.: Caribbean Draw Poker Casino Game

Caribbean Draw Poker could be played like a video poker, but with the advantage of competing against a dealer hand. Even a mess of a hand can still win if the dealer's hand fails to qualify. However, a great hand can also be beat - but that is where the progressive feature can give some reward for the bad call.

The other major difference from video poker is the draw rules. In VP you can drop all 5 cards... in Caribbean Draw you can only discard 2 cards.

Never Fold
First rule of Caribbean Draw Poker: Never fold. The house will only make a qualifying hand only slight more than half the time. Since you are looking at a 1:1 payoff about half the time, it is silly to fold when 48% of the time you'll be folding a winning hand.

Follow Video Poker Strategy
Just like in video poker, you want to make the best hand. So the rules for standard Jacks or Better suffice. Generally, don't break up a big hand unless you are one card away from one of the big ones. There is both basic and expert guides - with the basic more than adequate for most recreational gamblers.

The House Edge
The rules of the game are important, so pay attention, particularly to the conditions against which the house will draw. Most online casinos offer a game with a house edge at about 1.5% on the ante and 0.5% overall. But casinos which do not allow draws to inside straights has a hours edge considerably higher. At 0.5% the house advantage is on par with games like Blackjack, well known for a slim house edge. Just avoid fatigue and playing through hands too quickly.

Progressive Bets
As with most "caribbean" games, a progressive option is available. For $1, you can get a piece of the progressive jackpot. Realize, the payout is based on the initial 5 cards only. Payouts range from the jackpot for a royal flush to $50 for a flush at many casinos. Realize the progressive bet, as is usually the case, has horrible odds - but does give a chance to win a lot of money in a short time for a relatively small bet.

Overall, the game is a lot of fun and wont bankrupt your account. The ability to draw cards make you feel less helpless than the stud games. It is worth playing whether you are looking for a big progressive jackpot or just a fair game. Give this game 10 minutes and you will be playing it for hours.