N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 9 § 5324.33
Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 45, November 2, 2024
Section 5324.33 - Four-card poker(a) Equipment and layout. (1) Four-card poker shall be played at a table having on one side betting positions for no more than seven players and on the opposite side a place for the dealer.(2) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (a) of section 5324.30 of this Part, the layout for a four-card poker table shall contain, at a minimum:(i) three separate betting areas designated for the placement of ante, play and aces up wagers for each player;(ii) if the gaming facility offers the optional progressive payout wager, a separate area designated for the placement of the progressive payout wager for each player; and(iii) if the gaming facility offers the optional six-card bonus wager, a separate area designated for the placement of the six-card bonus wager for each player.(b) Four-card poker rankings. (1) The rank of the cards used in four-card poker, in order of highest to lowest rank, shall be: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.(2) The permissible poker hands in the game of four-card poker, in order of highest to lowest rank, are: (i) four of a kind, a hand consisting of four cards of the same rank, with four aces being the highest-ranking four of a kind and four 2s being the lowest-ranking four of a kind.(ii) straight flush, a hand consisting of four cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking, with an ace, king, queen and jack being the highest-ranking straight flush and an ace, 2, 3 and 4 being the lowest-ranking straight flush.(iii) three of a kind, a hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, with three aces being the highest-ranking three of a kind and three 2s being the lowest-ranking three of a kind.(iv) flush, a hand consisting of four cards of the same suit, regardless of rank.(v) straight, a hand consisting of four cards of consecutive rank, regardless of suit, with an ace, king, queen, and jack being the highest-ranking straight and an ace, 2, 3, and 4 being the lowest-ranking straight; provided, however, that an ace may not be combined with any other sequence of cards for purposes of determining a winning hand;(vi) two pairs, a hand consisting of two pairs with two aces and two kings being the highest-ranking two pair and two 3s and two 2s being the lowest-ranking two pair; and(vii) pair, a hand consisting of two cards of the same rank, with two aces being the highest-ranking pair and two 2s being the lowest-ranking pair.(3) If a gaming facility offers the optional six-card bonus wager, permissible poker hands, in order of highest to lowest rank, are: (i) royal flush, a hand consisting of an ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of the same suit;(ii) straight flush, a hand consisting of five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking;(iii) four of a kind, a hand consisting of four cards of the same rank, regardless of suit;(iv) full house, a hand consisting of three-of-a-kind and a pair;(v) flush, a hand consisting of five cards of the same suit;(vi) straight, a hand consisting of five cards of consecutive rank, regardless of suit; and(vii) three of a kind, a hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, regardless of suit.(4) When comparing two poker hands that are of identical rank under this subdivision, or that contain none of the hands listed in paragraph (2) of this subdivision, the hand that contains the highest-ranking card as provided in paragraph (1) of this subdivision, which is not in the other hand, shall be considered the higher-ranking hand. If the hands are of equal rank after the application of this section, the hands shall be considered a tie.(c) Wagers. (1) Wagers at four-card poker shall be made by placing chips, plaques or table game promotional coupons on the appropriate areas of the table layout.(2) Only players who are seated at a four-card poker table may wager at the game. Once a player has placed a wager and received cards, that player shall remain seated until the completion of the round of play. If a player leaves the table during a round of play, any wagers made by the player may be considered abandoned and may be treated as losing wagers.(3) All wagers, except the play wager, shall be placed prior to the dealer announcing "no more bets." A wager may not be made, increased or withdrawn after the dealer has announced "no more bets."(4) Wagers in the game of four-card poker.(i) A player may compete solely against the dealer's four-card poker hand by placing an ante wager then a play wager, in an amount from one to three times the amount of the player's ante wager.(ii) A player may compete solely against a posted pay table by placing an aces up wager.(iii) A player may compete against both the dealer's four-card poker hand and the posted pay table by placing an ante wager and an aces up wager.(iv) A gaming facility may offer to a player at a four-card poker table the option to make a side progressive payout wager that the player shall receive a progressive payout hand. (a) After placing an ante wager or an aces up wager, or both, a player may make the side progressive payout wager by placing a chip on the designated area for a progressive wager.(b) Each player shall be responsible for verifying that the player's respective progressive payout wager has been accepted.(v) A gaming facility may offer to each player at a four-card poker table the option to make an side six-card-bonus wager that the one card dealt to the six-card bonus box and the five cards dealt to the player shall form a five-card poker hand with a rank of a three of a kind or better. After placing an ante wager and an aces up wager, a player may make the side six-card bonus wager by placing a value chip on the designated betting area prior to the dealer announcing "no more bets."(d) Procedure for dealing the cards. In addition to subdivisions (d) and (e) of section 5324.2 of this Part, the dealer shall deal the cards in accordance with this subdivision.(1) If using a manual dealing shoe or dealing from the hand, the dealer shall, starting with the player farthest to the dealer's left and continuing clockwise around the table, deal one card at a time to each player who placed the required wagers and to the dealer until each player and the dealer has five cards.(2) If using an automated dealing shoe, the shoe shall dispense stacks of five cards. The dealer shall deliver the first stack of cards dispensed by the automated dealing shoe face down to the player farthest to the dealer's left who has placed a wager. As the remaining stacks are dispensed to the dealer by the automated dealing shoe, the dealer shall, moving clockwise around the table, deliver a stack face down to each of the other players who has placed a wager. The dealer shall then deliver a stack of five cards face down to the area designated for the placement of the dealer's cards.(3) The gaming facility may allow the dealer to be dealt six cards rather than five, in accordance with its approved system of internal controls.(e) Procedures for completion of each round of play. (1) After the dealing procedures have been completed pursuant to subdivision (d) of this section, each player shall have the opportunity to examine such player's cards.(2) After each player has had the opportunity to examine such player's cards and placed the cards face down on the layout, beginning with the player farthest to the dealer's left and moving clockwise around the table, the dealer shall ask each player who placed an ante wager if the player wishes to: (i) make a play wager in an amount from one to three times the amount of the player's ante wager; or(ii) forfeit the ante wager and end the player's participation in the round of play.(3) If a player has placed an ante wager and: (i) an aces up wager but does not make a play wager, the player shall forfeit the ante wager but may not forfeit the aces up wager;(ii) a six-card bonus wager but does not make a play wager, the player shall forfeit the ante wager but may not forfeit the six-card bonus wager; or(iii) a progressive payout wager but does not make a play pager, the player shall forfeit both the ante wager and the progressive payout wager, but may not forfeit the eligibility to receive an envy bonus.(4) After each player who has placed an ante wager has either placed a play wager on the designated area of the layout or forfeited the player's wagers and hand, the dealer shall collect all forfeited wagers and associated cards and place the cards in the discard rack. The dealer shall then reveal the dealer's cards and place the cards so as to form the highest-ranking poker hand possible. After the dealer's cards are turned face up, the dealer shall, beginning with the player farthest to the dealer's right and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise direction, complete for each player the procedures set forth in subparagraphs (i) through (vi) of this paragraph. (i) The dealer shall turn the five cards of each player face up on the layout.(ii) The dealer shall examine the cards of the player and select the four cards that form the highest possible ranking poker hand for each player.(iii) If a player's highest-ranking four-card poker hand: (a) is ranked lower than the dealer's four-card poker hand, the dealer immediately shall collect the ante and play wagers made by the player; or(b) is ranked higher than or equal to the dealer's four-card poker hand, the dealer shall pay the ante and play wagers and any ante bonus in accordance with the pay table set forth in subdivision (j) of this section.(iv) After settling a player's ante and play wagers, settling any aces-up wagers by determining whether the player's four-card poker hand qualifies for a payout in accordance with the pay table set forth in subdivision (j) of this section, regardless of whether a player's hand outranks the dealer's hand.(v) If a six-card-bonus wager is offered by the gaming facility, settle a qualifying six-card-bonus wager regardless of whether the player's four-card poker hand outranks the dealer's hand.(vi) If a progressive payout wager is offered by the gaming facility, settle a player's progressive payout wager regardless of whether a player's hand outranks the dealer's hand by (a) verifying that the hand is a winning hand;(b) verifying that the appropriate light on the progressive table game system has been illuminated;(c) having a floorperson validate the progressive payout in accordance with the gaming facility's approved system of internal controls; and(d) paying the winning progressive payout wager in accordance with the posted pay table set forth in subdivision (j) of this section.(5) If a player has won a progressive payout that is 100 percent of the jackpot amount on the progressive meter, the progressive payout may not be paid from the chip tray and the cards of that player shall remain on the table until the documentation set forth in section 5323.16 of this Subchapter has been completed.(6) Players making a progressive payout wager shall receive an envy bonus when another player at the same four-card poker table is the holder of an envy bonus qualifying hand. Players are entitled to multiple envy bonuses if more than one other player is the holder of an envy bonus qualifying hand. A player is not entitled to an envy bonus for such player's own hand or the hand of the dealer.(7) After all wagers have been settled, the dealer shall remove all remaining cards from the table and place such cards in the discard rack in a manner that permits the reconstruction of each hand in the event of a question or dispute.(f) Payout odds; envy bonus; rate of progression. (1) A gaming facility shall pay each winning ante and play wagers at no less than odds of 1:1.(2) A gaming facility shall pay, regardless of whether a player's four-card poker hand outranks the dealer's hand, a bonus on the ante wager at no less than the following odds: Hand | Payout |
Three of a kind | 2:1 |
Straight flush | 20:1 |
Four of a kind | 25:1 |
(3) A gaming facility shall select one of the following pay tables to pay out the aces up wager: Hand | Pay table A | Pay table B | Pay table C | Pay table D | Pay table E | Pay table F |
Pair of aces | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 |
Two pair | 2:1 | 2:1 | 3:1 | 2:1 | 2:1 | 3:1 |
Straight | 4:1 | 5:1 | 4:1 | 4:1 | 4:1 | 4:1 |
Flush | 6:1 | 6:1 | 5:1 | 6:1 | 6:1 | 5:1 |
Three of a kind | 9:1 | 7:1 | 8:1 | 8:1 | 8:1 | 7:1 |
Straight flush | 30:1 | 30:1 | 40:1 | 40:1 | 30:1 | 40:1 |
Four of a kind | 50:1 | 50:1 | 50:1 | 50:1 | 50:1 | 50:1 |
(4) A gaming facility shall select one of the following pay tables to pay out the progressive wager: Hand | Pav table A | Pav table B |
Three of a kind | 9:1 | 15:1 |
Straight flush | 100:1 | 100:1 |
Four of a kind | 300:1 | 300:1 |
Four of a kind, aces | 100% of meter | 100% of meter |
(i) A player shall receive the payout for only the highest-ranking four-card poker hand formed.(ii) The initial and reset amount of the progressive payout meter shall be in accordance with the gaming facility's approved system of internal controls and shall be at least $5,000 for pay table A and $1,000 for pay table B.(iii)Envy bonus payouts shall be made according to the following payout schedules for envy bonus qualifying hands based upon the amount of the progressive payout wager placed by the player receiving the envy bonus: Hand | Pav table A | Pav table B | Pav table C |
Straight flush | 5:1 | | |
Four of a kind | 10:1 | 25:1 | 300:1 |
Four of a kind, aces | 100:1 | 100:1 | 1000:1 |
(5) A gaming facility shall select one of the following pay tables to pay out the six-card bonus wager: Hand | Pav table A | Pav table B |
Three of a kind | 5:1 | 5:1 |
Straight | 10:1 | 10:1 |
Flush | 15:1 | 15:1 |
Full house | 20:1 | 20:1 |
Four of a kind | 50:1 | 50:1 |
Straight flush | 200:1 | 200:1 |
Royal flush | 1,000:1 | 1,000:1 |
Six-card royal flush | | |
of hearts, clubs, spades | $100,000 | $100,000 |
Six-card royal flush of diamonds | $1,000,000 | $100,000 |
N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 5324.33
Adopted New York State Register November 16, 2016/Volume XXXVIII, Issue 46, eff. 11/16/2016