A Guide to Playing Caribbean Stud Poker

Invented in the 1980s specifically to attract poker players to the main casino floor, Caribbean Stud is a fantastic, fast-paced table game.

This completely eliminates the need to maintain a “poker face” or worry about someone aggressively raising your bets.

The Basic Rules: Ante and Deal

The dealer then deals themselves five cards, but crucially, turns their very last card completely face up for the entire table to see.

Players are now allowed to pick up their five cards and quietly examine their hand to determine its poker strength.

• You cannot draw or exchange any cards; you play the five dealt to you
• Players are strictly forbidden from showing their cards to other players
• The entire game relies on one single “Fold or Play” decision

Understanding the Dealer’s Hand

If the player decides to “Call” and double their bet, the dealer flips over their remaining four hidden cards to reveal their hand.

Crucially, if the dealer does not qualify, the player’s massive “Call” bet simply pushes (ties) and is returned, regardless of how strong the player’s hand was.

The Massive Jackpot Side Bet

The golden rule is incredibly simple: Always fold any hand weaker than Ace-King, and always play any hand containing a Pair or better.

This massive jackpot pays out independently of the dealer’s hand, rewarding the player for hitting extremely rare combinations like a Royal Flush.

Caribbean Stud offers a fantastic, low-stress bridge between the intense strategy of the poker room and the pure luck of the casino pit.