How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker | Playing Strategy | Progressive Bonus

Played on an oval blackjack-style table with up to seven players, one dealer, and a standard 52-card deck, the game does not resemble a regular poker game at all. The table layout consists of three distinctive betting spots: the first, a rectangle labeled ante; the second, a circle, is labeled bet; and the third, a drop slot, is there for the optional progressive jackpot bet. Regardless of the number of players, everyone always players one-on-one against the dealer. Unlike regular poker, in Caribbean stud poker you do not have to worry about the other players' cards. If your neighbor has a pair of aces, you have queens, and the dealer has a pair of 10s, both you and your neighbor win.

The round starts with each player putting a bet in the ante rectangle. If any player wants to play the optional progressive jackpot bet, he or she can put a dollar in the drop slot. A meter above each table indicates the amount of the ever-growing progressive jackpot, based on input from these side bets. The dealer presses a button, all the dollar coins drop into a lower box, and a red light shows which players are eligible for a jackpot.

Dealing from an automatic shuffling machine, each player (and the dealer) receives five cards, all face down. The dealer turns one of his cards - normally the last one - face up, which can help players decide if they want to play or fold their hands. Players are not allowed to show each other their cards, and only one hand is allowed for each player.

To continue to player, you must either double the size of your ante bet by making an additional wager in the bet box or fold the hand and lose your ante bet. For players to win both their bets, the dealer has to "qualify," meaning his hand has to contain an ace-king or better. If the dealer does not qualify, the players remaining in the round receive even money for their ante bet, and push on their bet wager. If the dealer odes qualify, he turns over each player's hand and compares cards. If the dealer's hand is stronger the player loses both the ante and bet wagers.

Once all the players have made their decisions, they are required to place their cards face down on the table. The dealer then removes all the ante bets from those players who dropped out. Next, the dealer turns over his remaining four cards and adjusts them to the best possible poker hand.