Saigon 5 Card

Introduction

Saigon 5 Card, known as Ngau Ham in its native languages, is a widely played casino game in Vietnam and Cambodia. It was once featured at the Seminole Hard Rock venue in Tampa, but is no longer available there. The game stands out for its unique mechanics, but ultimately, it is quite straightforward, revolving solely around luck without any skill factor involved.

Rules

1. The game utilizes a deck of 53 cards, which includes one joker.
2. Cards are scored as follows:
   • Aces = One point
   • 2-10 = Pip value
   • Face cards = 10 points
   • Joker = 3, 6, or 9 points
3. There are three bets, as follows:
   • Ante: This is the primary wager made against the dealer.
   • Pot: This represents a wager that is placed solely among players, where the highest hand claims victory.
   • Bonus: This is an additional bet that pays out based on the poker ranking of the player's five cards.
4. Once the wagers are made, the dealer will distribute five cards to each player as well as to themselves.
5. All participants, including the dealer, will strive to create a three-card hand that totals either 10, 20, or 30 points. Should they succeed in achieving this, the total point value of the remaining two cards will be calculated, unless their combined total exceeds 10, in which case, 10 will be deducted from the sum. Presumably, the dealer manages this calculation in a way that enhances the value of the two-card hand.
6. If neither the player nor the dealer is able to create a three-card hand with point totals of 10, 20, or 30, they are said to not have 'qualified'.
7. For the Ante bet, the comparison of cards between players and the dealer is determined with the following conditions:
   • Neither qualify: The Ante bet pushes.
   • If the player qualifies but the dealer does not, the player is declared the winner.
   • If the player fails to qualify while the dealer does, then the dealer wins.
   • In cases where both the player and dealer qualify, the one possessing the higher point value in their two-card hand is the victor. If there's a tie, the Ante bet results in a push.
8. All winning outcomes will pay out at even odds, except in the case where a player holds a two-card hand totaling five points, which results in the Ante bet paying at odds of 1 to 2.
9. The Pot bet goes to the player with the strongest two-card hand. It remains unclear whether the same two cards used for the Ante bet must be utilized for this bet or if any two cards will suffice.
10. In relation to the Bonus bet, the joker serves a limited wild function. Consequently, it can assist in completing combinations like straights, flushes, straight flushes, or royal flushes. Otherwise, it is treated as an ace. I am aware of two pay tables as displayed below. pai gow poker Below are two known pay tables for the Bonus bet, with wins presented on a 'to one' basis.

The subsequent table illustrates my evaluation of the Ante bet. The game would ideally maintain an equal playing field between the player and dealer, were it not for the unique payout of 1 to 2 on a winning total of five points, which occurs 3.735% of the time. Therefore, surrendering half a unit 3.735% of the time results in a house edge of 3.735% divided by 2, equaling 1.8675%, as detailed in the bottom right cell of the table.

Analysis

Regarding the Pot bet, while I lack complete information on the rules, it is evident that this is a player-versus-player bet without a rake, meaning it carries no house edge.

The table that follows showcases my evaluation of the Seminole Hard Rock pay table for the Bonus bet, revealing a house edge of 12.80%.

As indicated in the rules, I assume the player is expected to arrange their hand to optimize the value of the two-card hand. However, should the player have complete autonomy over their choices—though that seems unlikely—I suggest that opting for three or four points is more advantageous than going for five points due to the specific payout structure for achieving a total of five. Nevertheless, I find it improbable that a scenario would arise where the best two-card hand totals five points while also allowing for three or four points.

Strategy

Strategies grounded in mathematics, along with comprehensive information pertaining to various casino games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and many others.

External Links

• Tang Dynasty -- Saigon 5 Distributor
• Discussion about Saigon 5 Card in my forum at Wizard of Vegas

Written by: Michael Shackleford