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Mississippi Stud is a popular and easy-to-learn poker game where you play against a pay table, not other players or the dealer. While it’s simple in format, mastering the game takes a solid understanding of the rules, timing, and strategy.
If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, read on for our complete guide on how to play Mississippi Stud, including the rules, hand rankings, and essential tips for beginners.
What is Mississippi Stud Online?
Mississippi Stud is a table game played against the dealer. After placing an ante, players receive two individual hole cards, followed by three community cards.
The goal is to make a five-card poker hand containing at least a pair of sixes. So, if you know how to play 5 Card Poker, you’re already halfway there! Like in video poker, the stronger your final hand, the bigger your payout.
Although inspired by poker games like Texas Hold’em, Mississippi Stud is very much a casino game. Similar to 3 Card Poker and Blackjack, there are some minor elements of strategy, but it’s mostly played for fun. So, if you know how to play Caribbean Stud Poker and other casino table games, you’ll enjoy Mississippi Stud.
Math wizards have calculated the Mississippi Stud house edge as 4.91% when using the optimal strategy. Go your own way and you’re likely to lose much more in the long run.
Mississippi Stud History
The game is a relatively new game, created by former Shuffle Master CEO Mark Yoseloff in 2005. It gained popularity in casinos later that decade and has since made its way into online poker sites.
The origins of its name are unclear, but it seems likely to have been inspired by the famous Mississippi riverboat casinos.
How to Play Mississippi Stud Online
So, how do you play Mississippi Stud online? Unlike traditional poker games, Mississippi Stud is a casino table game, so you’ll need to find an online casino that offers it.
The objective is to make a five-card poker hand containing at least a pair of sixes. To start, you’ll place an ante before receiving two hole cards. Then, you’ll have the chance to see three additional cards, placing a bet before each one. Assuming you make it to the end with a qualifying hand, payouts can be as big as 500-to-1.
A game similar to Mississippi Stud is Caribbean Stud, which was invented by David Sklansky in 1982.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Mississippi Stud Rules
Here’s a detailed walkthrough guide that explains how to play Mississippi Stud:
- Choose your ante. This bet is compulsory if you wish to take part in the game.
- Place any side bets. A Three-Card Bonus is usually offered, while some casinos also feature a progressive jackpot option.
- Deal the cards. All players are dealt two face-down hole cards, while the dealer puts down three community cards, which are also turned face-down.
- Bet or fold. If you’re not happy with your starting hand, you can fold and surrender the ante. Otherwise, you can bet 1x, 2x, or 3x your initial ante to see a third card.
- Third street reveal. After all players have decided what to do, the dealer reveals the first community card, dubbed “third street”.
- Fourth street bets. Players once again decide whether to play or pass. Folding forfeits all bets made thus far. Bets can be 1x, 2x or 3x the initial ante, just as before.
- Fourth street reveal. Once all players have chosen what to do, the dealer exposes the second community card, or “fourth street”.
- Fifth street bets. Just like on Fourth Street, players can elect to fold. If they wish to continue, they must bet from 1x to 3x the ante.
- Fifth street reveal. At this point, the final community card is revealed, completing our five-card hand.
- Winners are paid. If you made a pair of jacks or better, you’ll receive a payout of at least 1-to-1 on all of your bets. A pair of sixes through tens results in a push.
- Side bets settled. Finally, any winning Three-Card Bonus bets are paid accordingly.
Mississippi Stud – Poker Hand Rankings
The standard poker hand rankings determine the Mississippi Stud payouts. In other words, a royal flush is the best, while a six-high hand would be the worst possible hand.
However, anything less than a pair of sixes will result in you losing all of the bets placed. A pair of sixes to tens gets you a refund, as it’s a push.
| Poker Hand Rankings | Example |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠ |
| Straight Flush | Q♦J♦10♦9♦8♦ |
| Four of a Kind | 7♣7♠7♦7♥K♣ |
| Full House | J♦J♣J♠5♣5♥ |
| Flush | K♣J♣9♣4♣3♣ |
| Straight | 9♦8♣7♠6♥5♦ |
| Three of a Kind | A♣A♠A♦7♣6♥ |
| Two Pair | Q♦Q♣8♥8♠5♥ |
| One Pair | 10♠10♣8♠6♣2♥ |
| High Card | A♥K♣9♠7♦3♣ |
Mississippi Stud Strategy and Tips (Cheat Sheet)
Although the math nerds can’t tell us how to win at Mississippi Stud, they have managed to crack the optimal playing strategy.
To begin with, we must assign all cards the following values:
-
- Low cards (2 through 5) – 0 points
- Middle cards (6 through T) – 1 point
- High cards (J through A) – 2 points
The strategy starts fairly simple but does become quite complicated by the final bet. That’s why we’ve prepared the Mississippi Stud strategy cheat sheet below for you.
Two Cards
When you only have two cards, act accordingly:
- Bet 3x the ante with any pocket pair
- Bet 1x with any hand worth at least 2 points
- Bet 1x with 6-5 suited
- Fold any other hand
Three Cards
After the first card is revealed, our Mississippi Stud strategy chart becomes a little more complex:
- Bet 3x with a pair of 6s or better
- 3x on a royal flush draw
- 3x on no-gap straight flush draw, 567 or higher
- 3x with one-gap straight flush draws, plus a jack or better
- 3x with two-gap straight flush draws, plus at least two jack or better cards
- 1x with any other flush draw
- 1x with a pair of fives or lower
- 1x with any hand worth three or more points
- 1x with a no-gap straight draw of 456 or higher.
- 1x with a one-gap straight draw and two mid cards
- Fold any other hand
Four Cards
Here are the optimal decisions to make ahead of the final betting round:
- 3x with a pair of 6s or better
- 3x on any flush draw
- 3x with open-ended straight draws of eight-high or better
- 1x for all other straight draws
- 1x if you have at least four points
- 1x any low pair
- 1x with three points after making an earlier 3x bet
- Fold any other hand
Mississippi Stud Payouts
When playing, Mississippi Stud payouts may vary between casinos. It’s always a good idea to check the specific paytable before you begin.
However, most casinos follow a standard payout structure, which can be used as a general guide when planning your bets.
Check the table below to see the typical Mississippi Stud odds and payouts.
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 500:1 |
| Straight Flush | 100:1 |
| Four of a Kind | 40:1 |
| Full House | 10:1 |
| Flush | 6:1 |
| Straight | 4:1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 |
| Two Pair | 2:1 |
| One Pair (Jacks or Better) | 1:1 |
| One Pair (6s through 10s) | Push |
| All Other Hands | Lose all bets |
Three-Card Bonus
In most casinos, the Mississippi Stud poker rules allow players to make a side bet known as the Three-Card Bonus.
It’s completely unrelated to the main game. Here, you’re betting on the specific texture of the dealer’s three-card hand.
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Straight Flush | 40:1 |
| Three of a Kind | 30:1 |
| Straight | 6:1 |
| Flush | 3:1 |
| Pair | 1:1 |
The odds quoted above are standard, but some casinos may use a different Three-Card Bonus pay table.
Progressive Jackpot
Some casinos also offer a Mississippi Stud progressive jackpot. This costs a fixed sum to enter, usually $1.
To win the main prize, you’ll need to make a royal flush. However, there are normally smaller jackpot pools up for grabs for bagging a straight flush, or even a Four-of-a-Kind.
Conclusion
From the basic rules to hand rankings and strategic tips, we’ve covered everything you need to know about how to play Mississippi Stud. If you’re playing for fun or aiming to win big, understanding the game is the first step. Now that you know how it works, you’re ready to take a seat and put your knowledge to the test.
FAQs
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Resources
https://www.table-games-online.com/mississippi-stud/ (Table games Online)
