Criss Cross Poker is an extension of a famous stud-based table game known as Mississippi Stud. In that game, gamblers begin with two hole cards and try to develop using 3 community cards, but in Criss Cross Poker, the community card sum increases to five so, you can also call it a Criss Cross card game.

The name comes from the particular “cross-like” pattern formed by fitting the five community cards up and down, in addition to right and left.

Like all stud-based table game alternatives, Criss Cross Poker competes in a crowded marketplace, but it seems to be gaining widespread traction. With unique casino properties like the Bally’s and Borgata in Atlantic City now offering the game on a full-time basis, odds are Criss Cross Poker will become a great offering on most table game menus.

History of Criss Cross Poker

The U.S. Patent’s purpose to protect a hybrid table game concept known as Criss Cross Poker was filed by game inventor Ronald Deluca in February 2014.

Laduca, who also designed other table games like Super 4 Progressive Blackjack and Double Draw Poker, launched his casino game design firm, In Bet Gaming, to help sell his ideas.

In September 2014, Laduca and In-Bet Gaming decided to license Criss Cross Poker to major casino game manufacturer American Gaming Systems, which debuted the game at that year’s Global Gaming Expo. Since then, Criss Cross Poker has secured a few installations in casinos located across the country, including Nevada, Las Vegas, and New Jersey, Atlantic City, in addition to the state of Washington DC.

Criss Cross Poker Layout

The layout of Criss Cross Poker typically consists of two betting areas for each player: the Ante and the Super Bonus. The dealer also has two betting areas for the community cards: the Cross and the Down.

The Cross betting area is located in the center of the table and has five community cards placed in a cross formation. The Down betting area is located below the Cross area and contains an additional two community cards.

Each player has two betting areas in front of them: the Ante and the Super Bonus. The Ante betting area is where players place their initial bet before the cards are dealt. The Super Bonus betting area is where players can make an additional bet based on the strength of their hand.

Overall, the layout of Criss Cross Poker is similar to other poker-style table games, with the addition of the Cross and Down betting areas for the community cards.

How to Play Criss Cross Poker?

As the name says, Criss Cross Poker is a poker-based game, which means the official ranking system used to check poker hands will be changed.

Hold ’em Poker Hand Rankings

Take a look down to see how poker hands stack up:

• Royal Flush – Straight (AKQJ10) in the same suit.
• Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards in the same suit.
• Four of a Kind – Four cards of the same rank.
• Full House – Three of a Kind AND One Pair.
• Flush – Five cards of the same suit.
• Straight – Five cards in sequential order.
• Three of a Kind – 3 cards of the same rank.
• Two Pair – Two pairs of the same card.
• One Pair – Two cards of the same rank.
• High Card – No pair; the highest card is the rank of the hand.

Playing Criss Cross Game

#1 – The game begins when players put up two necessary bets: the Ante Across Bet and the Ante Down Bet. These bets must be an equal amount.

Here, players may choose to put up an optional side bet known as the Five Card Bonus Bet.

#2 – After all players have presented their Ante bets, the dealer will then share two cards face down to each player, with 5 community cards in the so-called cross pattern.

This is nothing more than three cards lined up horizontally, along with 1 card each on the bottom and top of the middle card, forming a straight “line” through the other three cards forming a cross.

#3 – You’ll be joining your two hole cards with the 3 cards’ horizontal line to form your “Across hand” and the 3 cards’ vertical line to build your “Down hand.”

#4 – After building up your two-hole cards, the first player decision point has arrived: Fold or make the Across Bet.

• When you fold, you quit the hand right then and there, abandoning both of your Ante bets to the house.
• When you choose to make the Across Bet, you’ll need to add Across Bet equal to either 1x, 2x, or 3x your initial Ante Across Bet.

After you have put up the Across bet, the dealer will disclose the two outside cards belonging to the horizontal line.

#5 – Next, you repeat this wagering method for the Down Bet, either putting up or folding an additional wager of 1x, 2x, or 3x your initial Ante Down Bet.

The dealer now will turn over the two outside cards on the vertical line, leaving only the center “hub” card set facing down.

#6 – Next, for the last player decision, you must choose between folding or making one previous Middle Bet (again, equal to 1x, 2x, or 3x the size of your Ante bet).

The dealer will then unveil the middle card to complete the cross of community cards. Another poker game category is Video Poker and we have written details about it in our Guides To Games section.

Criss Cross Poker Odds

Criss Cross Poker is a casino game that offers relatively favorable odds to players, especially compared to other poker-style table games. For example, with an average of around 70 hands per hour, a player betting $20 on their initial antes can expect to lose approximately $60 per hour. This places the game’s cost in line with many other table games and is roughly equivalent to a nice dinner for two in Las Vegas.

If a player could choose which of two hands to bet on based on the first community card reveal, the house edge would be significantly reduced to around 2.16%. This would make the game one of the best-odds games available in any casino, although it would likely result in lower profits for the casino itself.

Overall, Criss Cross Poker is a game that offers reasonable odds to players, making it a popular choice for those looking to gamble in a casino setting. While the house edge can vary depending on the their & criss cross poker rules and circumstances of the game, it remains a relatively good option for those looking for a fun and engaging gaming experience.

Criss Cross Poker Strategy to Win the Game

• First, players should nevermore make the 2x bet, which is made available on the Across, Down, and Middle stakes. Instead, gamblers should always bet either 1x or 3x when proceeding, or they should fold.
• On about 4.5% of hands, you’ll make the 1x minimum Bet for the Across Bet and the Down Bet before folding the Middle Bet.
• Players should follow the same global guidelines as the Across bet while trying to factor in the Down Bet’s newly exposed cards. When these cards raise your hand or give it the potential to improve, you should increase the maximum.
• With all other hole cards, gamblers should make the 1x least Across Bet.
• For the Middle Bet, gamblers now have access to four of the five community cards. If you have already put up a 3x maximum bet on either the Down Bet or the Across Bet, you should never fold the Middle Bet.
• For the Across bet, gamblers should fold only when their two-hole cards are unpaired, unsuited, and the highest card ranks five or lower. Gamblers should only make the 3x maximum Across Bet when holding a suited Q J or any pair.

Criss Cross Poker Payouts

Criss Cross Poker is a popular casino poker game that allows players to make multiple bets and win hefty payouts. There are several different types of payouts available in this game:

1. Winning Across and Down Hands: The payouts for winning across and down hands are determined by the paytable. This means that the payout will depend on the rank of the player’s hand, with stronger hands paying out more than weaker hands.
2. Middle Bet Payouts: Besides the across and down bets, a middle bet is also available in Criss Cross Poker. This bet pays out if either the across or down bet qualifies as a win & is paid at the odds of the top-ranking hand. For example, if the player’s across hand is flush, their down hand is a pair of jacks, and the dealer’s corresponding hands are weaker than the player’s hands, then the middle bet will be paid out as per the odds of a flush.
3. Push Scenarios: Sometimes, the player’s bets may result in a push, meaning they neither win nor lose that particular bet. If the cross bet is a push & the down bet loses, then the middle bet is also a push. Similarly, if the across bet loses & the down bet is a push, then the middle bet is also a push. If both the across and down bets push, then the middle bet is also a push.
4. Ante Bet Payouts: Finally, two ante bets in Criss Cross Poker are paid out even money on qualifying hands. A qualifying hand is called any of the paying bets, which means that the player must have minimum pair of jacks or better to receive a payout on their ante bets.

Criss Cross Poker offers various payouts and betting options, making it an exciting and engaging game for players of all skill levels.

Criss Cross Poker App or Online Casinos

Criss Cross Poker is a popular poker variant that has gained traction in the gambling industry. AGS (American Gaming Systems), a prominent player in the gaming industry, has developed the Criss Cross Poker game and has made it available in land-based casinos. However, at present, AGS has not licensed the game for online poker sites.

Despite not being available on online platforms, AGS is continually expanding its reach in the industry. They may choose to license Criss Cross Poker for online poker sites. AGS may consider different options and strategies to expand its reach, including licensing the game to online casinos.
Currently, only a few free Criss Cross Poker apps are available, making it challenging to play Criss Cross Poker online on mobile devices. However, interested players can still enjoy the game by checking out 888 Casino, Bovada Casino, BetOnline Casino, Ignition Casino, Wild Casino, and DuckyLuck Casino sites that offer Poker. These sites are a good option for those who want to play Poker without visiting a land-based casino.

Conclusion

Criss Cross Casino is a poker-based table game invented by Ronald Deluca and licensed to American Gaming Systems in 2014. The game is an extension of Mississippi Stud and is gaining popularity in the crowded marketplace of table games. The game follows a unique pattern of community cards that forms a cross, and players must form two poker hands, one horizontal and one vertical, using their two-hole cards and the five community cards. The game offers reasonable odds to players and requires a basic understanding of poker hand rankings. Although there is no guaranteed strategy to win the game, players are advised not to make the 2x bet, which is made available on the Across, Down, or Middle bets. With its unique gameplay and reasonable odds, Criss Cross Poker is likely to become a popular offering on most casino table game menus.