Game Basics
- From a 53 card deck containing 1 joker, seven cards are dealt to seven hands. The extra 4 cards are counted and put aside.
- Each seven card hand is divided into a two-card hand and a five-card hand. The five-card hand must have a higher poker rank than the two-card hand.
- A hand set with the two-card hand stronger than the five-card hand is a “foul hand” and automatically loses.
- One pair is the best possible two-card hand; straights and flushes must contain five cards.
- Each player’s front hand (two-cards) is compared to the bank’s front hand. Their back hand (five-cards) is compared to the bank’s back hand:
- Win: If both of the player’s hands rank higher than the bank’s, the player wins.
- Lose: If both of the player’s hands rank lower than the bank’s, the player loses.
- Push: If one hand ranks higher and the other ranks lower, the player keeps their money.
- Copy-Lose: When the player’s cards are the same rank as the bank’s cards, the player loses. In order for a copy-lose to apply in the back-hand all FIVE cards must copy.
- Kickers: If only part of a hand copies, the next highest card, or the “kicker”, determines the winning hand. The highest possible kicker is an Ace.
- The cards in a straight or flush are also known as kickers. A flush with an Ace kicker ranks higher than a flush with a King kicker, etc.
- The cards in a straight or flush are also known as kickers. A flush with an Ace kicker ranks higher than a flush with a King kicker, etc.
- Kickers: If only part of a hand copies, the next highest card, or the “kicker”, determines the winning hand. The highest possible kicker is an Ace.
- Joker: Joker: At Cordova Restaurant Casino, the Joker is FULLY WILD and can be played in place of any card.
Action
Action is determined by a dice cup containing three dice. The bank seat is counted as 1, 8, and 15 and action is counted clockwise. Each seat is counted, regardless of whether there is a bet. A “NO PLAY” button follows the bank; no bet can be placed there, and the spot is not counted for action.
Rules of Play
- Once the hands have been delivered, players have the option of setting their hands themselves or having the dealer set it House Way after the bank hand is opened. When a hand is played House Way, all seven cards are left in one pile on the table.
- After all hands have been set, the bank hand is opened and the banker makes a decision on how to play the hand.
- The player hands are compared to the bank hand one by one.
- Payouts proceed in a clockwise rotation, starting from Action.
Pai Gow Poker Terms
- Two-Card Hand (aka: “Hair”/“Top”/“Front”) – second highest-ranking hand
- Five-Card Hand (aka: “Behind” or “Back Hand”)- highest-ranking hand
- Jokers Wild vs. Non-Jokers Wild
There are two different ways of playing the game of Pai Gow Poker:- In Joker’s Wild, the Joker can be used as ANY card.
- In Non-Joker’s Wild a Joker can be used to complete a flush or straight, or as an Ace.
- “Trips”- Three of a Kind [also used as an adjective, as in “trip 8s”]
- Two Pair vs. Pair-Pair - When a hand contains two pair within the seven cards, there is an option for how to play the hand:
- “Pair-Pair”- pair in the hair with a pair behind
- “Two Pair Behind”- both pairs behind
- Full House vs. Full House Behind:
- “Full House”- pair on top with trips behind
- “Full House Behind”- full house played behind
- Complete Hand- Straight or better behind.