Pai Gow Poker Cards
Pai Gow poker is played with a standard English deck of 52 cards plus the joker, or bug. The joker can only be used as an ace or a card that completes a straight or flush. Players and the dealer receive seven cards they place into two hands: five cards and two cards. The five-card hand must be of a higher total rank than the two-card hand. Playing Pai Gow Poker Generally speaking, a good Pai Gow Poker game will have six players and a dealer with each being dealt seven cards from the 53-card deck including the joker that can be used to substitute in the making of a straight, or any suit to complete a flush.
How to play
Face Up Pai Gow Poker is played with a standard 52 card deck, including a Joker, for a total of 53 cards.
The rank of each card used in Face up Pai Gow Poker, in order of highest to lowest rank, shall be: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Ace also may play as the lowest card in the straight Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5. The Joker may be used as any type of card to complete a straight, flush, straight flush, or must otherwise only be used as an Ace.
The hand rankings for the game of Face Up Pai Gow Poker, in order of highest to lowest are as follows:
7 Card Straight Flush (no Joker) A hand that consists of seven cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking that does not utilize a joker. An ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, and 8 is the highest ranked 7 card Straight Flush (No Joker) hand and a 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and ace is the lowest ranked 7 Card Straight Flush (No Joker) hand.
Royal Flush + Royal Match A hand that consists of ace, king, queen, jack, and 10 suited and king and queen suited
7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) A hand that consists of seven cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking that utilizes a joker. An ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, and 8 is the highest ranked 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) hand, with one of those cards being substituted with a joker, and a 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and ace is the lowest ranked 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) hand, with one of those cards being substituted for a joker.
Five Aces A hand that consists of five cards containing all aces
Royal Flush A hand that consists of an ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of the same suit
Straight Flush A hand that consists of five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking. A king, queen, jack, 10, and 9 is the highest ranked Straight Flush and a 5, 4, 3, 2, and ace is the lowest ranked Straight Flush.
Four of a Kind A hand that consists of four cards of the same rank. Four aces is the highest ranked Four of a Kind and four 2’s is the lowest ranked Four of a Kind
Full House A hand that consists of a Three of a Kind and a Pair. Three aces and two kings is the highest ranked Full House and three 2’s and two 3’s is the lowest ranked Full House
Flush A hand that consists of five cards of the same suit, but that are not in consecutive ranking. An ace, king, queen, jack and 9 is the highest ranked Flush and a 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 is the lowest ranked Flush.
Straight A hand that consists of five cards that are in consecutive ranking, but that are not the same suit. An ace, king, queen, jack and 10 is the highest ranked Straight and a 5, 4, 3, 2 and ace is the lowest ranked Straight.
Three of a Kind A hand that consists of three cards of the same rank. Three aces is the highest ranked Three of a Kind and three 2’s is the lowest ranked Three of a Kind.
Two Pairs A hand that consists of two pairs. Two aces and Two kings is the highest ranked Two Pairs and two 3’s and two 2’s is the lowest ranked Two Pairs
One Pair A hand that consists of two cards of the same rank. Two aces is the highest ranked Pair and two 2’s is the lowest ranked Pair.
High Card A hand that consists of five cards that do not make any of the hands listed above. An ace, king, queen, jack, and 9 is the highest ranked High Card hand and 7, 5, 4, 3, and 2 is the lowest ranked High Card hand.
Face Up Pai Gow Poker is played on a table which seats a maximum of seven players.
Players may place wagers bearing in mind the posted table minimum and maximum. Players must make a Face Up Pai Gow Poker game wager and will then have the option to make a Fortune Bonus Bet wager and/or an Ace High Pai Gow Wager as well.
Each player puts up any bets they wish to place for the next hand. Players have the option of placing a Fortune Bonus Bet wager and/or an Ace High Pai Gow wager at this time as well. The cardroom dealer will then follow the dealing procedures and standards of play, as described above.
The Designated Player’s hand will be set by the dealer before players look at their hands. The Dealer will set the hand according to the House Way.
Then each player shall set their hands by arranging the seven cards into a two card hand and a five card hand. The two card hand is placed above the five card hand, and the five card hand must rank higher than the two card hand, according to the ranking of hands.
If the designated players hand is incorrectly set it must be corrected to the listed House Way.
No Pair The second and third high cards will be placed in the Low hand; the highest and all remaining cards will be placed in the High Hand.
One Pair Use the highest two single cards in the Low Hand; place the pair and all remaining cards in the High Hand.
Two Pairs If high pair is Aces, Kings, Queens – always split. If high pair is Jacks, 10’s, 9’s, - split unless Ace is front. If high pair is 8’s, 7’s, 6’s – split unless King is front. If high pair is 5’s, 4’s, 3’s – split unless Queen in front.Three Pairs Put highest pair in front.
Three of a kind If Aces – always split. If Kings and below – never split. If two sets of three of a kind – split highest set.
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Straight, Flush, Straight Flush With no pair – always play the complete hand. With one pair – always play the complete hand. With two pairs – play according to two pairs strategy. With three of a kind – play complete hand in back, pair in front. If straight, flush, and/or straight flush – put the two highest cards in front that will leave any complete hand behind.
Full House Put the highest permissible pair in front.
Four of a kind If Aces, Kings, Queens – always split. If Jacks, 10’s, 9’s – split unless King in front. If 8’s, 7’s, 6’s – split unless Queen in front. If 5’s and below – never split. If 4 of a kind with a pair – play complete hand behind.
Five Aces Put pair of Aces in Front.
Once the Player’s hands are set, each player’s hand is exposed, in turn, and compared to the Designated Player’s hands to determine the winners, losers, or tie hands.
If the Designated Player’s hand is an Ace High Pai Gow (no pair or better with a high card Ace) only, the Face Up wager is an automatic push.
The Ace High Pai Gow Wager is paid out according to the Ace High Pai Gow Pay Table if the Designated Player makes an Ace High Pai Gow, the player has placed a wager on the Ace High Pai Gow wager circle and the players hand beats the Designated players.
Each Player’s five card hand will be compared to the Designated player’s five card hand, and each player’s two card hand will be compared to the Designated Player’s two card hand, in turn, starting with the “Action” button, to determine the winner according to the following criteria:
Pai Gow Poker Cards
- The Face Up Gow Poker game wager wins if the two card hand and the five card hand held by the player ranks higher than the Designated Player’s two card hand and five card hand. Winning Fortune Pai Gow Poker game wagers are paid 1 to 1.
- The Fortune Pai Gow Poker game wager loses if the two card hand and the five card hand held by the player ranks lower than the Designated Player’s two card hand and five card hand.
- The Fortune Pai Gow Poker game wager “pushes” if one of the hands held by the player ranks higher than the Designated Player’s corresponding hand, and the player’s other hand ranks lower than the Designated Player’s corresponding hand. In this case, neither the player nor the Designated Player wins or loses; the wager is a “push” and is returned to the player.
- If one hand is identical in rank to the Designated Player’s hand, it is a “copy hand.” The Designated Player wins all “copy hands.” The pai gow wager will push should the Players hand contain a “copy hand” and a subsequent winning hand. The pai gow wager shall lose when the players hand contains a “copy hand” and a subsequent losing hand.
- Players are allowed to play multiple consecutive betting spots in the blind and will have these hands set according to house way by the dealer. *The house reserves the right to limit players to one betting spot.
The Fortune Bonus bet considers the best hand possible among the player’s seven cards and does not take into consideration how the five card hand and two card hand were divided. The hand ranking for the Fortune Bonus bet will coincide with the bonus pay table.
The Designated Player position rotation is offered in a clockwise motion every hand among all eligible Designated Players. Players will notify a staff member if they choose to be a Designated Player.
The Joker can be used as an ace, or to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush on the Fortune Bonus Bet.
The Designated Player pays qualifying Fortune Bonus Bet wagers from his or her own chip stack only if the Designated Player’s seven card Fortune Pai Gow Bonus hand loses to the player’s seven card Fortune Pai Gow Bonus hand. A players Fortune Bonus Wager is a loss if their seven-card hand does not beat the designated players hand. Wagers are collected or paid starting at the action button, to the extent that the Designated Player’s wager covers. Once the Designated Player’s wager has been exhausted, or the table maximum payout has been reached, the wagers not covered by the Designated Player shall be returned to the respective players. Fortune Bonus Bet will have a max aggregated payout of $50,000 per betting spot per hand.
Ace High Pai Gow Wager:
- Designated Player – Ace High Pai Gow (no Joker) – 5 to 1
- Designated Player – Ace High Pai Gow (with Joker) – 15 to 1
- Designated Player & Player both have Ace High Pai Gow -40 to1
- Fortune Bonus Bet Pay Table Hand Payout:
- 7 Card Straight Flush - 5,000 to 1
- Royal Flush + Royal Match - 2,000 to 1
- 7 Card Straight Flush with Joker -1,000 to 1
- 5 Aces - 400 to 1 • Royal Flush - 150 to 1
- Straight Flush - 50 to 1
- 4 of a Kind - 25 to 1
- Full House - 5 to 1
- Flush - 4 to 1
- 3 of a Kind - 3 to 1
- Straight - 2 to 1
Pai Gow Poker Cards Game
The action button will rotate clockwise per hand.
Rake is collected before cards are dealt. It is paid by the Designated Player, at a rate determined by the cardroom and posted at the table.
The Action Button will signify the starting point for ALL action. Action is defined as the first spot to receive cards, first player cards are pushed too, and first hand to be compared against the Designated Player’s hand. When playing multiple hands, a player may only handle the first cards pushed towards him/her. All other hands must be in consecutive/adjacent betting spots and must be set “house way” by the dealer.
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Last Updated 9/21/2020 – Please see host for current rules and listing. The rules listed at the host will always be the most current and up to date version of these rules.