Online Caribbean Poker

Caribbean poker is unlike most poker games in which the bets are not made against other players but rather toward the house. Caribbean poker is rarely actually considered a poker game, but rather more resembling to video poker. Many online casinos offer progressive jackpots that build immense jackpots released when players are dealt certain hands or beat the dealer when both hands are highly ranked.

How to Play Caribbean Poker

Caribbean poker is a very simple game for players that enjoy poker, but are not at a level to compete with other live players.  It also offers no chance for players to become inventive in betting patters, such as bluffing, because only one bet is ever made in a single round.

Players begin each hand by placing an ante, which accumulates a pot between themselves and the dealer. Each person’s hand is not affected by other player’s hands because action is only present between himself or herself and the dealer. Then players and the dealer are dealt five cards, with one of the dealer’s cards being dealt face up for everyone to view. Players then are given the chance to make a call bet in which they believe their hand will beat the dealer’s hand, or they can fold surrendering their ante to the house.

The dealer’s hand must qualify for each hand to continue after this point. A dealer’s hand qualifies by being dealt a hand that has A-K or higher. If the dealer’s hand does not qualify the call bets and two ante values are returned to the players, whom have called. Also the antes remain in play for the next consecutive hand, which makes the pot larger, however the antes tend to be very small, so the win is not substantial.

From this point the dealer will reveal his cards and determine which hands his beats and which he surrenders the call bets to. The hands are ranked as any classic poker game ranks hands; high cards, one pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush.

Caribbean Poker Pay Outs

Online casinos normally tend to payout higher-ranking hands more, rather than just paying the call bet in return. A single pair will pay out 1 to 1, two pair will pay out 2 to 1, three of a kind will pay out 3 to 1, a straight 4 to 1, full house 7 to 1, four of a kind 20 to 1, straight flush 50 to 1, and a royal flush 100 to 1. Some online casinos will differ from this, but standard casinos will follow this as a guideline.

Progressive jackpots are usually running constantly in which players can make an additional small bet to participate in. If players win one of the selected progressive jackpot hands and have made the additional bet, they will win a percentage of the jackpot depending on the ranking of the hand they received.

Caribbean Poker Tips

This particular casino game is perfect for players that want to learn and become familiar with poker hands, but are not ready for live play. Because the only possible bet is a call bet, players do not have to be concerned with bluffs, no-limits on betting, raising, or drawing.

The “Beacon Hand,” as it is called in casinos is the minimum hand in which players should make the call bet, which is A-K-J-8-3. Technically the player should call with any hand ranking higher than the “Beacon Hand” because the odds that the dealer will qualify are about 54%.