Button and Table Bet Descriptions

Deal
Clicking on the deal button after placing the initial bet starts a new game.

Split
Click on two cards to select them.

To better see all possible ways to split the initial seven cards, re-arrange the hand by dragging cards to different locations.  Automatically, cards are initially sorted from highest to lowest.

After selecting two cards to place into the two-card hand, clicking the split button arranges the seven cards into two hands—a five-card hand and a two-card hand—and continues the game.

Game Play

The Deal
For each game, the dealer shuffles the deck and deals out seven cards into each hand—the dealer’s cards remain unknown.  The player must then “set” or split their seven cards into two poker hands:  a five-card hand and a two-card hand. 

Splitting cards and rules on the Joker
Pai Gow Poker places only one restriction upon splitting the initial seven cards:  the five-card hand must have a higher poker rank than the two-card hand.  The only other twist during the game is how to play the Joker.  The Joker can be used to complete a five-card flush, straight, or straight flush.  Otherwise, the Joker counts as an ace.

Ranking the Hands
The hands are ranked according to standard poker rules with one exception:  the Ace-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight.  Straights rank, from highest to lowest:  Ace-K-Q-J-10, Ace-2-3-4-5, K-Q-J-10-9 … 6-5-4-3-2.  Also, keep in mind that the best two-card hand is a pair of aces; the two-card hand cannot have a flush (since a flush requires five cards).