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Pai Gow Poker

WHERE THE FUN LASTS A LITTLE LONGER

Take Your Time. Enjoy the Game.

Pai Gow Poker offers a relaxed table game experience built around strategy, patience, and steady play. Using a seven-card hand split into two hands, players enjoy thoughtful decisions and longer time at the table. With a friendly pace and opportunities to play without constant pressure, Pai Gow Poker is a favorite for players who enjoy the game as much as the moment.

Traditional Pai Gow Poker – Players are dealt 7 cards and make a two-card low set and five-card high set. To win the primary bet, the Player’s two sets must be of higher ranking than the two corresponding sets belonging to the Banker. If both of the Player’s sets are lower than that of the Banker, the Player loses his or her primary bet. If either of the Player’s sets is higher and the other set is lower or equal to the corresponding Banker’s sets, the result is a tie, or push, and the Player neither wins nor loses, but retains his or her primary wager.

BANKER: The person taking on the bets for the hand. This function rotates among the players and the dealer.

COPY: Player’s hand has the same ranking as the dealer’s hand.

DEALER: The person dealing the cards. The dealer must always set his or her hand the House Way.

FOULED HAND: When the low hand will beat the high hand.

HIGH HAND: Hand configured with five cards. Must be of higher rank than the low hand.

HOUSE WAY: Predetermined configurations of the hand. Dealers must set their hands the House Way.

JOKER: The Joker behaves as a wild card. It can be used to complete a straight, flush or a straight flush. If it is not being used in that manner it is automatically considered to be an Ace.

LOW HAND: Hand configured with 2 cards. Must be of lower rank than the High Hand.

PAI GOW INSURANCE: This is an optional wager, and is independent of all other wagers. The player wins this proposition bet if they achieve a pre-defined hand ranking according to the posted pay table.

PUSH: A tie hand between the player and the dealer.

SET THE HAND: Separating the dealt hand into a five-card hand and a two-card hand.

1. Wagering limits shall be a minimum of $5.00 to a maximum of $500.00, inclusive.

The dealer shall visually inspect (and physically count if necessary) each player’s wager to verify that they are within the table minimum and maximum range allowed.
All wagers shall be placed within the designated wagering areas.
No verbal wagers shall be accepted.
All wagers shall be made before the dice cup is opened, or the automatic shuffler delivers cards.

2. A player may play more than one Pai Gow spot at a time. When playing two hands he or she is allowed to set both hands prior to the dealer setting their hand.

3. Two hands require doubling of the minimum, while playing three hands requires a $100 minimum per hands.

The House wager will be placed in the indicated wagering area by the top right hand corner of the chip inventory tray.

4. Side bets are not permitted.

House Way:

No Pair: Use second and third highest ranked cards for the low hand.
One Pair: Always use the pair as the high hand and use the highest-ranking cards for the low hand.
Two Pair: Always split unless you have an additional Ace or Joker, then keep the two pair in the high hand and play the Ace/Joker in the two card hand.

NOTE: If both pairs are Jacks, Queens Kings or Aces or one of the pairs are 7’s-10’s, then split and play lowest pair in two card hand.

Three Pair: Always play the highest pair for the low hand.
Three of a Kind: Always play in high hand

EXCEPTION: with three Aces, play one of the Aces for the low hand and two Aces in the high hand.

(Two) Three of a Kind – Play pair of the highest Three of a Kind for the low hand.

All Straights, Flushes & Straight Flushes:

No Pair: When given a choice to play either a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush, play the category which will allow the highest two cards to be played on the low hand.
One Pair: Play pair in low hand if a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush can be preserved in high hand. When having a pair of 10’s or better with an Ace / Face, Play it instead of the straight, flush or straight flush.
Two Pair: Use two pair rule.
Three Pair: Use three pair rule.
Three of a Kind: Play pair in low hand.
Full House: Use Full House rule.

Full House Rule:

Three of a Kind and Pair: Always split and play pair in low hand.
Three of a Kind and Two Pair: Play highest of the pairs in low hand.
Three of a Kind & Three of a Kind: Play highest three of a kind as pair in front hand.

Four of a Kind:

2’s thru 6’s: Never split, play in high hand.
7’s thru 10’s: Split unless an Ace can be played in the low hand, then keep the four in High Hand.
Jacks, Queens, Kings & 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: With five Aces and a pair of Kings, play the Kings in the two-card hand.

Rules of Play

1. Fortune Pai Gow Poker is an optional bonus bet.

2. The bet considers the best hand possible among the player’s seven cards.

3. Players may bet any amount within table limits; however, a Fortune bet of at least $5 qualifies them for Envy Bonus payouts. Players win the Envy Bonus when someone else at the table receives a four-of-a-kind or higher.

4. To begin each round, players must make their standard pai gow wagers and, if they like, the Fortune bonus wager. If a player wagers at least $5 on the Fortune bonus, the dealer must place an “Envy” button next to it.

5. The dealer then follows house procedures for pai gow poker.

6. While reconciling the standard pai gow poker wagers, the dealer also reconciles Fortune bonus bets.

a. If the player’s hand qualifies for payouts, the dealer pays him according to the posted pay-table.

The dealer leaves the “Envy” button, if applicable, next to the player’s original wager and payouts. He will not pick up envy buttons until he reconciles all wagers.

b. If the player’s hand does not qualify for payouts, the dealer takes his Fortune wager.

The dealer leaves the “Envy” button, if applicable, next to the player’s original wager and payouts. He will not pick up envy buttons until he reconciles all wagers

7. The dealer pays any Envy Bonuses at the end of the round. If at least one player has a four-of-a-kind or higher, all players with envy buttons win – see pay-table. In the event more than one player has at least four of a kind, then all players with envy buttons win multiple payouts.

NOTE: A player cannot win Envy Bonuses for his own – or for the dealer’s – hand

8. Fortune Pai Gow payout odds are as follows:

Hand —> Payout —> Envy
7 Card Straight Flush —> 2,500 to 1 —> $1,000
Royal Flush + Royal Match —> 1,000 to 1 —> $750
7 Card Straight Flush w/ Joker —> 750 to 1 —> $250
5 Aces —> 250 to 1 —> $100
Royal Flush —> 125 to 1 —> $50
Straight Flush —> 50 to 1 —> $20
4 of a Kind —> 25 to 1 —> $5
Full House —> 5 to 1 —> /
Flush —> 4 to 1 —> /
3 of a Kind —> 3 to 1 —> /
Straight —> 2 to 1 —> /

NOTE: All Fortune Pai Gow Poker™ tables with Fortune Pai Gow Poker™ bets will have an aggregate of $20,000 per hand and table, exclusive of the Envy Bonus, the amount of which shall be in addition to the aggregate.

The definitions in this part shall apply to all sections unless otherwise noted.

AGGREGATE: The sum of the whole with reference to its constituent parts.

ENVY BONUS: Bonus paid when a player has a hand of four of a kind or higher, excluding the dealer and his own hand.

ENVY BUTTON: Button used to indicate players who qualify for the Envy Bonus.

HOUSE WAY: A predetermined formula for setting cards dependent on the hand dealt.

HOUSE WAY BUTTON: Button used to indicate that the dealer has assisted the player in setting their hand the house way.

PIPS: The spots on a card that indicate numerical value. Suit shaped, i.e. hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs.

RIFFLE: A process of shuffling two stacks of cards by intermingling alternating cards from each stack.

STRIP: Taking small portions of cards off the top of a deck of card and placing them on the layout, and then another small portion of cards off the top of the deck and placing them on the stack on the layout. This process continues until all of the cards are in a stack.

TOKES: Gratuities.

WAGER: To place at risk an item or object, usually money, on the outcome of an activity, i.e. a hand of cards or a roll of dice, etc.

Wagering limits for the Pai Gow Poker bet are $10.00 (minimum) to $500.00 (maximum).
Players may play up to two spots per round. If a player chooses to play a second spot, the bets on both the first and second spot must be at least two times the minimum wager but may not exceed the maximum wager of $500.00.
The Fortune Pai Gow Pokerä wager is separate from the Pai Gow bet and is an optional bet for the guest. The wagering limit for the Fortune Pai Gow Pokerä bet is $1.00 to $25.00.
Only Fortune Pai Gow Pokerä bets of $5.00 or more qualify for the Envy Bonus.
The Envy Bonus is not an odds-based payout and is therefore not subject to an aggregate limit.
Only a guest playing a particular Pai Gow spot may place a Fortune Pai Gow Pokerä bet on the same Pai Gow spot.
The outcome of the primary Pai Gow bet has no bearing on the Fortune Pai Gow Pokerä bet and vice versa. A player can win on one wager and lose on the other wager.
The Fortune Pai Gow Pokerä bet does not alter the dealing procedures or player strategy of the primary game of Pai Gow.
Side bets are not permitted.

Pai Gow Poker History

Although “Pai Gow” is an ancient Chinese form of entertainment played with domino-like tiles, the game recognized today as “Pai Gow Poker” is a more modern version. Pai Gow traces its roots to the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279), when up to eight Players would arrange four tiles each into two pairs called the “front hand” and the “back hand.” The object of the game is to defeat both of the Banker’s hands, respectively, to claim even money on a wager.

Pai gow (tiles) is perhaps the oldest casino game and its name roughly translates to “make nine.” Though many American Players are just now becoming more aware of Pai Gow Poker, the origins of the classic Chinese game were first played over one thousand years ago and was a popular diversion among soldiers and citizens alike, a fact that is reflected in its two suits (military and civilian).

Though the original game of Pai Gow has been offered in various casinos around the world for several decades, largely in an attempt to cater to the many Asian tourists, Pai Gow Poker didn’t appear in American casinos until 1985 when it was first played in a small California gambling establishment. Within five years it quickly spread east across the United States, appearing in Las Vegas in 1986 and making the jump to Atlantic City shortly after. Its slower pace, social nature, and longer time at the table helped Pai Gow Poker quickly earn a loyal following among casino players.

Today, Pai Gow Poker has a worldwide following and is a popular choice at many casino gaming tables. The game is easy to learn and play, and it has the added appeal of being low risk. Wagering at one-to-one odds doesn’t win or lose much in the short term. Many compare the game to Baccarat in that aspect, and just like the classic French game, Pai Gow Poker easily lends itself to high stakes play.

It is played with a traditional deck of 52 playing cards plus one Joker- used only as an Ace or a wild card to complete a straight or flush. The dealer starts the game by rolling three dice to determine which Player receives the first set of cards. Each Player receives seven cards and creates two hands simultaneously. Ideally, the Players would create a high hand and a second-high hand. The Player wins if both hands are higher than the banks and the Player loses if both hands are lower than the banks. If one is higher and the other is lower the game is a tie.