BAI BUU

The history of Bai Buu

Bai Buu is a popular casino game in Cambodia and Vietnam. Its exact Vietnamese origins are unknown, although it’s certain to have been invented after card games have been introduced to Vietnam as a popular gambling gaming tool. Its calculation formula of the cards is also adapted from the Western card ranking system, minus the Joker.

Bai Buu rules

1. A standard of 52-card deck is used to play this casino game
2. The dealer arranges the cards into 7 stacks with 4 cards each
3. The dealer will shake the dice and will give opportunity to a player to shake the dice as well.
4. The total result of the 3 dice determines the house card and where the deal begins.
5. The dealer distributes the stacks to each player
6. The player arranges the cards into a High Hand and Low Hand with 2 cards each
7. Then, the dealer opens the house card and arrange into a High Hand and Low Hand
8. The dealer opens each player’s cards to determine the winning hand
9. If the High Hand and Low Hand are arranged incorrectly, the House automatically wins.

UNDERSTANDING POINTS STRUCTURE & SPLITTING MECHANICS

1. The House card can play with 9 points for high hand and 4 points and above for low hand.
2. If low hand under 4 points, dealer must split (example: Q+8+A+4, player may arrange the card as 4+Q (Low Hand) and 8+A (High Hand). If Q+8+A+3, dealer will arrange as A+3 and Q+8).
3. The number of pairs that cannot be split are: 4,4/ 5,5/ 10,10/ J,J/ Q,Q/ K,K/ A,A
4. If House hand has A+ 9 or 2 pictures, dealer cannot split.
5. For Q+K+6+4, dealer will arrange this as 6+4 and Q+K
6. For A+9+8+2, dealer will arrange this as 8+2 and A+9
7. The number of pairs that must be split are: 2,2/ 3,3/ 6,6/ 7,7/ 8,8/ 9,9
8. For Pair of 2 : 3+7, 4+7, 5+7, 6+7, 5+6 will be split
9. For Pair of 3 : 4+6, 5+6 will be split
10. For Pair of 6 : 1+2 and/or 3, 2+10, 3+10 will be split
11. For Pair of 7 : 1+2 and/or 10, 2+9 will be split
12. For Pair of 8 : A+10, and J+Q and/or K will be split
13. For Pair of 9 : A+10, and J+Q and/or K will be split

RANKS OF THE HAND

1. Four of a kind
2. Three of a kind
3. Pairs (AA is the highest)
4. Two Picture Cards, no pair. (e.g. KQ KJ QJ, the value is the same, which KQ ties QJ ties KJ)
5. Ten points (only A&9 counts as 10 points (they call it “Kong”), unlike 2&8 or 3&7, which counts as 0.)
6. Point from 0 to 9 (Two cards count as Bacarrat points, like 9&6 count as 5, or 4&9 counts as 3.)