PAI-GOW POKER

Fortune Pai Gow Poker is played with a standard 52-card deck plus one Joker. The Joker can only be used as an Ace or as the fifth card in a straight, flush, straight flush or a royal flush.

After you receive your seven cards, you must split them into two hands, a five-card band and a two-card hand. The five-card hand must always rank higher than the two-card hand. The object of the game is to have your high hand beat the dealer´s second hand. Each five-card hand is ranked according to the standard poker hand hierarchy. Remember that because of the Jocker, you have the potential to have five Aces, which beats a royal flush. Your two-card hand can either be a pair or no pair, therefore, your highest possible two-card hand would be a pair of Aces.

Payoff
You must win both hands outright to receive a payout. The house wins if both of the dealer´s hands are winners, or if one hand wins and the other hand is a draw. Any other combination results in a push. There is a 5% commission in all player wins. All winning wagers are paid out at even money (1 to 1)

Hand Arrangements
1- The players arrange their cards in two separate hands, the back hand (high) has five cards, the front hand (low, or second highest) has two cards. Cards are set according to poker rankings.
2- A player winning both front hand (low) and back hands (high) wins.
3- A player winning either front hand (low) or back hands (high) ties (push).
4- A player losing both front hand (low) and back hands (high) loses their wager.
5- The dealer must set his hand the house way as shown below.

Pai Gow Poker House Way
No Pair Rule: Place highest card in high hand, next two highest cards in low hand.
One Pair Rule: Place pair in high hand, next two highest cards in low hand.
Two Pair Rule: Pairs will be broken into three groups (when spliting always play the lowest pair in the low hand).

Low pair	----------------------------	2´s thourh 6´s
Medium pair	----------------------------	2´s thourh 6´s
High pair	----------------------------	Jacks through Kings
Low pair and low pair	----------------------------	Split unless holding an Ace or King, then play two pair in high hand
Low pair and medium pair	----------------------------	Split unless holding an Ace or King, then play two pair in high hand.
Medium pair and medium pair	----------------------------	Split unless holding an Ace, then play two pair in high hand
Medium pair and high pair	----------------------------	Always split
High pair and high pair	----------------------------	Always split
Aces plus a pair	----------------------------	Always split

 

Three Pair Rule: Always play highest pair as the low hand.

Three of a king Rule: Always keep toghether UNLESS ACES, then play pair in high hand, one Ace in low hand.

Three of a Kind: Break the higher three of a kind, use the higher pair for the low hand and the three of a kind in the high hand.

Straights and Flushes:
Wiith No Pair
- When having a six-card straight, play the highest card of the straight in the low hand.
- When having a choise to play a straight, a flush or a straight flush, play the one that allows the highest two cards to be played in the low hand.
With One Pair
- Play the pair in the low hand only if a straight, flush or straight flush can be preserved in the high hand.
Exception #1: When having an Ace or Joker and a pair of 10´s Jacks, Queens or Kings always play the Ace or Joker in the low hand, Play the straight flush or straight flush in the high hand if it is still possible, if not play the pair.
Exception #2: When having a straight or straight flush wich is Ace high and includes a Joker, play (king-nine) or (Queen-eight) straight in the high hand. If that is not possible, play the Ace and Joker in the high hand and the next two highest cards in the low hand.

With two pair	----------------------------	Use the two pair rule
With three pair	----------------------------	Use three pair rule
With three of a Kind	----------------------------	Play pair in low hand
With full house	----------------------------	Use full house rule
Full House:
Three of a kind	----------------------------	Always split and play pair in low hand
Three of a kind and two pair	----------------------------	Play highest of the pairs in low hand
Four of a Kind:
2´s throught 6´s	----------------------------	Never split, play in high hand
7´s throught 10´s	----------------------------	Split unless a King or beter can be played on low hand.
Jacks through king	----------------------------	Always split unless and Ace can be played.
Aces	----------------------------	Always split.

Four of a kind with a Pair or Three of a Kind: Play pair in low hand.

Five Aces: Always split and play two Aces in low hand.
Exception: When having five Aces and a pair of Kings, play the kings in the low hand and the Aces in the high hand.