From my experience, I can say for sure: in many countries, it is one of the most popular gambling games in casinos. It is loved for its unhurried process, the opportunity to win big in one round, simple rules, and exciting gameplay. I have also always enjoyed playing Caribbean poker. You can calmly open the cards in your hand, talk to your table partners, and just enjoy the gameplay.
General Description of Caribbean Stud
It is one of the most popular poker games in which the gamer plays against the house, represented by the dealer. It is also known as Caribbean poker or stud poker. Some call it an American version of Oasis Poker with many additional rules.
A standard 52-card deck without jokers (but for exceptional cases) is used to play this poker. It requires a poker table with a particular layout.
The house edge in Caribbean Stud Poker is relatively high (about 5%). However, its slow gameplay, combined with an engaging process, ensures its high popularity.
The participant plays against the dealer, so the aim of the game is to collect a higher-ranking hand or beat the dealer if he will not have at least the lowest-ranking hand.
Standard poker hands, except for the ace-king, are valid in Caribbean Stud Poker. We are going to enumerate them in descending order:
- royal flush,
- straight flush,
- four of a kind,
- full house,
- flush,
- straight,
- three of a kind,
- two pairs,
- and ace/king.
The comparison of hands occurs according to the standard poker rules, although there are some deviations from them at certain casinos. For more detailed information on comparing hands, refer to the article on Oasis Poker rules.
Caribbean Stud Gameplay
The game starts when the player places an ante on a particular field. Its size must be within limits established for a given table. The croupier shuffles the cards and deals five cards to the player and himself. One croupier's card is dealt face up.
The player evaluates his hand and makes one of the following decisions:
- He can fold and lose an ante.
- He can call, making an additional bet equal to two antes.
- At some casinos, it is possible to exchange five cards. However, exchanges are primarily typical for Oasis Poker.
Then the dealer reveals his cards. If the dealer has no hand, he pays for the ante in a 1:1 ratio to the players. If he has any poker hand, he compares it with the player's hand. After that, the dealer makes payouts and collects losing bets.
Payouts in Caribbean Stud
Payouts for all hands are made in the following way. The ante is paid 1:1. The bet is paid according to the following table.
- Royal flush - 100:1
- Straight flush - 50:1
- Four of a kind - 20:1
- Full house - 7:1
- Flush - 5:1
- Straight - 4:1
- Three of a kind (tris) - 3:1
- Two pairs - 2:1
- Pair- 1:1
- Ace king - 1:1
For example, the player has a full house, and the dealer has two pairs. The ante is $10. The player will receive $10 for the ante and $140 for the bet. The total payout will be $150.
Multi-Hand Versions
If it is allowed to play Caribbean Stud Poker on several boxes, the following rules are valid:
- The player can bet on several boxes, but cards from only two boxes can be shown to the player. He has to make bets on the other boxes without knowing the cards.
- Bets on different boxes may vary in size.
- Having taken a peek at the cards from the first hand, the player must make a decision, and only after that can they proceed to the next hand. As soon as the player has seen the cards on the second hand, he cannot change the decision for the first hand.
- If the player does not have enough chips to bet on one of the boxes, he loses.
If there are several players, it is prohibited to exchange information.
Jackpots in Caribbean Stud
At most casinos, those who play Caribbean Stud Poker have the opportunity to win the jackpot, which can be either fixed or progressive. To do this, it is necessary to place a bet on the special field. Payouts and conditions for drawing can vary, but usually, it is necessary to receive a high-ranking hand directly after the deal. The ways to win the jackpot should be clarified directly at casinos.
Here are more free poker games.
Basic Strategy for Caribbean Stud
The basic strategy for Caribbean Stud Poker resembles the principles of Oasis Poker, so that you can become familiar with the rules for this and some other games in the articles on our site Casinoz.
Personal Experience of Playing Caribbean Stud Poker
I've played a lot of this poker. I've won, I've lost, it's been different. It is not the best gambling game for professionals, but it is very popular among gamblers.
The game is widely spread in online gambling. You will find it in numerous internet casinos. On some websites, there are stud pokers from several software providers.
On Casinoz, readers can play free Caribbean Stud poker. Demos are available in reviews.
