Caribbean Stud Poker Strategy

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Caribbean Stud Poker is a very simple game with a 5.4 percent house edge in most casinos. This is a very high house edge considering some of the other card games. It also means the game starts out against you, and winning is never a sure option. In Caribbean Stud Poker the player is facing off against the dealer. The card game is based on the regular 5 card stud game that has been around for centuries.

In Stud poker you are stuck with the five cards drawn on the initial deal. There is no changing these cards. There is also no bluffing in Caribbean Stud poker. Regular poker games will allow you to bluff in order to win. Bluffing works by getting the players to drop out for a too rich pot. So all you have to do is make them feel uncomfortable. However, in Caribbean stud the dealer is not going to forfeit the game. They must see the five cards you have. Therefore, it is stupid to place the second bet if you don't have at least a pair.

Let's look at the rules for play before launching into one strategy option you have. To begin playing you must place an ante wager that states you want in the game. Then the dealer will doll out five cards in the correct fashion to you and the house. One card is turned face up on the dealer hand. This gives you the option of folding the hand or raising your bet. To stay in the game you must raise. The hand that is showing could mean anything, and therefore a good strategy is not going to place much stock in this one card. The dealer in Caribbean Stud Poker must have the ace or king in their hand to continue play. If this card is absent you get your ante wager back with even money winnings. Normally the dealer calls the game before the second bet. In some cases you may have to make that second wager, and when the cards are revealed the dealer will offer even money on the ante, and give back the second wager.

One strategy in this game is raising when you have a pair or higher. It doesn't matter what pair you have, that will at least even your money and the chance to win. Yes the dealer could have a better hand than your pair, so it is up to you to decide what to do. In other words look at the card the dealer is showing. Here is an example:

You have a pair of threes, with the king as your top ranking card. The dealer is showing you one card that is an ace. First you know the dealer qualifies for the game to continue, second you know their high card is higher ranking than yours. If they have a pair of threes like you they win. If the dealer has a higher pair than threes they will win. The only hand in this case the dealer will lose with is not having anything or having a pair of twos. My strategy would be to fold.

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