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Reason #4 why the Wizard likes Bovada:
One-Stop Shopping
Bovada offers the triple crown of gambling: casino, poker, and sports. Many other casinos have tacked on poker as an afterthought, and many poker rooms have tacked on a casino as an afterthought, and the lack of attention shows, sometimes painfully. And very few of these sites let you make sports wagers.
But Bovada doesn’t just offer all three, they do each one well, and everything’s integrated. It’s easy to play all three off one deposit, off just one account.
Another nice thing about Bovada is that you don’t need a separate account to play casino games with fake money. In fact you do not even need an account for that at all, you can just click over there and play. Finally, Bovada usernames are only six or seven characters long making them possible to remember. By contrast some competitors’ usernames are extremely long and cumbersome.
Caribbean Stud Poker Optimal Strategy
Last Update: Sep 11, 1999
- With a pair or higher, raise.
- With less than A/K (player has an ace and a king, plus three other singletons, excpet Q-J-10), fold.
- With A/K, the following table shows exactly when to stand on ace/king. Yourother three cards are along the left and the dealer's up card isalong the top. A key is after the table.
| Player's other three cards | Dealer's up card | ||||||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-J-10 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-9 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-8 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-7 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-6 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-5 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-4 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-3 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Q-J-2 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-10-9 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 2 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-8 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 3 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-7 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 3 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-6 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-5 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-4 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-3 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-10-2 | R | R | R | R | 1 | 1 | R | R | R | 4 | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-9-8 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | 3 | R | R | R |
| Q-9-7 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | 3 | R | R | R |
| Q-9-6 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-9-5 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-9-4 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-9-3 | R | R | R | R | 1 | 1 | R | R | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-9-2 | R | R | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | R | R | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-8-7 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | F | 3* | R | R | R |
| Q-8-6 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | F | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-8-5 | R | R | R | R | 1 | 1 | R | F | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-8-4 | R | R | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | R | F | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-8-3 | R | R | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | R | F | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| Q-8-2 | R | R | R | 1 | 2 | 2 | R | F | F | 4 | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-7-6 | R | R | R | 1 | R | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-7-5 | R | R | R | R | 1 | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-7-4 | R | R | R | 1 | 2 | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-7-3 | R | R | 1 | 2 | 2 | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-7-2 | R | R | 1 | 2 | 2* | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-6-5 | R | R | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-6-4 | R | R | R | 2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-6-3 | R | R | 1 | 3 | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-6-2 | R | R | 1* | 3 | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-5-4 | R | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-5-3 | R | R | 2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-5-2 | R | 1 | 2* | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-4-3 | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| Q-4-2 | R | 2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| Q-3-2 | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-10-9 | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-8 | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-7 | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-6 | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-5 | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-4 | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-3 | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| J-10-2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-9-8 | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-9-7 | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-9-6 | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-9-5 | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-9-4 | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-9-3 | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-9-2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-8-7 | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-8-6 | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-8-5 | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-8-4 | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-8-3 | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-8-2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-7-6 | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-7-5 | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-7-4 | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-7-3 | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-7-2 | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-6-5 | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-6-4 | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-6-3 | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-6-2 | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-5-4 | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-5-3 | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-5-2 | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-4-3 | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| J-4-2 | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| J-3-2 | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-9-8 | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-9-7 | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-9-6 | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-9-5 | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-9-4 | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-9-3 | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-9-2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-8-7 | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-8-6 | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-8-5 | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-8-4 | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-8-3 | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-8-2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-7-6 | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-7-5 | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-7-4 | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-7-3 | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-7-2 | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-6-5 | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-6-4 | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-6-3 | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-6-2 | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-5-4 | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-5-3 | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-5-2 | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-4-3 | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 10-4-2 | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 10-3-2 | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1* | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 9-8-7 | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-8-6 | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-8-5 | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-8-4 | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-8-3 | F | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-8-2 | R | F | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 9-7-6 | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-7-5 | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-7-4 | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-7-3 | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-7-2 | R | F | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 9-6-5 | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-6-4 | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-6-3 | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-6-2 | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 9-5-4 | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-5-3 | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-5-2 | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 9-4-3 | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | 1 | F | F | F | F | F |
| 9-4-2 | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | 2 | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 9-3-2 | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | 4 | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 8-7-6 | F | F | F | F | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-7-5 | F | F | F | R | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-7-4 | F | F | R | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-7-3 | F | R | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-7-2 | R | F | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 8-6-5 | F | F | F | R | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-6-4 | F | F | R | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-6-3 | F | R | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-6-2 | R | F | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 8-5-4 | F | F | R | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-5-3 | F | R | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-5-2 | R | F | F | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 8-4-3 | F | R | R | F | F | F | 1 | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 8-4-2 | R | F | R | F | F | F | 2 | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 8-3-2 | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 7-6-5 | F | F | F | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 7-6-4 | F | F | R | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 7-6-3 | F | R | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 7-6-2 | R | F | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 7-5-4 | F | F | R | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 7-5-3 | F | R | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 7-5-2 | R | F | F | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 7-4-3 | F | R | R | F | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 7-4-2 | R | F | R | F | F | 1* | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 7-3-2 | R | R | F | F | F | 4 | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 6-5-4 | F | F | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 6-5-3 | F | R | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 6-5-2 | R | F | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 6-4-3 | F | R | R | F | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 6-4-2 | R | F | R | F | 1 | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 6-3-2 | R | R | F | F | 2* | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 5-4-3 | F | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 5-4-2 | R | F | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 5-3-2 | R | R | F | 1 | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A | |
| 4-3-2 | R | R | R | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| Key to table: | |
| R | Always raise. |
| 1 | Raise if the suit of dealer's card matches the suit of one or more of your cards. |
| 2 | Raise if the suit of dealer's card matches the suit of two or more of your cards. |
| 3 | Raise if the suit of dealer's card matches the suit of three or more of your cards. |
| 4 | Raise if the suit of dealer's card matches the suit of four of your cards. |
| F | Always fold |
Footnotes:
- *
- Extremely borderline play. Correct strategy depends not only on the number of suited cards but which ones are suited. See table below for how to play these situations.
| Player's cards | Up card | Suited cards | Raise on the following suited card(s) |
| A/K/Q/5/2 | 4 | 2 | A/K, A/Q, A/5, A/2, K/Q, K/5, K/2 |
| A/K/Q/6/2 | 4 | 1 | A, K |
| A/K/6/3/2 | 6 | 2 | 3/2 |
| A/K/Q/7/2 | 6 | 2 | A/K, A/Q, A/7, A/2, K/Q, K/7, K/2 |
| A/K/7/4/2 | 7 | 1 | 4, 2 |
| A/K/10/3/2 | 10 | 1 | 3, 2 |
| A/K/Q/8/7 | J | 3 | A/K/Q, A/K/8, A/K/7, A/Q/8, A/Q/7, A/8/7, K/Q/8, K/Q/7, K/8/7 |
I would like to thank Stanly Ko and Professor John M. Gwynn, Jr. foralerting me to these borderline plays.
Go back to Caribbean Stud Poker.
Michael Shackleford, ASA
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