Played with a conventional poker deck and one joker. The joker can be played in the traditional way, using it for an Ace, straight or flush card. Stanley Ko has recently done an analysis so that it can be used as a wild card, which some gaming areas prefer. It can be played on a 6 or 7 handed blackjack style table. In order to eliminate the 5% commission, Stanley Ko has created a "King High" qualifier for the bank. If the bank does not have a King High or better after setting its hand the house way the player will win 50% of his wager. The King High qualifier will happen very infrequently, if you are interested in the exact math please contact us. This is a win-win for the player and the casino.
The play of the game goes as such, each player receives five cards. The object of the game is to set the five cards into two hands: a two card front hand and a three card back hand and the front hand must not rank higher than the three card back hand, as in Pai Gow. In the front hand, only pair and no pair are the values. In the back hand a straight flush (Ace, King, Queen) is the highest ranking hand.
The following are the ranking of hands in descending order of value:
(1) Straight Flush
(2) Three of a Kind
(3) Straight (Ace, 2, 3) being the smallest
(4) Flush
(5) One Pair
(6) No Pair (high Card)
Player wins when his two hands rank higher than the dealer's two hands. Player loses when his two hands rank lower than the dealer's two hands. When one of the hands ranks higher and the other lower, it results in a tie (push) and no wager is exchanged, again as in Pai Gow. The dealer wins all tie hands.
Optional jackpots and bonus bets will be used and recommended, subject to local ordinances.
