Section 645a.11. Procedures for completion of each round of play

(a) After the dealing procedures required under § 645a.8, § 645a.9 or § 645a.10 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from a manual dealing shoe; procedures for dealing the cards from the hand; and procedures for dealing the cards from an automated dealing shoe) have been completed, each player shall examine his cards subject to the following limitations:

(1) Each player who wagers at a Pai Gow Poker table shall be responsible for setting his own hands and no person other than the dealer and the player to whom the cards were dealt may touch the cards of that player. If a player requests assistance in the setting of his hands, the dealer shall inform the player of the manner in which the certificate holder requires the hands of the dealer to be set in accordance with the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 (relating to table games Rules Submissions).

(2) Each player shall keep his seven cards in full view of the dealer at all times.

(3) Once each player has set a high and low hand and placed the two hands face down on the appropriate area of the layout, the player may not touch the cards again.

(b) Each player shall set his hands by arranging the cards into a high hand and a low hand. When setting the two hands, the five-card high hand must be equal to or higher in rank than the two-card low hand. For example, if the two-card hand contains a pair of sevens, the five-card hand must contain at least a pair of sevens and the three remaining cards.

(c) After all players have set their hands and placed the cards on the table, the seven cards of the dealer shall be turned over and the dealer shall set his hands by arranging the cards into a high and low hand. The certificate holder shall specify in its Rules Submission under § 601a.2 the manner in which the hands of the dealer shall be set. The dealer shall then place the two hands face up on the appropriate area of the layout. If a player is acting as the bank in accordance with § 645a.12 (relating to player bank; co-banking; selection of bank; procedures for dealing), after all players have set their hands and placed the cards on the table, the bank shall turn over his seven cards and set the two hands by arranging the cards in a high and low hand on the appropriate area of the layout.

(d) Unless a player has placed an optional wager authorized under § 645a.7(e)(1)—(5) (relating to wagers), a player may surrender his wager after the hands of the dealer or the bank have been set. The player shall announce his intention to surrender prior to the dealer exposing either of the two hands of that player as provided in subsection (e). Once the player has announced his intention to surrender, the dealer shall immediately collect the Pai Gow Poker Wager from that player and collect the seven cards dealt to that player without exposing the cards to anyone at the table. If any Qualifying Wagers have been placed, the cards of the player shall remain on the table until collected in accordance with subsection (h). The dealer shall verify that seven cards were collected by counting them face down on the layout prior to placing them in the discard rack.

(e) After the dealer has set a high hand and a low hand, the dealer shall reveal both hands of each player, beginning with the player farthest to the dealer’s right and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise direction. The dealer shall compare the high and low hand of each player to the high and low hand of the dealer and shall announce if the Pai Gow Poker Wager of that player wins, loses or is a tie.

(f) A Pai Gow Poker Wager will:

(1) Lose and will immediately be collected if:

(i) The high hand of the player is lower in rank than the high hand of the dealer and the low hand of the player is lower in rank than the low hand of the dealer.

(ii) The high hand of the player is identical in rank to the high hand of the dealer or the low hand of the player is identical in rank to the low hand of the dealer and the other hand of the player is identical in rank or lower in rank than the other hand of the dealer.

(iii) The high hand of the player was not set so as to rank equal to or higher than the low hand of that player.

(iv) The two hands of the player were not otherwise set correctly in accordance with this chapter.

(v) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (i)—(iv), if the table is designated for play as an EZ Pai Gow Poker table in which vigorish is not collected and if the dealer has a Queen’s Dragon, the player’s Pai Gow Poker Wager shall push and be returned to the player.

(2) Tie and will be returned to the player if:

(i) The high hand of the player is higher in rank than the high hand of the dealer, but the low hand of the player is identical in rank to the low hand of the dealer or lower in rank than the low hand of the dealer.

(ii) The high hand of the player is identical in rank to the high hand of the dealer or lower in rank than the high hand of the dealer, but the low hand of the player is higher in rank than the low hand of the dealer.

(iii) The dealer has a Queen’s Dragon and the table is designated for play as an EZ Pai Gow Poker table in which vigorish is not collected.

(3) Win if the high hand of the player is higher in rank than the high hand of the dealer and the low hand of the player is higher in rank than the low hand of the dealer provided that if the table is designated for play as an EZ Pai Gow Poker table and the dealer has a Queen’s Dragon, the player’s Pai Gow Poker Wager shall push and be returned to the player. The dealer shall pay the winning Pai Gow Poker Wager in accordance with the payout odds in § 645a.13(a) (relating to payout odds; Envy Bonus; rate of progression; payout limitation).

(g) Except as provided in subsection (h), after settling the player’s Pai Gow Poker Wager, the dealer shall place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(h) After settling the player’s Pai Gow Poker Wager, the dealer shall rearrange the seven cards of any player who placed an optional wager, in accordance with § 645a.7(e)(1)—(5), to form the highest ranking hand and be responsible for creating the hand for purposes of all optional wagers offered by the certificate holder. If any player at the table has placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall rearrange the cards of all players regardless of whether the player placed a Fortune Bonus, Emperor’s Treasure or Dynasty Bonus Wager. After rearranging the player’s seven cards, the dealer shall:

(1) Settle the player’s Fortune Bonus Wager as follows:

(i) If a player:

(A) Does not have a straight or higher, as described in § 645a.6(d) (relating to Pai Gow Poker rankings), the dealer shall collect the Fortune Bonus Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(B) Has a straight or higher, the dealer shall pay the winning Fortune Bonus Wager in accordance with § 645a.13(b) and shall place the cards of the player in the discard rack. If the player has an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and any player at the table placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall verbally acknowledge the Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and leave the cards of the player face up on the table.

(C) Did not place a Fortune Bonus Wager but has an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand, and another player at the table placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall verbally acknowledge the Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and leave the cards of the player face up on the table.

(ii) After all Fortune Bonus Wagers have been settled, if any player is the holder of an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand, the dealer shall pay an Envy Bonus in accordance with § 645a.13(b) to each player who has an Envy lammer at the player’s betting position. Players are entitled to multiple Envy Bonuses when another player at the same Pai Gow Poker table is the holder of an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand. A player is not entitled to an Envy Bonus for his own hand or the hand of the dealer.

(iii) After all Envy Bonuses have been paid, the dealer shall collect all remaining cards and place them in the discard rack.

(2) Settle the player’s Emperor’s Treasure Wager as follows:

(i) If a player:

(A) Does not have a straight or higher as described in § 645a.6(e), the dealer shall collect the Emperor’s Treasure Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(B) Has a straight or higher, the dealer shall pay the winning Emperor’s Treasure Wager in accordance with § 645a.13(c) and place the cards of the player in the discard rack. If the player has an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and any player at the table placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall verbally acknowledge the Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and leave the cards of the player face up on the table.

(C) Did not place an Emperor’s Treasure Wager but has an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and another player at the table placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall verbally acknowledge the Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and leave the cards of the player face up on the table.

(ii) After all Emperor’s Treasure Wagers have been settled, if any player is the holder of an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand, the dealer shall pay an Envy Bonus in accordance with § 645a.13(c) to each player who has an Envy lammer at the player’s betting position. Players are entitled to multiple Envy Bonuses when another player at the same Pai Gow Poker table is the holder of an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand. A player is not entitled to an Envy Bonus for his own hand or the hand of the dealer.

(iii) After all Envy Bonuses have been paid, the dealer shall collect all remaining cards and place them in the discard rack.

(3) Settle the player’s Pai Gow Insurance Wager. If a player:

(i) Has a pair or better as described in § 645a.6(b), the dealer shall collect the Pai Gow Insurance Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(ii) Does not have a pair or better, but has a card ranked a nine-high or better, the dealer shall pay the winning Pai Gow Insurance Wager in accordance with § 645a.13(d). The dealer shall then place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(4) Settle the player’s Progressive Payout Wager. If a player:

(i) Does not have a full house or better, as described in § 645a.6(f), the dealer shall collect the Progressive Payout Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(ii) Has a full house or better, the dealer shall:

(A) Verify that the hand is a winning hand.

(B) Verify that the appropriate light on the progressive table game system has been illuminated.

(C) Have a floorperson or above validate the progressive payout in accordance with the certificate holder’s approved internal control procedures.

(D) Pay the winning Progressive Payout Wager in accordance with the payout odds in § 645a.13(e). If a player has won a progressive payout that is a percentage of the progressive meter, the progressive payout may not be paid from the table inventory container. If a player has won a progressive payout that is not being paid from the table inventory, the cards of that player shall remain on the table until the necessary documentation has been completed.

(5) Settle the player’s Queen’s Dragon Wager. If the dealer does not have Queen’s Dragon, the dealer shall collect the Queen’s Dragon Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack. If the dealer has a Queen’s Dragon, the dealer shall pay the winning wager in accordance with § 645a.13(f).

(6) Settle the player’s Dynasty Bonus Wager as follows:

(i) If a player:

(A) Does not have a three-of-a-kind or better as described in § 645a.6(b) and (g), the dealer shall collect the Dynasty Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack.

(B) Has a three-of-a-kind or better, the dealer shall pay the winning Dynasty Wager in accordance with § 645a.13(g). If the player has an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and any player at the table placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall verbally acknowledge the Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and leave the cards of the player face up on the table.

(C) Did not place a Dynasty Wager but has an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and another player at the table placed a Qualifying Wager, the dealer shall verbally acknowledge the Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand and leave the cards of the player face up on the table.

(ii) After all Dynasty Bonus Wagers have been settled, if any player is the holder of an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand, the dealer shall pay an Envy Bonus in accordance with § 645a.13(g) to each player who has an Envy lammer at the player’s betting position. Players are entitled to multiple Envy Bonuses when another player at the same Pai Gow Poker table is the holder of an Envy Bonus Qualifying Hand. A player is not entitled to an Envy Bonus for his own hand or the hand of the dealer.

(7) Settle the player’s Protection Wager. If the player’s hand does not contain a high card of a 9, 10, jack, queen, king or ace, or the hand contains a pair or better, as described in § 645a.6(b), the dealer shall collect the Protection Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack. If the player’s hand does not contain a pair or better but contains a high card of a 9, 10, jack, queen, king or ace, the dealer shall pay the winning wager in accordance with § 645a.13(h).

(8) Settle the player’s Red/Black Wager. If the player wagered on red and the player’s hand does not contain four or more red cards, or if the player wagered on black and the player’s hand does not contain four or more black cards, the dealer shall collect the Red/Black Wager and place the cards of the player in the discard rack. If a player’s hand does contain four or more of the cards of the player’s chosen color, the dealer shall pay the winning Red/Black Wager in accordance with § 645a.13(i).

(i) Notwithstanding the requirements in subsection (h), if the certificate holder offers more than one optional wager, the dealer shall settle all of the player’s optional wagers before placing the player’s cards in the discard rack.

(j) All cards removed from the table shall be placed in the discard rack in a manner that permits the reconstruction of each hand in the event of a question or dispute.

The provisions of this § 645a.11 amended December 12, 2014, effective December 13, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 7683. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (362592) to (362596).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 645a.11 amended under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202(b)(30) and 13A02(1) and (2).

Cross References

This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 645a.12 (relating to player bank; co-banking; selection of bank; procedures for dealing); and 58 Pa. Code § 645a.13 (relating to payout odds; Envy Bonus; rate of progression; payout limitation).