FACE UP PAI GOW

Face Up Pai Gow Poker® combines elements of Chinese Pai Gow with American poker. The game is played with a 52-card deck plus one Joker. The Joker can be used only to complete any straight or flush, or as an Ace. As in regular Pai Gow Poker, the players and the dealer receive seven cards but the dealer’s cards are turned face up and the dealer sets their hand prior to the players setting theirs. If a player wants to surrender their hand, they must do so after the dealer hand has been exposed and set, but before looking at their own hand. If the player chooses to surrender, they forfeit one half of their bet. If a player has placed an optional wager, they are not permitted to surrender their hand. Players play against the dealer cards by creating a two-card hand and a five-card hand. The five-card hand must always rank higher than the two-card hand. There is no commission collected when the player wins. If the dealer has an Ace High Pai Gow hand, all hands in play are a push. This variation offers two optional wagers, Ace High Bonus and Fortune Bonus. All wagers are made in increments of $5. 

To win, the player’s two card and five card hands must rank higher than the dealer’s two card and five card hands. Winning hands are paid even money. Should both of a player’s hands rank the same as the dealer’s hands, this is known as a copy hand. The dealer wins all copy hands. If the player wins one hand but loses the other, this is considered a “push” and no money is won or lost. Once the player has set their hands and placed them face down on the designated area of the layout, the player may not touch the cards again. 

Players are not allowed to show or discuss their cards with other players while setting their hands. Any player’s hand set incorrectly (e.g. the two-card hand ranks higher than the five-card hand, or the player puts three cards in one hand and four cards in the other) is a “fouled hand” and that player forfeits their wager. Players are responsible for arranging their own hand and should do so with care. Players may also ask for assistance from the dealer to set their hand, and the dealer will set the player hand in accordance with the “house ways.” The dealer must also set the dealer cards according to “house ways.” If an error is found with the dealer hand, the hand must be reset to the house way.

OPTIONAL WAGERS

ACE HIGH BONUS WAGER

Ace High Bonus is an optional wager that is made after the player makes their main Pai Gow Poker wager.  The Ace High wager may be more than the Pai Gow Poker wager but within the posted limits for the wager. The Ace High Bonus wager is determined independent of the Pai Gow Poker wager and wins if the dealer is forced to play an Ace-High Pai Gow. Payouts are according to the chart below. For all other dealer outcomes, the Ace High Wager loses. If a player has elected to place an optional bonus wager, (Ace High or Fortune Bonus), they are not permitted to surrender their hand.

ACE HIGH HAND/PAYOUT ODDS 

Dealer + Player Ace-High | 30 to 1

Dealer Ace-High, with Joker | 15 to 1

Dealer Ace High No Joker | 6 to 1

FORTUNE BONUS WAGER

Fortune Bonus is an optional wager that considers the best possible hand among the player’s seven cards. A Fortune Bonus wager of at least $5 qualifies for an “Envy Bonus” payout. Players win the Envy Bonus when someone else at the table receives a four-of-a-kind or higher. To begin each round, players make their standard Pai Gow wagers and the optional Fortune Bonus wager. If a player wagers at least $5 on the Fortune Bonus, the dealer will place an “envy button” next to it. The dealer then follows house procedures for Pai Gow Poker. While reconciling the standard Pai Gow wagers, the dealer also reconciles Fortune Bonus bets. If any five-card hand out of the player’s seven cards qualifies for a Fortune Bonus payout, it wins regardless of the outcome of the regular Pai Gow Poker wager. 

If the player’s hand qualifies for a payout, the dealer pays the player according to the posted pay table. If the player’s hand does not qualify, the dealer takes the Fortune Bonus wager and leaves the Envy button where applicable. 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 an amount based on the Envy Bonus pay table. Note: A player cannot win Envy Bonuses for their own hand(s) or the dealer hand.

ENVY BONUS PAYOUT

7-Card Straight Flush, No Joker | 5,000 to 1 = $3,000

Royal Flush plus Royal Match* | 2,000 to 1 = $1,000

7-Card Straight Flush with Joker | 1,000 to 1 = $500

Five Aces | 400 to 1 = $250

Royal Flush | 150 to 1 = $50

Straight Flush | 50 to 1 = $20

Four-of-a-kind | 25 to 1 = $5

Full House | 5 to 1 = ---

Flush | 4 to 1 = ---

Three-of-a-kind | 3 to 1 = ---

Straight | 2 to 1 = ---

*Royal FLush with Suited King and Queen

Maximum payout per player, per hand is $50,000, not including the Fortune Bonus or Ace High.