Oasis Poker is a variation of Caribbean Stud Poker found mostly in eastern Europe, northern Africa, and of course online casinos like BitStarz. Oasis Poker is an exciting variant because only one of the dealer’s cards is shown, with the rest revealed only once you raised your initial bet. The rules are the same as Caribbean Stud except the player is allowed to exchange cards before the raise/fold decision, for a price, often called ‘switching’. In this post we’ll take a closer look at switching and what tweaks you can make to your strategy in order to help increase your odds at landing a big win at Oasis Poker.

Switch Smarter

Switching cards in the hopes of getting a better combination is tempting, but remember that each switch will cost the same amount as the ante bet and the cost of the switch will never be paid back. What this means is that you might lose that money if the dealer does not qualify and you only win even money on your ante. Therefore, you should only switch if:

• You have four cards that can constitute a flush or a straight flush, even if it means breaking up a pair.
• You have four cards that are missing one number to make a straight, even if you do not have a pair.

This strategy allows you to optimize your hand, considering that the dealer may not qualify. If he qualifies then you are guaranteed to win your raise, your ante, and maybe even a 100:1 payout should you land a royal flush, therefore also returning the cost of the switch.

When to Avoid Switching

Do not switch any card if you already have a two pair or three of a kind – this hand is already optimal, and paying for the cost of the switch is not worth it. Also, do not switch more than two cards. If you do and you get the best hand, you will never get back the money you spent on the switch if the dealer’s hand does not qualify. Keep in mind that the odds of getting the top hands are so low that you are better off looking for the smaller hands like three of a kind and a two-pair hand (a Royal Flush only has a probability of 100/1).

Is Switching Worth it?

In most circumstances it actually doesn’t pay to switch, so you should avoid the temptation unless there is a much greater chance that it will improve your hand. Remember that if the dealer’s hand does not qualify you won’t get paid 1x your ante and your raise is a push. Essentially, you just got back your money for the cost of the switch and won nothing. If you are tempted to switch, consider all the factors above before doing so. If you’re new to Oasis Poker, read our introductory guide to get the hang of the basics before thinking about switching tactics. Good luck, and happy playing!