Introducing Split Hand Poker

Split your hand, double your luck! ^TM Split Hand Poker^TM combines everyone’s favorite aspects of Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker, and Three Card Poker. Split Hand Poker^TM is played with one standard 52 card deck. The object of the game is to have both player’s poker hands beat both dealer’s poker hands.

How to Play the Game

The player places their mandatory Game bet, and any optional bonus side bets on the indicated betting circles. After each player has placed their wager, both the players and the dealer are dealt four cards face down.

The dealer will draw six community cards, face up, which consist of one set of three cards for the Red Flop, and the remaining set of three cards for the Blue Flop. These are Community Cards, which each player and the dealer will use in conjunction with their four-card hand.

Players will split their 4-card hand to create the two best possible 5-card poker hands using the respective Flops. The player sets their Blue and Red Hand by placing two cards in each designated area.

Basic Player Strategy

The player should always play complete poker rankings in each hand first (such as a Full House or Flush). In absence of at least one pair in either of their two hands, they can use their highest value cards to balance both hands, or sacrifice one hand to improve the other as much as possible.

How to Win

After players set their hands, the dealer exposes their 4-card hand and splits it to build their Red and Blue hands according to the House Way. The dealer compares their Red and Blue Hand to the player’s Red and Blue Hand.

The higher value hand wins. If the player wins both hands, they will be paid 1:1 on the Game bet. If the dealer wins both hands, the player’s Game bet is forfeited. If the player wins one hand and the dealer wins one hand, this is a push, and no money is exchanged. If there is a Dealer Copy hand (either of the player’s hands match the corresponding dealer’s hand), the Game bet pushes.

Dealer Qualifying Hand

The dealer must qualify with a King-high or better in each of their two hands after setting both hands according to the “House Way.” If the dealer does not qualify, the player’s Game bet pushes.

Dealer Rules for Setting Hand

The dealer must set their cards according to the House Way. The player may set their cards any way they choose. Players can ask the dealer to set their hands according to the House Way. If a player plays more than one hand, they can set their first hand however they choose but all other hands must play according to the House Way.

Bonus Bets

Players can bet on the luck of their own four cards, and on the luck of their split hands. Bonus bets remain in play regardless of what happens to their Game bet. All Bonus bets must be wagered before the game begins.

4-Card Bonus Bet

To qualify for the 4-card Bonus payout, the player’s initial four cards must contain one of the ranked hands below:

5-Card Bonus Bet

To qualify for a Red or Blue 5-card Bonus payout, the player must have set the corresponding hand as one of the following poker rankings. If the player plays a single pair of face cards, or Aces, the 5-card Bonus bet pushes.