Knowing how to play Caribbean Stud poker is just the beginning. This guide walks you through everything from table setup and betting rounds to key strategy tips—plus a bit of background on how this poker variant gained popularity in casinos worldwide.
What is Caribbean Stud Poker?
Before we get into the Caribbean Stud poker rules or any strategy advice, we’d better explain what to expect.
First of all, this is a casino table game, so you’ll compete against the house, not other poker players. Although it’s based on Five Card Stud, a form of poker played against other people, Caribbean Stud behaves more like blackjack or baccarat.
For some players, the opportunity to beat the casino while playing poker is the game’s main appeal. Though for most, it’s just a more interesting alternative to traditional table games.
Caribbean Stud tables are often:
- Faster-paced
- Less crowded
- Offer bigger rewards than many other games
History of Caribbean Stud Poker
It’s often claimed that legendary poker player and author David Sklansky created the first version of Caribbean Stud poker. That’s disputed, but we know the King International Casino in Aruba was heavily responsible for promoting Caribbean Stud during the 1980s, leading to its name.
Well-known developer ShuffleMaster created the first Caribbean Stud Poker online casino game, which inspired dozens of copycat titles.
The only notable differences between today’s online variants are minor tweaks to the paytable and the addition of a few side bets. Despite being hugely popular, this variant can be hard to find, even at the best online casinos in the US.
How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker
Okay, it’s time to learn how to play Caribbean Stud Poker. This is a solo pursuit where you take on the house, rather than a bunch of your fellow players.
- Like most forms of poker, the goal is to make the best possible five-card hand.
- This obviously increases your chances of beating the dealer’s hand. But stronger holdings also lead to bigger payouts, as you’ll soon discover.
- There are two opportunities to bet per hand – one before you see the cards and another straight after.
- If you don’t like your cards, you can simply fold and throw them away.
- This immediately ends your participation in the game, so you don’t have to waste chips on a second bet.
Caribbean Stud Poker Rules
The rules are the same whether you’re trying Caribbean Stud poker online or playing at a land-based casino. Let’s run through an example hand to illustrate how it all works.
Caribbean Stud Poker House Edge
The Caribbean Stud house edge is 5.224% when using the standard pay table above.
However, if you use the optimal poker strategy – which we’ll reveal shortly – this can be reduced to 2.56%.
Side Bets
Some Caribbean Stud poker tables, particularly those found online, offer side bets. These aren’t compulsory, but many players enjoy them.
Here are the two main Caribbean Stud side bets:
- 5+1 Bonus. If your five-card hand combines with the dealer’s upcard to make at least three-of-a-kind, you’ll receive a bonus payout of at least 7 to 1. Royal flushes usually return 1,000 to 1.
- Progressive Jackpot. These bets contribute to a steadily increasing prize pool. To scoop the lot, you’ll need to hit a royal flush. However, a portion is sometimes reserved for players making a straight flush – usually 10%.
Caribbean Stud Poker Hand Rankings
How do you know which hand is better when playing Caribbean Stud poker? The variant uses the same hand rankings as Texas Hold’em, the most popular version of poker.
| Rank | Poker Hand | Description | Example |
| 1 | Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit | A♦️ K♦️ Q♦️ J♦️ 10♦️ |
| 2 | Straight Flush | Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit | 9♥️ 8♥️ 7♥️ 6♥️ 5♥️ |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank | K♣️ K♦️ K♥️ K♠️ 3♣️ |
| 4 | Full House | Three of a kind and a pair | Q♠️ Q♣️ Q♥️ 8♠️ 8♦️ |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of the same suit (not in sequence) | 2♣️ 6♣️ 8♣️ 10♣️ K♣️ |
| 6 | Straight | Five cards in sequence, different suits | 10♦️ 9♣️ 8♠️ 7♥️ 6♣️ |
| 7 | Three-of-a-Kind | Three cards of the same rank | 7♠️ 7♦️ 7♣️ Q♦️ 2♥️ |
| 8 | Two Pair | Two different pairs | A♠️ A♦️ 9♣️ 9♠️ 5♣️ |
| 9 | One Pair | Two cards of the same rank | 4♠️ 4♣️ K♥️ 9♦️ 2♠️ |
| 10 | High Card | If no player has a pair or better, the highest-ranking card wins | A♣️ 10♠️ 8♦️ 6♥️ 4♠️ |
Caribbean Stud Poker Strategy
Okay, so you’ve learned the Caribbean Stud poker rules – but what now? How do you play this game the right way? The good news is, with so few decisions to make, playing Caribbean Stud optimally is pretty simple.
Take the following expert advice on board to give yourself the best chance of winning.
Stick to Ace-King Or Better
The golden rule of Caribbean Stud poker is to fold anything ranked lower than Ace-King.
Don’t forget that the dealer needs Ace-King in order to qualify. By playing anything worse than that, you can’t win more than an even money payout on your ante when the dealer fails to qualify. If the dealer does qualify, you’re guaranteed to lose.
You can play these hands if you want, of course. You might even win. But it’s mathematically proven to be a losing strategy in the long term.
Assess the Pay Table
The next most important thing is to check the pay table before taking a seat.
Although the fundamental rules of Caribbean Stud poker don’t change from casino to casino, the odds sometimes do. Why would you willingly play at a site paying 6 to 1 for a full house, if a rival is offering 7 to 1?
Avoid the Side Bets
Finally, as fun as they can be, it’s not a great idea to play the Caribbean Stud poker side bets.
These wagers are designed to increase your enjoyment, but also your spending. They often have a terribly high house edge, meaning you’ll just burn through your bankroll much quicker than usual.
How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker: Key Points
Here’s a recap of the key points to take from our guide to Caribbean Stud poker:
- Easy to learn – The Caribbean Stud rules are extremely straightforward, especially if you already understand the basic poker hand rankings and mechanics.
- Potentially rewarding – With payouts as high as 100 to 1, this game promises big returns when compared to other casino table games.
- Reasonable house edge – The optimal Caribbean Stud poker strategy, which is super simple to apply, reduces the house edge to just 2.56%.