March 14, 2024

Winning in Face Up Pai Gow Poker

The object of the game Face Up Pai Gow Poker is to form two winning poker hands from the seven cards that are dealt. To win the bet and for money to exchange hands, both of the player’s two-card hand must beat the dealer’s two-card hand and the five-card hand must beat the dealer’s five-card hand. Poker hand ranking procedures are used in determining which hand is higher.

In Face Up Pai Gow Poker, winning wagers are not charged commission. All winning hands are paid even money (1 to 1). Losing hands lose the money wagered.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Wager Wins if:

Both the player’s High hand and the Low hand are ranked higher than the dealer’s High and Low hand, the player wins the bet.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Wager Loses if:

  • Both the dealer’s High hand and Low hand are higher than the player’s.
  • The High or Low hand is identical to the corresponding hand of the dealer’s and the other hand is ranked lower than the dealer’s.
  • The player’s High hand is lower than the Low hand that is considered a Foul hand.
  • The Player’s low or high hand is identical in rank to the dealer’s corresponding hand, it is called a “Copy” hand. Exact copy hands occur when both the player and the dealer’s cards (in either the two-card hand or five-card hand) are the same value. The dealer wins all Copy hands. For example if the player has an Ace-7 in the low hand and the dealer has an Ace-7 in the low hand, the dealer would win the low hand.
  • If a player’s two-card outranks their five-card hand, or if the two-card hand contains more or less than two cards, this is a “Set Foul” and is also considered a loser.
  • If a player touches his or her hand after the dealer has exposed his hand, that player’s hand is considered a loser.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Wager Ties if:

  • If the dealer has an Ace-High Pai Gow hand, then all Face Up Pai Gow wagers will automatically result in a push (tie).
  • The player wins one hand and loses the other, this is considered a “Push” or a standoff, and no one wins or loses the bet (no money exchanges hands).

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Ranking of Hands (Highest to Lowest)

Face Up Pai Gow Poker ranking of hands on order of highest to lowest, are as follows: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

Important Note:

An Ace may be used to complete a Straight Flush or a Straight formed with a 2, 3, 4 and 5 but may not be combined with any other sequence of cards (for example: queen, king, ace, 2 and 3). The joker can be used and ranked as an Ace or may be used as any card to complete a Straight, a Flush, a Straight Flush or a Royal Flush.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker hands, in order of highest to lowest rank are:

Five AcesA hand that consists of all Four Aces and a Joker
Royal FlushA hand that consists of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit or a King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit and a Joker.
Straight FlushA hand that consists of five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking. An Ace, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are the highest ranking straight flush. A King, Queen, Jack, 10 and 9 being the second highest ranking straight flush, and 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 being the lowest ranking Straight Flush.
Four of a KindA hand that consists of four cards of the same rank. Four Aces is the highest ranked four-of-a-kind and four 2’s is the lowest ranking four-of-a-kind.
Full HouseA hand that consists of one “Three-of-a-Kind” and one “Pair”. Three Aces and two Kings is the highest ranked Full House and three 2’s and two 3’s is the lowest ranked Full House.
FlushA hand that consists of five cards of the same suit, but that are not in consecutive ranking. An Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 9 is the highest ranked Flush and a 7, 6, 5, 4, 2 is the lowest ranked Flush.
StraightA hand that consists of five cards that are in consecutive ranking, but that 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 KindA hand that consists of three cards of the same rank. Three Aces is the highest ranked three-of-a-kind and three 2’s is the lowest ranked three-of-a-kind.
Two PairA hand that consists of One pair of two cards of the same rank plus another pair of two cards of the same rank. The ranks of each respective pair are different. Two Aces and two Kings is the highest ranked two pair hand and two 3’s and two 2’s is the lowest ranked two pair hand.
PairA hand that consists of two cards of the same rank. Two Aces is the highest ranked Pair and two 2’s is the lowest ranked Pair.
High CardA 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, 6, 5, 4, 2 is the lowest ranked High Card hand.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *