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Table Games Mississippi Stud - good starting point?

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by LV_Bound, Mar 13, 2014.

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  1. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Would like to get the wife to play some table games and was checking out Mississippi Stud. Thought this would be a good starting point mostly because she can focus only on her cards and not have to make a decision based on what the dealer may have.

    Also, I have played Texas Hold’em Bonus and it sucks getting a good hand only to be beat by the dealer. Mississippi Stud seems to avoid that issue.

    Any pros/cons of Mississippi Stud vs or Texas Hold’em Bonus?
     
  2. touche22

    touche22 Low-Roller

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    Mississippi is tough.
    Better to play the extra bonus let it ride at PH. We had a blast when playing it. Or have you played this already and not like?
     
  3. sindustry

    sindustry VIP Whale

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    Mississippi is an extremely high variance game. You will lose 20 hands in a row just to make it back on the next hand. You can try it to see if you like it, but I would suggest you read up on the betting strategy from wizardofodds.com or discountgambling.net
     
  4. gpenguins67

    gpenguins67 High-Roller

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    Yeah I agree. You need to have deep pockets to make sure you can do the 3x bets when you actually do have those good hand. You may get lucky and hit a few good hands in the beginning, but more than likely she is gonna take a beating with losing or break even hands.
    Like Touche suggested I would go with let it ride. Its just your hand combined with the dealers to make a hand.
    Or I would do 3 card poker. Even though you are playing against the dealers hand, the pair plus gets paid out whether you beat the dealer or not
     
  5. burdog

    burdog Low-Roller

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    For me the best starting point for Miss. Stud is at the other end of the casino. LOL. I have played it 5 times and my standard $100 buyin for a $5 table has never lasted more than an hour. I know 100 isn't much of a buyin but I'm a low roller. I did talk my wife into playing it and even though she busted out too, she absolutely loved it. Like most tables, fun game WITH good table mates and dealer.
     
  6. gpenguins67

    gpenguins67 High-Roller

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    really, you played an hour on $100? I bought in for $300 playing $10 min bet and had to go into my pocket for another $200... and I was there for 30 minutes max.
     
  7. grosx2

    grosx2 Have fun storming the castle!

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    MS stud is probably the most volatile of the table games, and also has a moderately difficult strategy, with several decision points. This game crushes me everytime I play it. The hold 'em games (ultimate and bonus) have better odds and lower volatility, but the strategies are even more complex.

    For a beginner, I would recommend 3 card poker. Strategy is super easy; raise with Q64 or better, otherwise fold. Dealer's cards matter on whether you get paid on the ante bet, but they do not affect your decision. The only thing a beginner has to worry about is throwing away a straight or flush that the player doesn't realize they have (this is most common with unsuited, low card straights that are out of order). Dealers are usually happy to help new players, and will let you help her as well. From 3 card, she can graduate to crazy 4 poker, which I think is more fun. It has a similarly easy strategy (play with KQ84 or better), but there's an additional bet and the option to triple your ante if you have aces or better.

    Other games that would be good for a beginner are let it ride and pai gow. I'm personally not a big fan of these games, but they are slow paced, not very volatile, and easy to learn.
     
  8. sindustry

    sindustry VIP Whale

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    The funnest carnival game I have played lately is High Card Flush...played it at PH and Harrah's.
     
  9. grosx2

    grosx2 Have fun storming the castle!

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    I tried that at PH last summer....wasn't a fan. But it could be good for beginners, as the strategy is simple. Not sure how widespread it is yet.

    To the OP, the main things you want to avoid when trying to turn someone on to table games are high volatility (MS stud) and complex strategy (hold em bonus). A newbie will lose interest quickly if they usually lose their money in a hurry (volatile) or struggle with decision-making (complex strategy). As I said before, I think 3 card is your best bet.
     
  10. WrongWayWade

    WrongWayWade VIP Whale

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    It's quite easy to lose 15 or 20 hands in a row, (many of them initial folds, of course) at Mississippi Stud. It's a great game to get frustrated at. The way you win is fold a ton of bad hands and then get lucky with a couple big hands. If you can't get better than a pair, you're going to be a big loser. The strategy isn't that hard. But remember, a $5 MS stud game means a lot of your hands you'll end up wagering $20 and still lose.

    3-Card Poker is probably the ticket; the strategy is trivial, but it's still pretty good action and can keep her interested. And she'll win her fair share of hands, so no horrendous streaks of losses like MS. The edge sucks on the main game and the bonus (please don't play the 6-card bonus, a huge ripoff), but just knowing Q64 and she can't play it badly.

    Ultimate Texas Hold'em is my favorite carnival game now, but the proper strategy takes a fair amount of work to master.
     
  11. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Echoing what others have said, MS stud may be one of the worst choices.

    grosx2, high card flush had been spreading. It's in a handful of places now. LV sun article from last month:

    "High Card Flush can be found at Binion’s, Flamingo, Four Queens, Green Valley Ranch Resort, Harrah’s, Harrah’s Laughlin, M Resort, Planet Hollywood, Red Rock Resort and Sunset Station."

    Yeah, but the wizard's "simple strategy" isn't too bad. It keeps the house edge under 3% of an ante.

    http://wizardofodds.com/games/ultimate-texas-hold-em/
     
  12. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Thanks for the replies.
    The responses definitely took me by surprise as I was not aware it was that much of a volatile game.
    Glad I posted because my wife is the type of person who would get frustrated and easily turned off and probably end up avoiding all table games.

    Looks like I will go back to pushing her toward black jack which is what she really enjoys but won't play because there is always that know it all BJ player at the table losing money and looking for someone to blame.
     
  13. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    Please don't let those kind of jerks keep her from playing!
    I will point out that, at lower-limit tables, there seems to be fewer of them (jerks) downtown than on the strip - at least in my experience.

    Most casinos will let you (or her) have a 'basic strategy' card on the table. When some smart-ass tells y'all that you made the "wrong play", just flash the card at them and say, "Well, I tend to stick with basic strategy. sorry if that bugs you." -or- "I play 'by-the-book'. Doesn't mean you have to, but that was the correct play."

    Note: If you can convince her to give it a try, find a table with the first two seats open. Have her sit at 1st and you sit next to her. Her hand will be first, and you'll be able to help her (if she needs it). Also, the 'grief-factor' should be minimal or non-existent at that spot.

    Good luck!
    :beer:
     
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