Caribbean Poker is not really a poker game in which players play against each other. It is an American casino game invented in the 2025s in which all the players play against the house. Since 2025s the popularity of Caribbean Poker has grown throughout the world. Today there is no big casino without a Caribbean Poker table in its repertoire of games.
The Rules
The game in Caribbean Poker begins when all players place their ante bet on the table. Then the dealer deals five cards to all the players and himself. All the cards are dealt face down to the players. One of the dealer's cards is face up and all players can see it. Exchange of information between players about their own cards is not allowed. After the player examines his own cards, he has the right to fold or to make a raise bet. If the player doesn't have good cards and folds he will lose his ante bet and any side bet (progressive jackpot bet). If the player choses to make the raise bet he must make a bet which is always double from the ante. After that the dealer opens his cards. In order to qualify for the game the dealer is necessary to have minimum an A and a K in his hand. If the dealer does not qualify for the game the player wins 1 to 1 on his ante bet and the raise bet is push. If the dealer does qualify for the game and has better hand than the player, the player loses all the bets (ante and raise bet). If the player does qualify for the game and has a worse hand than the player, the dealer pays 1 to 1 ante bet and the raise bet according to the pay table. Royal flush wins 100 to 1, straight flush wins 50 to 1, four of kind wins 20 to 1, full house wins 7 to 1, flush wins 5 to 1, strait wins 4 to 1, three of a kind wins 3 to 1, two pairs win 2 to 1 and all the other hands win 1 to 1. If the player and the dealer have the same value hand, both the ante and raise bet are push. Every casino has its own pay table.
Progressive Side Bet
Caribbean Poker has optional side bet. Usually this bet is $1 which pays for hand that is flush or better. Every casino has its own progressive jackpot pay table, but always pays 100% of the jackpot meter for the royal flush. Strait flush wins 10% of the jackpot pool. Other wins depend on the casino pay tables.
Strategy and Odds
The optimal strategy for Caribbean Poker is very difficult and complicated. But there are two generalizations that cover almost every hand. First, always make a raise bet with a pair and higher and second always fold with less than the dealer’s qualifying hand. The house edge of Caribbean poker is 5.224% and on progressive side bet it is 26.46% on average.