Mississippi Stud

Last Update: Mar 07, 2011

Introduction

Mississippi Stud is a poker-based table game by ShuffleMaster. It can be played in several Mississippi casinos, as well as a few other states. Here in Las Vegas, it can be played at the Paris. The game is simple to play. Wins are based only on the player's final five card hand. The skill is in deciding how much to raise, or fold, as the cards are revealed.

Rules

1. Player makes ante wager.
2. Dealer gives each player two cards face down, and three community cards face down. Player may examine his own cards.
3. Player may fold or make a "3rd Street" bet, of one to three times the ante.
4. First community card is turned over.
5. Player may fold or make a "4th Street" bet, of one to three times the ante.
6. Second community card is turned over.
7. Player may fold or make a "5th Street" bet, of one to three times the ante.
8. Third community card is turned over.
9. All wagers paid according to the following pay table.

Strategy

The following strategy was created by Joseph Kisenwether, with permission to publish here. I can verify that this strategy is indeed optimal.

Card Values

• High = J to A
• Mid = 6 to 10
• Low = 2 to 5

2 Cards

1. Raise 3x with any pair.
2. Raise 1x with at least one high card.
3. Raise 1x with two mid cards.
4. Raise 1x with 6/5 suited.
5. Fold all others.

3 Cards

1. Raise 3x with any made hand (mid pair or higher).
2. Raise 3x with royal flush draw.
3. Raise 3x with straight flush draw, with no gaps, 567 or higher.
4. Raise 3x with straight flush draw, with one gap, and at least one high card.
5. Raise 3x with straight flush draw, with two gaps, and at least two high cards.
6. Raise 1x with any other three suited cards.
7. Raise 1x with a low pair.
8. Raise 1x with two or three high cards.
9. Raise 1x with three mid cards.
10. Raise 1x with one high card and one mid card.
11. Raise 1x with a straight draw, with no gaps, 456 or higher.
12. Raise 1x with a straight draw, with one gap, and two mid cards.
13. Fold all others.

4 Cards

1. Raise 3x with any made hand (mid pair or higher).
2. Raise 3x with any four to a flush.
3. Raise 3x with four to an outside straight, 8 high or better.
4. Raise 1x with any other straight draw.
5. Raise 1x with a low pair.
6. Raise 1x with at least two high cards.
7. Raise 1x with one high card and at least two mid cards.
8. Raise 1x with one high card and two previous 3x raisess.
9. Raise 1x with three mid cards and at least one previous 3x raise.
10. Fold all others.

Analysis

The following table shows number of combinations, probability, and contribution to the return of every possible hand and sequence of bets.

The lower right cell shows a house edge of 4.91%. On average, the player will bet 3.59 units per hand. The ratio of the expected loss to total amount bet, what I call the "element of risk," is 4.91%/3.59 = 1.37%.

The following tables show the expected value of raising one unit and three units on all possible starting hands. The player should make the play with the higher expected value. If both are less than -1, then the player should fold.

Acknowledgements

ShuffleMaster, for providing me with their math report by Elliot Frome. I have some minor disagreements with the report, but it was helpful in my analysis.

Joseph Kisenwether, for providing the strategy posted here, and for correcting an earlier mistake in my analysis.

Links

• ShuffleMaster: Information on Mississippi Stud from the game owners. Includes a link where the game is offered.
• discountgambling.net: Outstanding page on collusion in Mississippi Stud. According to this site, the player can have a 1.5%+ edge with knowledge of the other player's cards.
• Game demo that teaches optimal strategy.