Pai Gow Poker Rules

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Pai Gow poker is a westernized version of the Chinese dominoes game Pai Gow. Players must arrange seven cards into two poker hands – one five-card and one two-card hand, so that each hand beats the dealers corresponding hand.

Game Play

At the beginning of each game you are required to place a wager against the banker, who is represented by the dealer. This amount appears on the betting circle on the table top.

1. Select a chip value of either $1, $5, $10, $25, or $100.
2. Click the betting circle until the number of chips displayed equals the amount you wish to bet.
3. To reduce your bet amount, right-click the betting circle to remove chips. Your bet will be reduced by the amount of the currently selected chip.
4. Click Deal. You and the dealer will each be dealt a hand of seven cards. All of your cards will be face up, but none of the dealer's cards will be face up. No additional cards are dealt.
5. Click Sort. Your hand will be displayed in ascending order.
6. Click two of the seven cards in your hand. These cards make up your low hand, while the remaining five cards become your high hand. Click on a selected card at anytime prior to the split, you are able to make a new selection.
7. Click Split to physically divide the cards into two separate hands. The dealer's cards will be turned face up to determine the winner.

Game Rules

Pai Gow poker uses a one deck shoe. The deck includes one joker. The joker ranks as an ace unless completing a Flush a Straight or a straight flush. Each seven-card hand must be set into two hands, a five-card hand (high hand) and a two-card hand (low hand). The five-card hand must always rank higher than the two-card hand.

You must win both hands to receive a payout. If both of the dealers hands are winners then the house wins.

If your hands are copies of the dealers hands then you lose. All copies go to the dealer.

Any combination of win and loss across both hands results in a push. In this case your bet is returned to you.

Pai Gow Poker Hands

Hand	Example
5 of a Kind	The highest hand in the Pai Gow poker hierarchy includes 4 aces and a joker.
Royal Flush	Consists of the following cards: ten, jack, queen, king, and an ace all of the same suit.
Straight Flush	Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit.
Four of a Kind	Four cards of the same denomination, one in each suit.
Full House	Three cards of one denomination and two cards of another denomination.
Flush	Five cards all of the same suit.
Straight	Five cards in sequence of any suit.
Three of a Kind	Three cards of the same denomination and two unmatched cards.
Two Pairs	Two sets of two cards of the same denomination and any fifth card.
One Pair	Two cards of the same denomination and three unmatched cards.
No Pair	All five cards of different rank and a variety of suits.

Game Payouts

Pai Gow Terms and Lingo