Highest Straight in Pai Gow Poker

04:41 Oct 11th, 2006

Dear Mark,

Isn't 9-10-J-Q-K the second highest straight in Pai-Gow poker and not an Ace, 2, 3, 4, and 5? You mentioned it before in a column but I can’t remember which one you stated was the higher of these two straights. David D.

When I dipped into the archives, David, I found I had said this then and say it again now.

In Pai-Gow Poker each player is dealt seven cards that he is required to make into a five-card hand (the "high hand") and a two-card hand (the "low hand"). The five-card hand is ranked like traditional poker hands (royal flush, four of a kind, straight flush, three of a kind, flush, straight, two pair, pair and high card) but the game does have a couple of exceptions. Your question happens to call attention to one of them. Only a straight consisting of 10, J, Q, K, Ace beats an Ace, 2, 3, 4, and 5. A straight of 9, 10, J, Q, K doesn’t.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. -- Steven Wright