British Columbia House Way

Introduction

This is the house way I believed used in all casinos in British Columbia, Canada. It was found it at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation web site, but the particular link to the house way was removed or changed.

• NO PAIR: Use the highest card in the high hand then use second and third highest cards inthe low hand.
• ONE PAIR: Use the pair in the high hand and the next highest cards for the low hand.
• TWO PAIRS: When splitting, always play the lowest pair in the low hand.

  Low Pair = 2" through 6"
  Medium Pair = "s through 10"
  High Pair = Jacks through Kings

  a) Low with Low/Medium: Split unless holding a King/Queen or King/Jack orbetter, then play two pairs in high hand.
  b) Low with High: Split unless holding an Ace, then play two pairs in highhand.
  c) Medium with Medium: Split unless holding an Ace, then play two pairs inhigh hand.
  d) High with Medium/High: Always split.
  e) Aces with any Pair: Always split.

   

• THREE PAIRS: Use the highest pair for the low hand.
• THREE OF A KIND: Always play in high hand.Exception: Split three aces, leaving a pair of aces in the high hand.
• (TWO) THREE OF A KIND: Split the highest three of a kind to use in the low hand.RULES OF PLAY
• STRAIGHT, FLUSH, STRAIGHT FLUSH, ROYAL FLUSH:With No Pair: Keep as high hand.

  Given a choice to play a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush, play whichever high hand willallow the highest cards in the low hand.

  Exceptions:
  a) Having a five-card Straight or Straight Flush, which is Ace highand includes a Joker, play two Aces (Ace and Joker) in the high hand withthe next highest cards in the low hand.
  b) Exception: In the case of a six or seven card Straight or Straight Flush,which is Ace high and includes a Joker, then play the lower Straight (9through King or 8 through Queen) in the high hand with the Ace, King orAce, other card in the low hand.

  With One Pair: Play pair in low hand if a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush can bepreserved in high hand. If not, play the same as No Pair.

  Exceptions:
  a) With an Ace (or Joker) and a pair of 10" through Kings, play Ace (or Joker) in low hand and the pair in the high hand.

  With Two Pairs: Use "Two Pairs" rule.

  With Three Pairs: Use "Three Pairs" rule.

  With Three of a Kind: Split the Three of a Kind, giving a pair in the low hand andmaintaining the Flush or Straight in the high hand.

  With Full House: Use "Full House" rule.

• FULL HOUSE: In virtually all cases a Full House plus two odd cards are split, with the pair inthe low hand.Exception: With a Full House where the pair is 2" and the odd cards are an Ace and aKing, then play the Ace, King in the low hand maintaining the Full House in the highhand.Exceptions:
  With a Full House and a Pair, play the highest Pair in the low hand.
• FOUR OF A KIND (with three odd cards):2, 3, 4, 5, 6" never split, keep in high hand;
  7, 8, 9, 10" split, unless there is an Ace to play in low hand;
  J, Q, K, A" always split.

   

• FOUR OF A KIND (with pair): Play four of a kind in high hand and the pair in low hand.
• FOUR OF A KIND (with three of a kind): Play four of a kind in high hand and a pair (fromthree of a kind) in low hand.Exception: Split four Aces unless the three of a kind is Kings.
• FIVE ACES: Split and play two Aces in low hand.Exception: With five Aces and two Kings, play the Kings in low hand.

Written by: Michael Shackleford