Pai Gow Poker

HOW TO PLAY:

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, plus one Joker.  The Joker can only be used as an Ace, or to complete a Straight, a Flush or a Straight Flush.

Each Player, including the Dealer, gets seven cards and must make two poker hands out of these: a two-card “low hand” and a five-card ‘high hand”.

The Player is solely responsible for ensuring that his high hand is better than his low hand.

• The game begins with Player placing their bets on the table.
• The Dealer shakes the dice to determine where the deal begins.
• There are six spots for Players on the table, with the Dealer as the seventh. Cards are dealt face down to all seven spots. The remaining four cards are discarded.
• If there are unoccupied player spots, the Dealer takes the cards from these and places them in the discard pile.
• All players, except the Dealer, look at their cards and set up their high hands and low hands.
• After arranging their cards, the Players put their hands face down on the table.
• The Dealer exposes his cards and sets up his own high hand and a low hand. The Players may not touch their cards at this point.
• All the Players’ hands are exposed. The Dealer’s hands are compared to those of each Player to determine the winner.
• The Player wins even money, less 5% commission, if both his hands are higher than the Dealer’s.
• If the Dealer wins one hand and the Player wins the other, it’s a tie, or a “push”. The Player’s bet is returned.
• If the Dealer’s two hands are higher than the Player’s, the Player loses and the Dealer collects his bet.
• If either hand is tied, the Dealer’s hand is considered higher.
• Players may also bet on the Progressive Jackpot. Different jackpot hands have different payouts.