Mississippi Stud gives players a variation of poker that allows them to enjoy the game without worrying about the hand of other players or the dealer. The only hand they need worry about is there own as well as the community cards, which are shared by all players. Like all stud poker variations, Mississippi stud deals players a mix of facedown and face-up cards throughout multiple betting rounds. It is a non-positional game, meaning that the player who bets first on each round can change from round to round.
Mississippi stud is, unsurprisingly, most commonly played in Mississippi casinos. The game is also played in a few other casinos throughout the United States, as well as online. Throughout the years Mississippi Stud has become increasingly popular, due to its fast play. In terms of poker, the game is fairly simple to learn.
How to Play Mississippi Stud
Mississippi stud was created in an attempt to improve seven-card stud poker better at no limit and pot limit. It is unique in that a player wins based on their own cards rather than what hand the dealer has. For this reason, Mississippi stud is slowly becoming a popular alternative to seven-card stud. The betting structure for Mississippi stud offers a fixed limit, with the last three rounds doubling the limit of the first two. This style of betting is similar to that of Texas hold ‘em.
At the start of each hand each player must make the ante wager in order to participate. At this point the dealer will deal each player two cards face down, while also placing three “community cards” face down on the table. The dealer will flip the community cards one by one, so to new players it may look as if this were the dealer’s hand, but this is not the case. In fact the players are utilizing the community cards throughout the game, in order to improve upon the cards they have in their hand. After the cards are dealt, players are given the opportunity to examine their cards, while the community cards remain face down.
In addition to the spot on the table for players to make the ante bet, there are three other spots where players can bet up to three times the ante: 3rd street, 4th street, and 5th street. After players have had a chance to examine their cards they may choose to place a bet on the 3rd street spot that is one to three times the ante. It is important to note that at this point all three community cards are still face down. If a player has a bad hand then they may choose to fold, if not they can use their best judgment regarding the value of their hand.
Once players have made the decision whether or not to play their hand then the dealer will turn over the first community card. Again, players will have the opportunity to bet, this time on the 4th street spot, one to three times the ante. The dealer will then flip the second community card, which gives players the opportunity to then place their wager on the 5th street spot, or fold. Finally the dealer will turn the third and final card over, and players will be paid according to their hand.
Mississippi Stud Payouts
The pay table will always be listed on the table itself. As mentioned previously, players will be paid according to their hand at the conclusion of each round. The payouts are as follows:
– Royal Flush: 500 to 1
-Straight Flush: 100 to 1
-Four of a Kind: 40 to 1
-Full House: 10 to 1
-Flush: 6 to 1
-Straight: 4 to 1
-Three of a kind: 3 to 1
-Two Pairs: 2 to 1
-Pair of Jacks or Better: 1 to 1
-Pair of 6s through 10s: Push
-Other: Loss
Mississippi Stud Strategy
There are a number of factors you will want to keep in mind while playing Mississippi Stud in order to have success. As always, it is important to consider the house advantage when playing Mississippi Stud. The house edge will be the percentage of your winnings that the casino will claim. For Mississippi Stud this is generally 4.91 percent. Perhaps the most important factors when playing this game would be understanding the difference between a strong and weak hand, and what payouts to expect from these hands.
Essentially any hand that contains two cards that are less than 6 should be an automatic fold. For example, if you are dealt a 2 of hearts and a 3 of clubs, those cards have virtually no value. There is no winning combination for any possible hand containing these cards, with the exception of a straight, which has an extremely low probability.
If you are dealt a winning hand with your two cards, such as a pair or three of a kind, then you should wager three times your money on the 3rd street spot before any community cards have been turned over. At this point you are guaranteed to win and your earnings can only improve based on the community cards. It’s just common sense; if you know you’re going to win and you want to win more money, you should bet more money.
When it comes to choosing the right time to bet a smaller amount, things become a bit more complicated. If you are dealt any single card that is a Jack or higher, then you will want to place 1x the ante on the 3rd street spot. The player should also make the same bet on any medium card, 6 to 10, or on a 6 and 5 suited hand. If a player is dealt any other hand, then they should fold.
Things become even more complicated when choosing the right bet for the 4th and 5th street cards. The best advice in these situations is to use your knowledge of the payout table combined with the strength of you hand and use your best judgment. If you have a strong hand then you will most certainly want to raise more.
When playing Mississippi Stud, players are not afforded the option of checking and must bet or fold. This makes it very easy for players to lose money quickly. It can be difficult to win a lot of money when playing Mississippi Stud, as is with most poker games. Mississippi Stud tends to give players a lot of losses, with the occasional big win. The big wins are great, but for the most part even the best players tend to break even due to the nature of the game. Strategy can be complicated for this, so understanding the basics is key.