High Five Poker is a table game that was initially created and promoted by SHFL entertainment. The goal is to beat the dealer’s five-card poker hand. Pai Gow Poker is similar to Pai Gow Poker in that it uses a 53 card deck. The 53rd card of the deck is a Joker. They can use the lone semi-wild card for a Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush. It can also be used to make an Ace.
The Brass Ass Casino in Cripple Creek (real name) currently offers High Five Poker. They also provide an advanced version.
What is High Five Poker?
There are six seats at the table. First, players must place an Ante bet. The dealer will then give seven cards face-down clockwise to each player and seven to himself. Each player will then review his or her cards and make one of these decisions:
- Fold and forfeit the Ante bet
- Keep the five best poker hands and discard two cards. Make a Play bet equivalent to the Ante bet.
To determine the best five-card poker hand, the dealer will reveal the house cards. If the dealer has at least two pairs of sixes, or against a player with a straight, then they qualify.
If the dealer has two deuces, player number 1 has straights, and player number 2 has a few or three, the dealer is eligible for player 1. What happens to the payouts when the dealer qualifies for the tournament?
If the dealer is not qualified, the Ante wager pays only money, and the Play bet pushes.
- The dealer must beat the player to qualify.
- The player must beat the dealer to qualify for the Ante and Play Bets.
- The dealer must qualify and tie the player to win the Player’s Ante or Play bets push.
When determining the outcome of any remaining wagers, the dealer works counterclockwise. The house edge is approximately 3.6%
Trips Side Bet
Trips side Bet pays for a hand that contains Three of a Kind or higher, regardless of whether the player wins or loses.
- Three of a kind pays 1
- Straight pays 2/1
- Flush pays 4/1
- Full House pays 7/1
- Full House (Aces Full), 20/1
- 4 of a kind pays 40/1
- Straight Flush: 50/1
- Royal Flush pays 100/1
- Five Aces (Four Aces with Joker) 200/1
There may be slight differences in the paytables between jurisdictions.
Strategy
The game is based on a basic strategy. If the dealer has less than a pair of sixes, they cannot qualify. You can fold if you have less than sixes Play-bet.