Face Up Pai Gow Poker
GEGR-002138
RULES & HOW TO PLAY PAI GOW POKER
WHAT IS FACE UP PAI GOW POKER?
The game of Face Up Pai Gow Poker utilizes a player-dealer position and is a California game. The player-dealer shall collect all losing wagers, pay all winning wagers, and may not win or lose more than the original amount wagered. Once the player-dealer’s wager has been exhausted, the wagers not covered by the player-dealer shall be returned to the respective players. A player shall only remain in the player-dealer position for two consecutive rounds of play before it is offered in a clockwise fashion around the gaming table. The gambling enterprise does not participate in the actual play of the game and has no interest in the outcome of the play.
OBJECT OF THE GAME
The object of the game of Face Up Pai Gow Poker is to make a five-card hand and a two-card hand that ranks higher than the player-dealer’s five-card hand and two-card hand. Face Up Pai Gow Poker is a Pai Gow Poker variant and plays like conventional Pai Gow Poker, except the player-dealer’s hand is shown first. In addition, when the player-dealer’s hand is shown and the ranking is a seven-card ace-high hand, then all player hands will automatically push (tie) and the players’ base game wagers will be returned to the players.
DESCRIPTION OF DECK & NUMBER OF DECKS USED
Face Up Pai Gow Poker is played with a standard 52-card deck including a joker for a total of 53 cards. Cards may be dealt using either a manual hand shuffle or an automated shuffling machine.
CARD VALUES & HAND RANKINGS
The rank of each card used in Face Up Pai Gow Poker, in order of highest to lowest rank, will be: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. The ace would be considered low any time the ace begins a Straight or a Straight Flush. The joker can be used as an ace or to complete any Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush. All suits will be considered equal in rank.
The hand rankings for the game of Face Up Pai Gow Poker, in order of highest to lowest, are as follows:
The hand rankings for the game of Face Up Pai Gow Poker, in order of highest to lowest, are as follows:
| HAND DEALT | HAND REQUIREMENTS |
| Five Aces | A hand that consists of four aces and a joker. |
| Royal Flush | A hand that consists of an ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of the same suit. |
| Straight Flush | A hand that consists of five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking. A king, queen, jack, 10 and 9 is the highest ranked Straight Flush and a 5, 4, 3, 2 and ace is the lowest ranked Straight Flush. |
| Four of a Kind | A hand that consists of four cards of the same rank. Four aces is the highest ranked Four of a Kind and four 2s is the lowest ranked Four of a Kind. |
| Full House | A hand that consists of a Three of a Kind and a Pair. Three aces and two kings is the highest ranked Full House and three 2s and two 3s is the lowest ranked Full House. |
| Flush | A hand that consists of five cards of the same suit but are not in consecutive ranking. An ace, king, queen, jack and 9 is the highest ranked Flush and a 7, 5, 4, 3 and 2 is the lowest ranked Flush. |
| Straight | A hand that consists of five cards in consecutive ranking, but are not the same suit. An ace, king, queen, jack and 10 is the highest ranked Straight and a 5, 4, 3, 2 and ace is the lowest ranked Straight. |
| Three of a Kind | A hand that consists of three cards of the same rank. Three aces is the highest ranked Three of a Kind and three 2s is the lowest ranked Three of a Kind. |
| Two Pair | A hand that consists of two Pair. Two aces and two kings is the highest ranked Two Pair and two 3s and two 2s is the lowest ranked Two Pair. |
| One Pair | A hand that consists of two cards of the same rank. Two aces is the highest ranked Pair and two 2s is the lowest ranked Pair. |
| High Card | A hand that consists of five cards that do not make any of the hands listed above. An ace, king, queen, jack and 9 is the highest ranked High Card hand and 7, 5, 4, 3, and 2 is the lowest ranked High Card hand. |
DESCRIPTION OF TABLE USED & TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATED POSITIONS
Face Up Pai Gow Poker is played on a standard Pai Gow Poker table, which seats a maximum of six players and a player-dealer, for a total of seven seated positions. Within each betting area for each seated player, there shall be three separate betting areas representing each players’ base game wager, the Fortune Bonus Bet and the Ace-High Bonus Bet. Each betting space at the table has a fixed amount for wagering limits defining the minimum and maximum amounts that may be wagered. Players must bet at least the table minimum.
FACE UP PAI GOW POKER HOUSE HAND SET
| HAND DEALT | HOUSE WAY | EXAMPLE |
| High Card | Put 2nd and 3rd highest cards in front. |  |
| One Pair | Put Pair in back, highest two cards in front. |  |
| Two Pair: High Pair is As, Ks, or Qs | Put small Pair in front. |  |
| Two Pair: High Pair is Js, 10s, or 9s | Put both Pairs in back if an ace can be played in the front, otherwise put small Pair in front. |  |
| Two Pair: High Pair is 8s, 7s, or 6s | Put both Pairs in back if a king or higher can be played in the front; otherwise put small Pair in front. |  |
| Two Pair: High Pair is 5s, 4s, or 3s | Put both Pairs in back if a queen or higher can be played in the front, otherwise put small Pair in front. |  |
| Three Pair: With or without a Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush | Put highest Pair in front. |  |
| Three of a Kind: Aces | Put an ace and highest single card in front. |  |
| Three of a Kind: Kings and below | Put two highest single cards in front. |  |
| Two Three of a Kinds | Put highest Pair possible in front. |  |
| Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush with no Pair | Put the highest possible two cards in front that will leave a complete hand in back. |  |
| Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush with one Pair | Put the highest possible two cards (Pair or no Pair) in front that will leave a complete hand in back. |  |
| Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush with two Pair | Put a Pair in front with a complete hand in back otherwise play Two Pair strategy. |  |
| Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush with Three of a Kind | Put Pair or ace in front with complete hand behind. |  |
| Full House with or without a Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush. (Three of a Kind and a Pair) | Put the highest Pair in front while keeping at least Three of a Kind behind. |  |
| Four of a Kind As, Ks, or Qs | Split to Pair-Pair. |  |
| Four of a Kind: Js, 10s, or 9s | Play Four of a Kind in back if at least a king can be played up front, otherwise split. |  |
| Four of a Kind: 8s, 7s, or 6s | Play Four of a Kind in back if at least a queen can be played up front, otherwise split. |  |
| Four of a Kind: 5s or below | Always play Four of Kind behind. |  |
| Four of a Kind with a Pair | Play the Pair in front and play Four of a Kind in back. |  |
| Five Aces | Play a Pair of aces in front. |  |
HOW WINNERS ARE DETERMINED AND PAID
Once each player has set their hands and the house dealer has set the player-dealer's hand, each player's hand shall be compared against the player-dealer's hand. The following shall apply for each possible outcome when determining which hand wins, loses, or if there is a push.
- The base game wager wins if the two-card hand and the five-card hand, held by the player, ranks higher than the player-dealer’s two-card hand and five-card hand.
- The base game wager loses if the two-card hand and the five-card hand held by the player, ranks lower than the player-dealer’s two-card hand and five-card hand.
- The base game wager “pushes” if one of the hands held by the player ranks higher than the player-dealer’s corresponding hand, and the player’s other hand ranks lower than the player-dealer’s corresponding hand. In this case, neither the player nor the player-dealer wins or loses; the wager is a push and is returned to the player.
- The base game wager also “pushes” if the ranking of the player-dealer’s shown hand is a seven-card ace-high hand. Neither the player nor the player-dealer wins or loses; the wager is a push and is returned to the player.
- If either the two-card hand or the five-card hand is identical in rank to the player-dealer’s two-card hand or five-card hand, it is a “copy hand.” The player-dealer wins all copy hands.
- The player-dealer will collect losing Fortune Bonus Bets and pays winning Fortune Bonus Bets to the extent of the player-dealer’s wager.
- A player qualifies for an Envy Bonus payout when a player places a Fortune Bonus Bet of at least $5. The player-dealer shall pay all winning Envy Bonus’ when a player at the table receives a Four of a Kind or higher, excluding the player-dealer hand or their own hand.
- The player-dealer shall pay all winning Ace-High Bonus Bets made by players when the player-dealer’s or the player-dealer and player’s hand is an ace-high seven-card hand.
- The player-dealer shall collect all losing Ace-High Bonus Bets made by players when the player-dealer’s hand is not an ace-high seven-card hand.
- The cards are collected, shuffled, and a new round begins.
FORTUNE BONUS BET
The Fortune Bonus Bet is an optional bonus bet that complements the game of Face Up Pai Gow Poker, as listed above. It is a wager that allows a player to bet that they will be dealt a predetermined and designated qualifying hand, as described below. There will be a distinctively marked circle on the table in which a player may place the optional bonus bet.
- A player has to place a base bet in order to place a Fortune Bonus Bet. Furthermore, the wager must be placed prior to the initial deal.
- Any seated player may place a Fortune Bonus Bet.
- The Fortune Bonus Bet may be less than, equal to, or greater than the base game wager. However, it may not exceed the table limit.
- The bonus bet takes into account the first seven cards dealt as a player’s hand. In the event that the first seven cards dealt to a player that placed a bonus bet is a predetermined and designated qualifying hand, as described below, the bonus bet will win. The player will then receive a monetary payout based on the bonus hand that the player has received and the paytable, as shown below. Any other combination of the first seven cards dealt, other than the hands described below, will lose.
- The bonus bet may win regardless of the outcome of the base game wager.
- The player-dealer will pay all winning Fortune Bonus Bets and will collect all losing Fortune Bonus Bets. Once the player-dealer's wager has been exhausted, the wagers not covered by the player-dealer will be returned to the players.
- Winning Fortune Bonus Bets will be paid according to the table, as shown below.
FORTUNE BONUS BET PAYTABLE
| HAND DEALT | HAND REQUIREMENTS | FORTUNE PAYS | ENVY PAYS |
| Natural Seven Card Straight Flush (No Joker) | A hand that consists of seven cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking that does not utilize a joker. | 2500 to 1 | $1000 |
| Royal Flush + Royal Match | A hand that consists of an ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of the same suit and a king and queen of the same suit. | 1000 to 1 | $750 |
| Wild Seven Card Straight Flush (With Joker) | A hand that consists of seven cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking that utilizes a joker. | 750 to 1 | $250 |
| Five Aces | A hand that consists of four aces and a joker. | 250 to 1 | $100 |
| Royal Flush | A hand that consists of an ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of the same suit. | 125 to 1 | $50 |
| Straight Flush | A hand that consists of five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking. | 50 to 1 | $20 |
| Four of a Kind | A hand that consists of four cards of the same rank. | 25 to 1 | $5 |
| Full House | A hand that consists of a Three of a Kind and a Pair. | 5 to 1 | |
| Flush | A hand that consists of five cards of the same suit but are not in consecutive ranking. | 4 to 1 | |
| Three of a Kind | A hand that consists of three cards of the same rank. | 3 to 1 | |
| Straight | A hand that consists of five cards in consecutive ranking, but are not the same suit. | 2 to 1 |
ENVY BONUS
A player who places a wager of at least $5 on the Fortune Bonus Bet will receive an Envy button and may qualify for the Envy Bonus payout if another player who placed a Fortune Bonus Bet receives a predetermined and designated qualifying hand, as shown below. Players will receive one Envy button for each Fortune Bonus Bet in an amount equal to or greater than $5.
- The Envy Bonus takes into account the first seven cards dealt as a player’s hand.
- Only seated players are eligible to receive an “Envy” button.
- In the event that the first seven cards dealt to a player that has placed a Fortune Bonus Bet is a predetermined and designated qualifying hand, as shown below, all players with an Envy button will win.
- Players are not eligible to win an Envy Bonus for their own hand.
- If multiple players have made a seven-card qualifying Fortune Bonus Bet and Envy Bonus hand, then all players with an Envy button will win, other than for their own hand.
- If multiple Envy Bonus hands are achieved, all players with Envy buttons will be paid for the multiple Envy payouts. However, players are not eligible to win an Envy Bonus for their own hand.
- Players will receive a fixed monetary payout based on the qualifying hand that another player has received and the pay table, as shown below.
- The Envy Bonus may win regardless of the outcome of the Face Up Pai Gow Poker base game wager.
- The player-dealer will pay qualifying Envy Bonuses and will collect Envy buttons that did not qualify to the extent of the player-dealer’s wager.
- Qualifying Envy Bonus buttons will be paid according to the table, as shown above.
ACE HIGH BONUS BET
The Ace-High Bonus Bet is an optional bonus bet that allows a player to bet that they and the player-dealer will be dealt a predetermined and designated qualifying hand, as described below. There will be a distinctively marked circle on the table in which a player may place the optional bonus bet.
- A player has to place a base game wager in order to place the Ace-High Bonus Bet. Furthermore, the wager must be placed prior to the initial deal.
- The Ace-High Bonus Bet may be less than, equal to, or greater than the base game wager. However, it may not exceed the table limit.
- The Ace-High Bonus Bet takes into account the first seven cards dealt as a player’s hand and the player-dealer’s hand. In the event that the first seven cards dealt to a player that placed a bonus bet and the player-dealer’s hand is a predetermined and designated qualifying hand, as described below, the bonus bet will win. The player will then receive a monetary payout based on the bonus hand that the player has received and the paytable, as shown below. Any other combination of the first seven cards dealt, other than the hands described below, will lose.
- The player-dealer will pay all winning Ace-High Bonus Bets and will collect all losing Ace-High Bonus Bets. Once the player-dealer’s wager has been exhausted, the wagers not covered by the player-dealer will be returned to the players.
- Winning Ace-High Bonus Bets will be according to the table, as shown below.
| QUALIFYING HANDS | PAYOUT |
| Player and Player-Dealer Ace High Card Hand | 40:1 |
| Player-Dealer Ace High Card Hand (with Joker) | 15:1 |
| Player-Dealer Ace High Card Hand (No Joker) | 5:1 |
TABLE LAYOUT
COLLECTION PROCEDURES
- California games utilize a player-dealer position. The position shall be offered systematically and continuously in a clockwise manner around the table after every two hands.
- All base game wagers, including bonus bets, are collected or paid, to the extent that the player-dealer’s wager covers.
- Once the player-dealer’s wager has been exhausted, the wagers not covered by the player-dealer shall be returned to the respective players.
- The gambling establishment does not participate in the actual play of the game and has no interest in the outcome of the play.
- Only one collection schedule option, which utilizes one table limit and the specified collection fees for that table limit, as listed above, shall be used at a gaming table at any one time.
- Collection rates and fees shall be determined prior to the start of play of any hand or round. Rates shall not be calculated as a fraction or percentage of wagers made or winnings earned.
- Flat fees on wagers may be assessed at different collection rates; however, no more than five collection rates may be established per table.
- The Casino shall provide ample notice to patrons regarding the collection rates and fees, as well as the procedure for collecting them.
- Collection fees shall be conspicuously posted on or within view of every gaming table.