Setting hands

Pai Gow Poker uses a standard 52-card deck plus one joker. The joker may only be used as an ace or to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush. When used in a straight or straight flush, the joker becomes the rank and suit of the card needed to complete the hand. When used in a flush, it becomes the highest ranking missing card of the flush suit. It can never be used as part of a pair, three-of-a-kind, four-of-a-kind, or five-of-a-kind for any card other than an ace. If it is used alone, the joker becomes an ace. In poker parlance, such a joker is known as a bug. To reiterate, you are dealt seven cards, which you arrange to make two hands: a two card hand and a five card hand. The poker value of the five card hand must be higher than the two card hand. Since this can be done in more than one way, the object is to set the two hands so that they have the best chance of beating the banker’s two hands. The highest possible five card hand is five aces, which consists of the four aces and the joker. The highest two card hand is a pair of aces. The two card hand cannot be a straight or a flush. When you first receive your cards, the best procedure is to arrange them in order, from the highest rank to the lowest rank. Then look for the possibility of a flush or a straight. If you were dealt the joker, check to see if it can complete a flush or straight, or make a pair of aces. Finally, look for pairs and triplets.

                                                                            

Once you have reviewed the hand and are aware of all the possible combinations, set it according to the strategy rules shown in the Playing Strategy section, below. When you have decided how to set your hand, place the cards face down in two stacks with the two card hand above the five card hand. At every player position, there are two boxes. The one marked HIGH is where the five card hand goes, and the one marked 2nd HIGHEST is where the two card hand goes. The five- card hand is sometimes referred to as the back hand, and the two card hand is sometimes called the low hand or the front hand. You should be very careful and deliberate when setting your hand. This is especially true when it contains the joker. The basic idea is to make the two card hand as high as possible without exceeding the value of the five card hand. If you don’t have good enough cards to make two winning hands, you should try for a push by forming one hand that will not lose. For example, if you are dealt the following cards: Dealer assistance If you can’t figure out the best way to set your cards, you may ask the dealer for assistance. The dealer will suggest how to set them according to the house rules, but will not take responsibility for winning or losing hands. If one of the other players is the banker, you should avoid doing this because seeing your cards will give that person a distinct advantage in setting his own hand (he knows what he has to beat), especially if there are few players at the table.