Mississippi Stud
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Strategy

Mississippi Stud Strategy: The Complete Guide

The decisions that lower the house edge, protect your bankroll and stop the most common mistakes.

  • 12 min read
  • Updated August 2026
DC
By Daniel CarterPoker Strategy Editor
Mississippi Stud

Placeholder artwork — drop a photograph in here when you have one.

In This Guide
  1. 01Basic Strategy
  2. 02Starting Hands
  3. 033rd Street
  4. 044th Street
  5. 055th Street
  6. 06Bankroll
  7. 07Mistakes

Why Strategy Matters

Mississippi Stud rewards good decisions more than luck. The ante is fixed, so every choice you make afterwards is what actually moves your long-term result.

A solid strategy lowers the house edge to 4.91% of the ante — about 1.37% of the money you actually put at risk — and protects your bankroll along the way.

6
J
J
Mississippi Stud is simple to learn, but expensive to guess.
The Golden Rule: “Never fold a pair of sixes or better.”
6
6

Starting-Hand Strategy

Raise 3x

Pair of 6s or better, strong made hands.

Raise 1x

Medium pairs, suited connectors, useful draws.

Fold

Weak unpaired cards with little potential.

6
6
Raise 3x
7
9
Raise 1x
4
9
Fold

Count J–A as two points, 6–10 as one, and 2–5 as zero. On the first two cards raise 3x with any pair — even deuces — raise 1x with two or more points, and fold the rest. The one exception is 6-5 suited, which is worth a 1x.

01

3rd Street Decision

Made before any community card is turned over. King-jack is four points — not a pair, so it is worth one unit to see a card, never three.

K
J
Four pointsRaise 1x
02

4th Street Decision

The first community card is a ten. Still no pay, but a queen would now make a straight, so the hand is worth one more unit.

K
J
10
Gutshot drawRaise 1x

Editor’s note: Don’t be afraid to fold medium hands if the board isn’t helping you. Conserving chips is part of winning poker.

03

5th Street Decision

The board pairs your jack. That is a made paying hand, so the holding bet becomes the maximum. When the last card comes the K♠, kings and jacks is two pair — paid 2 to 1 on every chip you have out.

K
J
10
J
Pair of jacksRaise 3x

Test the Strategy

Q
8
Try This Hand

Bankroll Management

50 Antes

Suggested starting bankroll.

1 Unit

Keep the ante consistent.

Stop Limit

Decide before you play.

5 Mistakes to Avoid

  1. 01
    Playing every handYou will lose to the house over time.
  2. 02
    Overusing the 3x raiseSave 3x for strong spots.
  3. 03
    Ignoring pushesTied hands return the ante, not a win.
  4. 04
    Chasing the bonus betPlay for strong hands, not payouts.
  5. 05
    Changing bet size emotionallyStick to your strategy.

Strategy Cheat Sheet

6
6
Raise 3x
7
9
Raise 1x
7
3
Fold
DC
Daniel Carter

Poker analyst focused on table-game maths, strategy and responsible play.

Related Guides

Mississippi Stud FAQ

What is the best Mississippi Stud strategy?

Count points, raise 3x with any pair or a made paying hand, raise 1x to keep a live draw alive, and fold everything else. Correct play never uses the 2x raise.

When should I raise 3x?

With any pair on your first two cards, with any made paying hand later, and with the big draws — three to a royal, strong straight-flush draws, and four to a flush on 5th Street.

What is the house edge?

4.91% of your ante with perfect play. Because the average hand ends up with about 3.59 antes on the table, that is roughly 1.37% of the money you actually wager.

Is the 3-card bonus worth playing?

Its house edge is about 2.14% on this paytable, which is decent for a side bet but still worse per dollar than the base game. Treat it as entertainment, not value.