Sim Royale

Home/Mississippi Stud/Guide

Strategy guide

Four pages, one sheet: a lite version that's easy to memorize, and full optimal strategy for every street. Strategy by Joseph Kisenwether via the Wizard of Odds, standard pay table.

Every table below takes the first rule that fits, top to bottom. Never bet $20.

Step 1
Ante $10
See your 2 hole cards, then decide.
Total in: $10
Step 2
3rd street
Fold, or bet $10 or $30. Card 1 flips.
Total in: $20 to $40
Step 3
4th street
Fold, or bet $10 or $30. Card 2 flips.
Total in: $30 to $70
Step 4
5th street
Fold, or bet $10 or $30. Card 3 flips.
Total in: $40 to $100

Page 1 of 4

Lite strategy

Thirteen rules instead of twenty. Simpler to learn, and it gives up almost nothing: the lite sheet runs a 5.06% house edge against 4.91% for full optimal play — about 74 cents an hour of difference at a $10 ante.

House edge
Average hour
Lite
5.06%
−$25.31
Optimal
4.91%
−$24.57
One hour of play — 50 hands, $10 ante
Running hot · top 10%
+$540 or better
avg +$1,180
Typical hour · middle 80%
−$590 to +$540
median −$110
Running cold · bottom 10%
−$590 or worse
avg −$730

3M simulated hours, lite strategy shown; optimal play is within $10 of these figures. 39% of simulated hours end ahead.

How points work

Add up every card you hold. Take the first street rule that fits.

3rd street · 2 cards

4th street · 3 cards

5th street · 4 cards

Lite drops four thin plays that optimal keeps: 6-5 suited on 3rd street, three-card straights and straight-flush gap draws on 4th, and three mid cards on 5th. Everything else is identical to full optimal strategy.

Page 2 of 4 · optimal strategy

3rd street

Game theory optimal

Two cards, and you've already bet the $10 ante. Add up your points — 2 to 5 is worth 0, 6 to 10 is worth 1, J to A is worth 2.

In = ante plus every bet so far, playing the hand out by this sheet. EV = exact average profit for that hand. Lose includes folding on a later street.

Page 3 of 4 · optimal strategy

4th street

Game theory optimal

Three cards — one community card is showing. Win = pair of Jacks or better. Push = pair of 6s to 10s.

In = ante plus every bet so far, playing the hand out by this sheet. EV = exact average profit for that hand. Lose includes folding on a later street.

Page 4 of 4 · optimal strategy

5th street

Game theory optimal

Four cards — two community cards are showing, one card left. This is the last decision of the hand.

In = ante plus every bet so far, playing the hand out by this sheet. EV = exact average profit for that hand. Lose includes folding on a later street.