Progressive Caribbean Stud Simple Strategy
I have played this game many times, and I can tell you from direct experience that Caribbean Stud can separate you from your money very quickly, and unless you have the required bankroll available, you will not win. However, you can and will win a sizable amount of money if you have the necessary bankroll with you, and the patience to stick it out until you get the hands you need. But it takes time, money, and patience.
• Don't expect to win big at this game without playing the $1 side bet! To play Caribbean Stud without the $1 side bet is financial suicide. Therefore, always make your $1 side bet.
• Don't bluff. If your hand isn't at least a pair of something, don't even think about staying in the hand. Many players will habitually stay in every hand, or try to play marginal hands such as Ace-King-Queen, or even pair of 2s, in order to win their ante bet. This is a borderline bluff, and means (on a $5 minimum table) you are risking $16 to win $5! A lousy bet indeed. Don't do this. If your hand is at least a pair of 3s, or better, stay in the hand. Otherwise throw in, take your loss, and play the next hand.
• If you are dealt a Bonus Pay hand, always tell the dealer immediately. Say something like: "I have a bonus hand." Don't be intimidated by other players who may smirk at you or even dealers who look bored or give you funny looks. You're not there to entertain them; you are there to win money! It's the rule, so say it!
• Find a casino where the jackpot has grown to at least over $80,000. Playing this game in casinos where the jackpot is not at least this high simply means that the jackpot was hit recently and that all players will be feeding the meter for a long time before another top jackpot hand is dealt.
• Also, play in a casino where they offer a $500 Bonus Pay for any four-of-a-kind, instead of $100. Many casinos will do this, so search them out. A few phone calls will do the trick. Also ask them at what level the jackpot is. If the casino pays $500 for any four-of-a-kind and their jackpot is over $80,000, that's the place you ought to be.
• Don't be disappointed when you receive great hands, but the dealer does not qualify. This happens often, and that's why this game is so good for the house. But it can be good for you, too. Eventually, you will get good hands, and when you do usually they'll come in bunches. You're at this game to win, so stick to it.
• For a $3 minimum game (which I will not advise you to play), a good bankroll is $150. For a $5 minimum game (the best player odds), a good bankroll is $300. For games with ante bets of $10 or more, a bankroll of $500 to $1,000 is a good stake. Sounds like a lot of money? Not really, you must invest some to win some. If you can't afford this stake, play another game until you win, or save up before you sit down. Don't play undercapitalized. If you do, you'll lose.
• Position at the table. If you can, sit at the dealer's far left (to the far right as you face the table). This is the first base position on the table, and will always get the first hand out. In this seat, the order of cards dealt to you will never alter. In every other seat this is not so, since as players come and go your cards will change in the order received. So, if you were getting very good hands, but the player in front of you in the order of dealing was getting lousy hands, and that player leaves, you will now be getting that player's lousy cards, and the player behind you in order of dealing will now be getting your good cards. This is not so in the number 1 seat, where no matter how many other players sit down or leave at that table, your cards will never be changed because of changes in positional dealing.