Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is a popular casino game due to its simplicity, clear rules and solid payouts. And then there's the exotic name, which evokes warmth and good emotions. However, we find that many people have only heard of the game, have never played it before and think it's as complicated as a simple card game. This is far from being the case - Caribbean Stud, although played with cards, is just one of the casino games where luck is more important than deep knowledge. However, you still need to read the rules at least once to play. Here are the essential rules and some strategic ideas that we hope will help you win even more.

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Caribbean Stud Rules

To play Caribbean Stud Poker you must make a blind bet - Ante. This will be linked to the main bet later on, so decide how much you want to spend on the game. Ante limits in most online casinos are between 1 and 100 US dollars, or the more common euros. It is also possible (not in all casinos) to place a side bet, which is usually equal to 1 monetary unit (dollar, euro or whatever currency prevails in the casino). More on side betting later.

When the ante is made, the cards are dealt to the players and the casino. Both player cards and casino cards are dealt face down, except for the last casino card, which is dealt face up. This makes it a little easier for more experienced players to assess the situation.

The following bets...

When the player sees his card and the last casino card, he has to decide whether to double the ante (if the ante was €100, an additional €200 is now required) or to fold and lose the blinds. The side bet, if any, is also lost.

When a player decides to play (or at least one player from the entire table), the dealer opens the remaining four cards. Please note that the casino can lose even with higher cards than the player! The casino is only in the game if it has an ace with a king or higher. The lowest possible hand for the casino to continue playing and comparing cards is Ace, King, 4, 3, 2. And the highest possible hand to stop playing is Ace, Queen, Jack, 10, 9.

In the event that the casino is knocked out of the game, the player recovers his bet and the ante is paid 1:1. For example, if you bet an ante of €100 and another €200 to continue the game, you will receive a total of €400 (€100 "plus").

In case the casino is involved in the game and wins, the player loses both the ante, the side bet and the side bets. In the event of a tie, both the ante and the bet are returned. In the event that the player wins, the ante is paid at 1:1 and the bet is paid according to the list below:

• Pair or worse pays 1:1;
• Two pairs pay 2:1;
• Three equal payments 3:1;
• The queue pays 4:1;
• Colour pays 5:1;
• Full houses pay 7:1;
• Four equal payments 20:1;
• The colour queue pays 50:1;
• Royal colour pays 100:1;

Attention! These are typical and probably the most common payouts, especially in US and European casinos. In online casinos, payouts can vary, and there are often bonuses for certain combinations (especially royal flushes), sometimes even for combinations that mean something to a particular casino.

Side bets or jackpot

In addition to the standard Caribbean Stud Poker bets, most casinos also offer side bets to help you win the jackpot. A side bet, usually equal to one dollar or euro, goes into a jackpot (a percentage of which is taken by the casino), which is won if you hit a flush or better.

The jackpot budget is usually publicly visible and winnings are paid out on a percentage basis. A royal flush usually offers 100% of the accumulated jackpot, a colour-eagle offers a chance of about 10%, smaller payouts offer even smaller percentages, which vary widely from casino to casino. It is true that sometimes a fixed amount is paid, for example €500, rather than a percentage of the jackpot.

When a jackpot is won, it starts accumulating not from scratch but from the amount set by the casino. In smaller casinos this amount is 1000, in larger casinos it is around 10,000 euros or dollars.

It goes without saying that casinos take a percentage of side bets to ensure their profit and to compensate for the initial amount. A typical casino percentage is between 25 and 35, so a bet of one euro puts around 65-75 cents into the jackpot.

Basic Caribbean Stud poker strategies

The easiest way to play and reduce the chances of losing at Caribbean Stud Poker is to follow two basic strategic guidelines:

• Always play with a pair and better
• Always fold when your hand is less than the casino's minimum cards - Ace and King.

If you want to get a little deeper into the game and play even more profitably, we recommend you try the following recommendations:

• Play if the casino's hole card is between 2 and King and you have at least one card of the same rank in your hand.
• Fold if the casino card is an Ace or King and you don't have at least a pair.

It is very difficult to guarantee a win in Caribbean Stud Poker, as it is more of a game of luck, like most casino games. However, if you play for a small amount of money and follow at least the basic strategies, it is a fun and attractive pastime that is enjoyed by many gamblers from all over the world.

Please note that when playing Caribbean Stud Poker, you may not reveal your cards to anyone other than the dealer. When a player knows another player's cards, the house edge drops considerably, so this is strictly forbidden and can result in your expulsion from the house.

Where to play best: