Method of Playing Pai Gow Poker

Abstract

The invention is an improved version of poker wherein the house collects no commission or percentage of the winnings from the dealer-player or other players. Instead, the players place initial ante bets, review their dealt seven card hands, and determine whether they want to continue playing. If the player wishes to continue, the player places an additional bet, which matches the initial ante bet. If the player does not wish to continue, the player folds and loses the ante bet. The house has no need to charge a commission because it makes money by collecting the forfeited antes.

1 . A method for playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker, the steps comprising:
 placing a first bet by one or more players;   dealing a hand of seven cards to said one or more players and a banker;   wherein said one or more players review said hand of seven cards and determine whether to continue playing or folding;   wherein said one or more players continuing to play place a second bet, and wherein said folding players forfeit said first bet;   wherein a house collects said forfeited first bets;   arranging said hand of seven cards into a five card high hand and a two card low hand by said banker and by said one or more players continuing to play;   exposing said hands of said banker and of said one or more players continuing to play;   determining a winner between said banker and said one or more players continuing to play based on a standard rules of Pai Gow poker;   wherein said winning banker collects said first bet and said second bet from one or more losing players continuing to play; and   wherein said winning players continuing to play collect an even money payout to said first bet and said second bet from said banker.   
     
     
         2 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 1 , wherein said house collects no commission on, or percentage of, said even money payouts. 
     
     
         3 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 2 , wherein said second bet is identical to said first bet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 3 , wherein said improved game of Pai Gow poker is played as a casino table game. 
     
     
         5 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 1 , wherein said banker does not have a qualifying minimum hand; and
 wherein said winning players continuing to play collect an even money payout to said first bet and do not collect on said second bet from said banker.   
     
     
         6 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 2 , wherein said second bet is double said first bet. 
     
     
         7 . A method for playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker, the steps comprising:
 placing a first bet by one or more players;   dealing a hand of seven cards to said one or more players and a banker;   wherein said one or more players review said hand of seven cards and determine whether to continue playing or folding;   wherein said one or more players continuing to play place a second bet, and wherein said folding players forfeit said first bet;   wherein a house collects said forfeited first bets;   wherein said banker reviews said banker hand of seven cards and determines whether said banker hand of seven cards is a qualifying hand;   wherein if said banker does not have said qualifying hand, then said banker without said qualifying hand pays said one or more players continuing to play on said first bet;   arranging, if said banker has said qualifying hand, said hand of seven cards into a five card high hand and a two card low hand by said banker and by said one or more players continuing to play;   exposing said hands of said banker and of said one or more players continuing to play;   determining a winner between said banker and said one or more players continuing to play based on a standard rules of Pai Gow poker;   wherein said winning banker collects said first bet and said second bet from one or more losing players continuing to play; and   wherein said winning players continuing to play collect an even money payout to said first bet and said second bet from said banker.   
     
     
         8 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 7 , wherein said second bet is double said first bet. 
     
     
         9 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 7 , wherein said banker and said one or more players continuing to play push if neither wins both said five card high hand and said two card low hand. 
     
     
         10 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 7 , wherein said improved game of Pai Gow poker is played as a casino table game. 
     
     
         11 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 7 , wherein said house collects no commission on, or percentage of, said even money payouts. 
     
     
         12 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 7 , wherein said banker has said qualifying hand;
 wherein at least one of said one or more players continuing to play has an ante bonus qualifying hand; and   wherein said one or more players continuing to play with said ante bonus qualifying hand collect a scaled first bet bonus payout to said first bet.   
     
     
         13 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 12 , wherein said ante bonus qualifying hand is a Full House or better. 
     
     
         14 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 13 , wherein said ante bonus qualifying hand is selected from the group consisting of said Full House, a Four of a Kind, a Straight Flush, a Royal Flush, and a Five Aces. 
     
     
         15 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 14 , wherein said scaled first bet bonus payout of said Full House is one to one, wherein said scaled first bet bonus payout of said Four of a Kind is two to one, wherein said scaled first bet bonus payout of said Straight Flush is five to one, wherein said scaled first bet bonus payout of said Royal Flush is ten to one, and wherein said scaled first bet bonus payout of said Five Aces is fifty to one. 
     
     
         16 . The method of playing an improved game of Pai Gow poker of  claim 15 , wherein said qualifying hand of said banker is a pair of Nines or better.