Caribbean Poker Rules

The rules of Caribbean Stud Poker are not that difficult to understand, but at the same time you must have a complete understanding of the rules and how they apply in order to avoid having problems with the house if and when you make a mistake in applying those rules. Once you have read this article in its entirety, you will be able to play Caribbean Stud Poker. The strategy for the game is covered in a different article; this one just deals with the actual rules of the game.

Click here to visit The Best Online Casino

Ante Phase

The first part of the game is known colloquially as the ante phase and it is simply the phase that all casino table games tend to have. Before the hand starts, you are given a chance to bet on the hand and if you wish to be dealt cards in this particular hand then you absolutely do need to bet an ante. The ante is defined by the table minimum and maximum, although you as the player have the freedom to bet anywhere in between those two numbers.

Progressive Phase

Depending on the casino that you are in, there might be a progressive jackpot going that will be released by having specific hands. This jackpot might be funded just by this one particular Caribbean Stud Poker table or it might be funded by all of the different tables in the immediate vicinity. Alternatively, it might even be funded through multiple casinos; in any case however, the progressive jackpot amount to bet is usually something like $1. If you would like to go for the progressive jackpot, you will need to put that bet down on the table before the cards are dealt and you will need to make that bet in addition to the ante that you have already made.

Deal Phase

Once those two phases are over, the cards are dealt. Each player is dealt five cards face down, while the dealer is dealt four cards face down and one card face up. Each player takes a look at their cards and based on what they have they then decide whether or not they want to stay in the hand. Players that decide to stay in the hand must make a call bet of twice their ante, while players that decide to fold will lose their ante and progressive jackpot bet if they decided to make one at the start of the hand.

End Phase

The final phase of the game is when all players have made the decision of whether or not they want to stay in. Once that has happened, the dealer will then turn over their four face down cards and see if their hand qualifies. The dealer must have A-K high or better in order for their hand to qualify and if this does not happen the hand ends immediately, with the players each having their ante bet paid and their call bet pushed. If the dealer's hand does indeed qualify, then the hands are compared to see which players beat the dealer and get their call and ante bets paid.