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PAI GOW POKER
Description and Objective
Pai Gow Poker is a card game played with a 53-card deck consisting of a standard
deck of 52 cards plus one Joker. In this version of Pai Gow Poker, the banker
(or house) always plays as the dealer and covers all bets, and the player only
competes against the dealer. The player receives seven cards, which must then be
“set” or split into two poker hands: a five-card hand and a two-card hand. Once
split, the player’s two hands are compared with the dealer’s two hands to
determine the winner.
The bank pays the winner—minus a 5% commission—and the game ends. The commission
is 5% of the bet and is rounded up to the next quarter. For example, a minimum
bet of $6 would be a commission of 50 cents. (5% of $6 = 30 cents, but since the
commission is rounded up to the next 25 cents; the commission is actually 50
cents. 5% of $11 = 55 cents, which makes the actual commission 75 cents.)
Game Play
The Deal
For each game, the dealer shuffles the deck and deals out seven cards into each
hand—the dealer’s cards remain unknown. The player must then “set” or split
their seven cards into two poker hands: a five-card hand and a two-card hand.
Splitting cards and rules on the Joker
Pai Gow Poker places only one restriction upon splitting the initial seven
cards: the five-card hand must have a higher poker rank than the two-card hand.
The only other twist during the game is how to play the Joker. The Joker can be
used to complete a five-card flush, straight, or straight flush. Otherwise, the
Joker counts as an ace.
Ranking the Hands
The hands are ranked according to standard poker rules with one exception: the
Ace-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight. Straights rank, from
highest to lowest: Ace-K-Q-J-10, Ace-2-3-4-5, K-Q-J-10-9 … 6-5-4-3-2. Also, keep
in mind that the best two-card hand is a pair of aces; the two-card hand cannot
have a flush (since a flush requires five cards).
Hand Name
Description
Example
Five of a Kind
4 aces plus the Joker
AS, AH, AD, AC, Joker
Royal Flush
10, J, Q, K, A of same suit
10H, JH, QH, KH, AH
Straight Flush
In sequence, 5 cards of same suit
3S, 4S, 5S, 6S, 7S
Four of a Kind
4 cards of same rank
6D, 6S, 6C, 6H
Full House
3 of a kind, plus a pair
2H, 2D, 2S, 3H, 3S
Flush
5 cards of same suit
2D, 4D, 6D, 8D, 9D,
Straight
5 cards in sequence
3H, 4C, 5H, 6S, 7D
Three of a Kind
3 cards of same rank
7H, 7S, 7D
Two Pair
2 pairs of different rank
4H, 4S, 6D, 6S
One Pair
1 pair (2 cards) of same rank
KD, KH
High Card
5 cards of different ranks and suits
AH, KS, 10D, 5C, 2
Determining the Winner
The player’s two hands are compared with the dealer’s two hands to determine the
winner. If both the player’s five-card hand and two-card hand has a higher poker
rank than both the dealer’s hands (5 cards and 2 cards), the player wins. If
both of the dealer’s hands beat both of the player’s hands, the dealer wins. If
either the player or the dealer wins only one of the two hands, the game is a
push and neither the dealer nor the player wins. When either the five-card hands
or the two-card hands rank exactly the same, the equal hands are called “copies”
of each other. The dealer wins all copy hands. For example, if the player beats
the dealer in the five-card hand but copies the dealer with the two-card hand,
the game is a push.
The Payout
When the player’s two hands beat the dealer’s two hands, the player wins an
amount equal to the original bet minus a 5% commission. The commission is 5% of
the bet and is rounded up to the next quarter as described above.
Back To Top
Button Descriptions
Deal
Clicking on the deal button after placing the initial bet starts a new game.
Split
Click on two cards to select them.
To better see all possible ways to split the initial seven cards, re-arrange the
hand by dragging cards to different locations. Automatically, cards are
initially sorted from highest to lowest.
After selecting two cards to place into the two-card hand, clicking the split
button arranges the seven cards into two hands—a five-card hand and a two-card
hand—and continues the game.
Pai Gow Poker Differences – Physical vs. Online
Physical:
Players may play more than one hand when sitting at a Pai Gow table with fewer
players than hands. The extra hands are called “dragon” hands.
Online:
The player may play only one hand; dragon hands are not supported.
Physical:
A player may choose to be the banker and must cover all winning bets.
Online:
The dealer is always the banker.
Physical:
Splitting the seven-card hand incorrectly so the two-card hand has a higher
poker rank than the five-card hand forfeits the game.
Online:
The player may re-split the hand. The game only continues when the five-card
hand has a higher poker rank than the two-card hand.
Physical:
The player can ask the house for help when deciding how to split the hand. The
house would then show how it would split the hand.
Online:
The online version does not support asking the house for help.
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