NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 180

3.0 The Tiles

3.1 The ranking of pairs of tiles, wongs and gongs with regard to each other, from highest to lowest, is shown in Appendix A to this division.

3.2 When a high hand or low hand is lower than Day High Nine (ranking 22), the value of that hand shall be a single digit figure from zero to nine inclusive, which shall be determined by totalling the face values of the two tiles forming the hand. If the total value of the tiles is a two-digit number, the left digit of that number shall be discarded as having no value and the right digit shall constitute the value of the hand. The face value of a tile which is not part of a pair, wong or gong is the number of dots on its face, except that each of the two tiles comprising the pair Gee Jun may be counted as either a three or a six.

3.3 The ranking of individual tiles, from highest to lowest, is shown in Appendix B to this division.

3.4 Prior to the commencement of gaming the tiles shall be checked at the pai gow table, tile by tile; displayed face up on the table in order of rank; and finally checked by the game supervisor. The tiles shall remain so displayed until a player takes a place at the table.

3.5 Should any tile be damaged or marked during play, the casino supervisor shall be notified and either the tile or tiles concerned shall be replaced, or the whole set shall be replaced by a new set of tiles.

3.6 The casino manager or shift manager may, after any round of play, direct that the set of tiles be replaced by another set.

3.7 Tiles brought to the table by way of replacement shall be checked in accordance with rule 3.4 of this division, and shall remain displayed unless or until a player is seated at the table.

3.8 Prior to a set of tiles being removed from the table, the tiles shall again be checked on the table, tile by tile, and set out in order of rank.

4.0 The Bank

4.1 Pai gow may be played with:

(a) the house holding the bank for the round of play;

(b) a player/banker covering all wagers made by the other players and the house taking no part; or

(c) a player/banker co-banking with the house for 50% of the total wagers placed up to the displayed maximum.

4.2 At the commencement of play, and the recommencement of play after the table has been empty, the house shall be banker for the first round of play. After that round the bank shall be offered counter clockwise around the table to each player in turn, starting with box number one.

4.3 No player shall be eligible to accept the bank as a player/banker unless he/she:

(a) controls a box; and

(b) played in the previous round of play.

4.4 A player/banker may hold the bank for no more than two consecutive rounds of play before it must be offered to the other players, counter clockwise around the table, commencing with the box to the right of the player/banker.

4.5 In its discretion the casino operator may allow two or more players at one box to share the bank.

4.6 When offered the bank, a player may elect to co-bank with the house, in which event the player/banker must have sufficient funds to cover 50% of the total amount wagered by the other players against the bank.

4.7 For a player to become the sole player/banker he/she must have sufficient funds to cover 100% of the wagers placed by the other players.

4.8 If no player entitled to do so elects to take the bank, the house will act as banker.

5.0 The Shuffle and Cut

5.1 Before the commencement of each round of play, the dealer shall shuffle all of the tiles so that they are randomly intermingled.

5.2 The dealer shall then stack the tiles face down on the table and place the stacks on the layout in front of him/her.

5.3 After the tiles are stacked and before the style of the cut has been determined:

(a) where the house is the banker, a player; or

(b) where there is a player/banker, the player/banker, may either perform a laja personally or request a laja by the dealer, which the dealer shall perform.

5.4 Subject to the provisions of any rule providing for a laja in the event of an irregularity in the conduct of the game, only one laja may be performed during a round of play.

5.5 The tiles shall then be cut by the dealer in accordance with one of the approved cuts.

5.6 Where the house is the sole banker, the cut shall be Yat Dong or such other approved cut as the game supervisor directs.

5.7 Where there is a player/banker, the player/banker may determine the cut. If he/she declines to do so, the cut shall be Yat Dong or such other approved cut as the game supervisor directs.

5.8 Where the casino operator offers this as an option of play, after the cut has been decided and before the dice have been disclosed, the player/banker may decide to adjust the point of delivery of the tiles by nominating a value of +4 or -4. The nominated plus value is added to the total of the dice, and the nominated minus value deducted from it, for the purpose of deciding which box shall receive the first set of 4 tiles from the cut.

5.9 Where a player/banker decides to adjust the point of delivery of the tiles pursuant to rule 5.8 of this division, the value nominated by him/her shall be shown on a marker button placed in a central position on the table.

6.0 Wagers

6.1 Each player in a round of play, other than the player/banker (if any), shall make a wager against the bank, which shall:

(a) win if:

(i) the player’s high hand is higher than the banker’s high hand and the player’s low hand is higher than the banker’s low hand, or

(ii) the banker and the player have the same value hand and the player’s high tile is of a higher ranking than the banker’s high tile;

(b) lose if:

(i) the banker’s high hand is higher than the player’s high hand and the banker’s low hand is higher than the player’s low hand, or

(ii) either the high hand or the low hand in both the banker’s hand and the player’s hand is zero, regardless of ranking, or

(iii) the banker and the player have the same value hand and the player’s high tile is not of a higher ranking than the banker’s high tile, or

(iv) the banker and the player have identical hands;

and

(c) constitute a push if only one of the player’s high and low hands is higher than the corresponding hand in the banker’s hand.

6.2 In any round of play, the player/banker, if any, shall