Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean stud poker became very popular in Las Vegas in about 1992, although it had been played on Caribbean islands and cruise liners much earlier. If the player uses a correct strategy, the casino`s predominance in this game is 5.22%. It is a higher predominance than in other games i.e.: black jack; but a very easy game strategy to remember, allows the player to make less mistakes.

In Caribbean stud poker there is only one pack of cards used without a Joker. You play against a croupier who represents a casino. You start a game with a basic stake-ante . The croupier deals five cards each, for you and the casino. And shows the last casino`s card, so that you can see it.

Now you look at your cards and the croupier`s shown card. Based on that, you can make up your mind whether to be in the game or draw back. If you draw back, you lose ante. However, if you decide to be in the game, you put a double stake on ante, so called bet ( it is named call, as well). If ante is $1, bet is $2, $3 altogether. Then the croupier shows the cards. The casino is in the game only when the cards are Ace-King or higher (i.e. Ace-King, Two pairs, Three of a Kind etc.).

If the croupier is not in the game, s/he pays all the players, did not draw back, only ante stake. However, if the croupier is in the game and you have higher cards than the croupier, the casino pays 1:1 for ante. The casino pays for a bet according to a chart below:

Royal Flush- five cards in the same colour from a ten to an ace (©, J©, Q© , K©, A ©) 

Straight Flush- five cards in the same colour , in sequence (4¨, 5¨, 6¨, 7¨, 8¨)

Four of a kind- four cards worth the same (5§, 5¨, 5©, 5ª)

Full House- three cards worth the same + one pair (10¨, 10ª, 10©, 4¨, 4§)

Flash - five cards in the same colour , not in sequence (¨, 7¨, 9¨, J¨, A¨) 

Straight- five cards in sequence, in different colours (4¨, 5§, 6§, 7©, 8¨)

Three of a Kind- three cards worth the same (5¨, 5©, 5§)

Two Pairs- two pairs of cards, worth the same (9§, 9©, 5§, 5¨)

Ace-King high- (A§, Kª, 9¨, 7¨, 5§)

A strategy for Caribbean poker is very easy. You should raise a stake with bet (call) only when you have the following cards` sets:

1. a pair or higher ( two pairs, three of a kind etc.)
2. you have either A-K Q or A-K-J
3. you have an ace and a king as well as a card equal to a croupier`s shown card (A©, K§, 9ª, 6¨, 4ª, a croupier`s shown card is 6©).

Casinos frequently offer a progressive stake which is usually $1. It is a separate stake in which it does not matter whether a croupier qualifies for the game or not. You will get paid for a progressive stake even if croupier`s cards are higher than yours. You simply stake only on your cards. And if you have one of the below sets of cards, you get paid according to the following chart:

* The sum of a progressive pay increases depending on how many players gamble that bet and how much time it is going to take for one player to get a royal flush. That player is paid 100% of the sum which is often more than thousands of dollars.