How to Play Pai Gow Poker
The object of the game is for both of the player's two hands to rank higher than both of the Banker's two hands. Each player at the table is dealt seven cards which he then arranges to make two hands: A two-card hand and a five-card hand. Rankings are based on basic poker rankings. Thus, the highest two-card hand would be two Aces, and the highest five-card hand would be a Royal Flush.
PAI GOW RULES:
- 1. The five-card hand must be higher than the two-card hand.
- 2. It is a "tie" or a "push" when the low hand of a player wins over the low hand of the banker and the high hand of the banker wins over the high hand of the player and vice versa.
- 3. In "push" hands, no money exchanges hands.
- 4. Should one hand rank exactly the "same" as the Banker's hand, this is a tie. The Banker wins all ties.
- 5. Winning hands are paid even money, less a 5% commission. Losing hands lose the money wagered.
- 6. Joker can be used as:
- a. Ace
- b. Any number
- c. to complete a straight
- d. Ace in a flush
- e. to complete a straight flush
- 7. Other cards count as its face value.
- 8. Once the Banker exposes his cards, the players cannot touch theirs.
- 9. A dice cup containing three dice is shaken by the banker /player to determine who receives the first hand. The dealer counts from the Banker's position. The cards will then be placed by the dealer in front of each player (including the dealer) in a clockwise rotation from the starting point indicated by the dice.
