet)
- Flush 5:1 (or 50 x side bet)
- Straight 4:1
- Three of a Kind 3:1
- Two Pair 2:1
- One Pair or Less 1:1
It is useful to bear in mind that the on average the house has a better than 5% edge or advantage against your ante. In terms of Caribbean Poker strategy, there are really only two golden rules that should stand you in good stead. One, always fold if you hold less than the dealer's Ace-King or higher, and two, always raise if you have a pair or higher.