Play Caribbean Stud Poker The Optimum Way

Added: July 16, 2015

Caribbean Stud Poker is a popular poker based game at Australian online casinos. To get the best returns you must correctly be able to decide whether to raise or fold after the cards have been dealt. This article briefly describes the game play and outlines the Caribbean Stud Poker optimum strategy.

You first place the ante bet. Five cards are dealt to you and one card face up to the dealer. You then decide whether to fold or raise. If you fold then you lose the ante bet. If you raise then you have to place a second bet, which is twice the ante bet. The remaining cards are dealt to the dealer and the two hands are compared according to the normal poker hand rankings. The dealer must have an ace and a king or better to qualify. If the dealer does not qualify you are paid even money on the ante bet and the second bet pushes. If the dealer’s hand qualifies and is better, you lose both bets. If both hands are of the same rank, then both bets push. If your hand is better then you are paid even money on the ante bet and according to a payout table on the second bet.

The simple part of the strategy is stated first. If you do not have the dealer’s qualifying hand then you must fold. If you hold one pair or better then you must raise. The problematic and interesting hand is when you hold an ace and a king with no hand ranking. In this case the Caribbean Stud Poker optimum strategy depends on the dealer’s face up card. You must raise in any of the following three situations. The first situation is that the dealer’s face up card is a two through queen and matches with one of your dealt cards. The second situation is that the dealer’s card is an ace or king and you are dealt a queen or jack in your hand. In the third situation all three of the following must apply: the dealer’s card does not match any of your cards, you have been dealt a queen and the dealer’s card is less than your fourth highest card. If none of the three situations apply then you must fold.

If you play with this optimum strategy at Microgaming online casinos you can expect an average return of about 95%. Caribbean Stud Poker also offers a side bet with a progressive jackpot. The average return from that bet is too low and it should never be placed.