The Joker in Pai Gow

Dear Mark,

In Pai Gow Poker, what is the rank of the Joker when it applies to a flush? For instance, let's say my five-card hand consists of an Ace, Jack, 7, 5, and four of hearts and the Joker to complete the flush. The dealer has an Ace, Queen, Jack, 4, and three of spades. Since the Joker can be used to complete a flush and also as an Ace, wouldn't my hand beat the dealer's being that my Ace, Ace (Joker) Jack bets the dealers Ace, Queen, Jack? David N.

Your five-card flush hand, David, would still beat the dealer's, but you couldn't use the Joker as an additional Ace for your flush in hearts. You beat the dealer because the Joker would be used as a King, which beats in your example the dealer's second card Queen.

To complete a flush, (or straight or straight flush), the joker can substitute for any specific card not already in the hand, but not duplicate a card (e.g. two Aces as above) with but one exception: an Ace can be treated as a fifth-suit ace, which allows for the possibility of five aces.

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