The method of the present invention is directed to a poker card game, preferably a video card game such as played on a computer screen or in a video poker machine such as found at a casino, wherein on a single wager the poker player plays a face down hand, called a card back hand, and a face up poker hand. The card back hand, played either prior to or after playing the face up hand, is a random dealt hand and, if winning criteria are met, establishes a payout greater than the normal payout on preselected winning face up poker hands. This increases the potential payout on a given poker wager, while using a standard poker deal and playing method for the face up poker hand.