Poker Pai

Pai Gow Poker, not to be confused with just Pai Gow, is a table game found in
practically every casino. It has been on casino floors for almost 40 years,
which is no easy feat for any game. Though slightly more difficult to learn than
many other table games, it still maintains a strong following.

Pai Gow Poker is loosely based on the Chinese domino game Pai Gow, which is
well over 1,000 years old. Another game having an influence on the design of Pai
Gow Poker is Pusoy, which is a Chinese poker game.

Unlike most poker games, such as no-limit Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker isn’t played against other players, but instead, each player attempts to defeat a banker, most often played by the house dealer. One exception is if a player is allowed and opts to bet against other players, known as “banking.”. Pai Gow Poker is spread at over 60 Las Vegas casinos. There are several variants dealt, even within the same casino. There are several bets available at a Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker table. The main bet has a minimum of at least $5, depending on the casino. Side bets can often be made for $1 or $5. The player and dealer start with seven cards.

Find out why this game remains relevant in casinos and why so many people
choose to play it. We have compiled an in-depth guide to everything Pai Gow
Poker. You will find out how to play, variations, tips, payouts, and the best
places to play Pai Gow Poker online.

Below you will find out picks for the best online casino sites offering Pai
Gow Poker. Any casino we recommend will be a high-quality casino with
player-friendly practices. If you’re looking for a place to try this game, start
with one of our top casino picks.

Best Pai Gow Poker Casino Sites

• Slots.lv – #1 Option for US Players
• Magic Red Casino – #1 Non-US Site

Benefits of Playing Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker isn’t lacking in its fan base. Many people love this game and
there are numerous reasons why they do. One of the biggest draws of the game of
Pai Gow Poker is the slow rate of play. Each round takes longer to complete than
most other table games. The amount of hands that push also decreases the rate in
which you potentially lose your bankroll.

Many people say that they choose Pai Gow Poker because they have a limited
amount of money to gamble with. They want to be able to play for as long as
possible on that amount, and Pai Gow Poker is the best option.

Anyone who has played poker and been dealt a really big hand knows how
exciting it is. Pai Gow Poker deals big hands often because of the additional
two cards. Add in the wild joker card and the bonus hands start coming up
frequently. Although the highest-ranking hands are incredibly rare, even some of
the mid-ranking hands can be exciting to see. You will see straight flushes and
4-of-a-kinds fairly often.

Another reason people like this game is the high bonus payouts available.
Even though they are rare, just the fact that they are possible is exciting to
many players. The majority of side bonus bets have a maximum payout around 50:1
or so. The maximum side bonus payout in Pai Gow Poker can be 8,000:1.

People tend to have a lot of fun at the Pai Gow Poker table. There is more of
a team mentality than with most games. Players tend to win together and lose
together based on the strength of the dealer’s hand. This means you will often
hear an entire table celebrating together. The envy bonuses at some tables
create an even more team-oriented stance. It makes for a social and fun
environment for the players.

How to Play Pai Gow

Pai Gow Poker is dealt with one 53-card deck. This is a normal 52-card deck,
plus the addition of one joker card. In Pai Gow Poker, the joker can be used as
a wild card for any straight or flush, or can play as an ace. It’s often called
the “bug” and can be incredibly valuable in your hand.

This game utilizes an automatic shuffler. It shuffles the cards and separates
them into groups of seven cards. This is the
number of cards each player is dealt in Pai Gow Poker. From those seven cards
you will make two separate hands; a high hand and a low hand. We will cover
these later in this section.

The point of the game is to have a higher ranked hand than the dealer for
both your high and your low hand. If only one hand wins, it is a push. If both
hands lose, you will lose the round and your wager. In most Pai Gow Poker
variations, a tie on either of your hands is considered a win for the dealer.
This does not mean the dealer wins the round and your bet. They will only win
the high or low hand (whichever one resulted in a tie).

This game is different from most other table games in that the first hand is
not automatically dealt to the player on the dealer’s left. In Pai Gow Poker,
the player who will receive the first hand is determined by rolling dice, or by
an electronic number generator on the table. The dice are not part of the hand,
they are simply used to dictate the dealing position.

If an electronic number generator is being used, the seat position which will
receive the first hand automatically pops up at the beginning of the shuffler’s
deal. If the game is utilizing dice, it is usually three dice held within a
covered metal holder. The position is determined by adding the three dice values
together.

Each seat at the table will have a corresponding seat number. Position number
1 is the dealer. The seat directly to the dealer’s right is position 2. The
positions and corresponding number then circle around the table
counterclockwise, with the dealer included. Sometimes the position counting can
circle the table a couple times. You simply keep counting around the table
positions until you reach the rolled dice value or the random number given.

That position will receive the first hand from the shuffler. The dealer will
then hand out the rest of the hands moving clockwise from the first cards dealt.
Once again, this includes the dealer.

Each position on the table will be dealt a hand, regardless of whether or not
there is a player in that position. If the seat is empty, the cards will be
added to the muck pile at the end of the deal. After all players and the dealer
have received their hand, the shuffler will finish sending out the remaining
cards from the deck. These extra cards are placed into a muck pile. After this,
players are then able to pick up their cards and set up their hands.

Yes, I said hands. As in more than one. That’s because in Pai Gow Poker you
are actually playing two hands; a 2-card low hand and a 5-card high hand. Even
though your 2-card hand is called a “low” hand, the objective is not to have low
ranked cards like in hi/lo poker games. In fact, you want to make the highest
hand possible here.

The reason this is called the low hand is that it must be valued lower than
your 5-card hand. For example, if you are dealt two pairs, 10-10 and 8-8, you
are required to put the 8’s in your low hand. If done the opposite way, the low
hand (10’s) would have a higher value than your high hand (8’s). This is not
allowed in Pai Gow Poker.

How to Set Your Hand

This is, by far, the most difficult aspect of Pai Gow Poker. Setting your
hand can be overwhelming for new players. Even Pai Gow Poker veterans will mess
this one up from time to time. Don’t let this discourage you from playing. Once
you get the hang of how it works, it really is not as complicated as it seems.

Always remember that you have to beat both of the dealer’s hands to win.
Heavily favoring only one of your hands will not help you achieve a win. Your
high hand is going to be a 5-card poker hand. Rankings are the same as poker
with a couple of exceptions: The joker card creates additional hand outcomes,
and an A-2-3-4-5 is the second best straight.

High hand Pai Gow Poker hand rankings (from highest ranking hand down):

1. Five Aces – This is
   achieved by having all four aces and the joker.
2. Royal Flush
3. Straight Flush
4. Four-of-a-Kind
5. Full House
6. Flush
7. Straight – A-K-Q-J-10 is the
   highest straight possible. Next is A-2-3-4-5, then a King high, then Queen
   high, etc.
8. 3-of-a-Kind
9. Two Pair
10. Single Pair

Low hand Pai Gow Poker hand rankings:

1. Pair – Aces are the highest pair
   possible, followed by Kings, Queens, etc.
2. High Card – An Ace is the highest
   card. The second card in your low hand only comes into play if there is a tie on
   the higher card. For example, a K-J beats a K-3.

The House Way

The dealer has a very specific set of rules in which they are required to set
their cards. This is called the “house way”. If you ask the dealer for advice on
how to play your hand, they will tell you how the house way would play.

If you want to use the house way rules, you can have the dealer set your hand
for you. This is useful (and required) if you play two separate hands at the
table. Rules only allow you to set one hand. If you decide to play two, you will
not be able to look at one of them ahead of time, and the dealer is required to
set your hand for you by house way rules.

House rules can vary between casinos but do stay very close to this standard
set of house way rules:

• No pair (pai gow) will play the highest card in the high hand, with the
  next 3 highest ranked cards in the low hand.
• One pair will play the pair in the high hand and the two highest cards
  in the low hand.
• Three pairs will be split with the highest pair in the low hand
  position.
• Three-of-a-kind stays together in the high hand position unless it’s
  three Aces. In this circumstance, house way would play 2 Aces in the high
  hand and 1 in the low hand.
• Two different sets of 3-of-a-kind is played with the lower set of trips
  in the high hand. Two of the higher set of trips cards will be played as a
  pair in the low hand position.
• Full Houses are split with the 3-of-a-kind playing in the high hand
  position and the pair used for the low hand.
• Full house plus an additional pair puts the higher pair in the low hand
  position. The three-of-a-kind and lower pair will play in your high hand
  position.

Four-of-a-kind is played differently depending on the card rank.

• A-J is always split, playing one pair in both the high and low hand.
• 10-7 split into pairs between the high and low hand unless an Ace is
  available to play in the low hand position.
• 6-2 is always kept as a four-of-a-kind in the high hand position.
• Four-of-a-kind plus a pair is always played with the four of a kind in
  the high hand position and the pair in the low.
• Four-of-a-kind and a three-of-a-kind is played with the four of a kind
  in the high hand position and a pair from the three-of-a-kind in the low
  position.
• Five Aces is split with three aces in the high hand and the other two
  aces in the low hand position. The only exception to this is if a pair of
  kings is also held. In this circumstance, the five aces would play as the
  high hand and the kings would play in the low hand position.

Two pair is slightly more complex than the other rules. How the two pairs are
played according to house way rules depends on the rank of each pair.

Anytime you have two pairs with Aces and another pair, they will always be
split

Playing as the Banker

One very interesting aspect of Pai Gow Poker is the ability of the player to
choose to act as the house. This is referred to as playing as the banker. Only
some Pai Gow Poker tables allow this, and most variations eliminate the option.
This is because it cuts the house advantage percentage by almost half for your
hand.

There are some drawbacks to playing as the banker. The main one being that
you have a lot more money on the line with each hand. This is because you are
essentially acting as the dealer. You will be playing against the other players’
hands. If they beat you, you pay them from your chip stack. If you win, they pay
you.

The low house advantage comes from two differences when playing as the
banker. The first is winning ties. Just as the dealer wins a tie, you will win a
push between yourself and the other players. Second, you are only required to
pay a commission on your net win, not each individual win.

For example, if you won 3 hands worth $100 each, but lost 2 worth $80 each,
you would only pay a commission of $7. This is when acting as the banker for one
round of play. Looking at it from the player’s perspective rather than the
banker’s pays a much higher commission. If a player wins 3 hands worth $100 each
and loses two hands worth $80 each, they would pay $10 in commission.

What’s Important in a Pai Gow Poker Site

Finding an online casino can be a little intimidating. You want to make sure
you are getting a fair gaming experience. We have done extensive research to
generate our top online casino Pai Gow Poker sites. I suggest you start with one
of our picks if you don’t already have a favorite casino site. We have put in
all the time and effort, so you might as well utilize it!

If you want to look into an online casino site for yourself, there are a
couple things you should look for. First, you should check the casino’s player
reviews.

If they have a ton of negative reviews, we would highly doubt their
customer service department is effective.

Another important area to look into is the online casino’s banking options.
Make sure they have a deposit and withdrawal method that fits your needs. Things
like processing time and fees can vary greatly between casinos.

Finally, you will want to make sure the casino is licensed and regulated by a
reputable gaming authority. This will mean the casino programs are regularly
tested to ensure quality and fair practices.

Pai Gow Poker casino games can have big differences between different
casinos. Some will offer bigger payouts and incentives, and better player odds.
Others strive to provide the best selection of Pai Gow Poker variations. If you
already have a favorite variation, you will want to make sure that casino offers
it. There are many Pai Gow Poker variations, so make sure you find the one you
want.

Pai Gow Poker Variations

Fortune Pai Gow Poker Progressive

Fortune Pai Gow Poker is one of the most commonly found variations both
online and on a casino floor. This variation is popular for many reasons. For
one, the commission has been eliminated in this game. That means no more
quarters all over and weird payouts. Not to mention, you’re not automatically
giving 5% of your winnings back to the casino.

The other exciting aspect of Fortune Pai Gow Poker is the bonuses. There are
two bonus games you can choose to play. You can play one or both of them. They
are the Progressive Bonus and the Fortune Bonus.

The Progressive Bonus is a $1 side bet. You make this wager by placing your
bet on the red-lit circle spot in front of your seat position. The house
advantage of this bet is dependent upon the size of the jackpot. Since the
amount increases with every bet until it’s won, it’s not possible to calculate.
The jackpot would have to be in the mid $200,000 range to be a break-even bet.
They’re usually not even close to this amount. Typically, this bet is going to
have a high house advantage.

Progressive Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush – 100% of Posted Jackpot Amount
• Five Aces – 10% of Posted Jackpot Amount
• Royal Flush – $500
• Straight Flush – $100
• 4-of-a-Kind – $75
• Full House – $4

The Fortune side bonus bet has some large payouts. This makes it a tempting
wager for many players. Another exciting aspect of this bonus is the envy bonus.
We all get a pang of jealousy when we see someone win a huge hand. The envy
bonus helps with that. If you bet $5 or more on the Fortune Bonus, you are
eligible to receive a payout whenever another player at the table gets a big
hand.

Fortune Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush (No Joker) – 8,000:1
• Royal Flush and a KQ Suited – 2,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – 1,000:1
• Five Aces – 400:1
• Royal Flush – 150:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1

Fortune Bonus Envy Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush (No Joker) – $1,000
• Royal Flush and a KQ Suited – $250
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – $100
• Five Aces – $50
• Royal Flush – $25
• Straight Flush – $10
• 4-of-a-Kind – $5

Emperors Challenge Pai Gow Poker

Emperors Challenge Pai Gow Poker is another common variation of Pai Gow Poker
found in casinos. This variation also does not charge a commission. They added a
third available side bonus bet in this game called the Pai Gow Insurance Bonus.
As far as we are aware, there are no online versions of this game to play. It is
only found inside land-based casinos.

The Emperors Challenge Bonus payouts are very similar to the Fortune Bonus
payouts. In addition to the payouts for a straight or better, the bonus also
pays for a pai gow hand with a jack high or lower. To compensate for this
addition, the top bonus payout was lowered and the royal flush with royal match
category was eliminated. Since a pai gow hand is much more common than either of
those hands, it seems like a good trade-off.

Emperors Challenge Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush (No Joker) – 5,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – 1,000:1
• Five Aces – 500:1
• Royal Flush – 150:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1
• 9 High Pai Gow – 40:1
• 10 High Pai Gow – 5:1
• Jack High Pai Gow – 2:1

The last bonus available is the Pai Gow Insurance Bonus wager. This is,
essentially, betting that you will be dealt a pai gow. This is a hand with only
a high card, no pairs or better. As these happen often and result in a loss more
often than not, the insurance bet is a big draw to this particular variation of
Pai Gow Poker.

Pai Gow Insurance Payouts:

• 9 High Pai Gow – 100:1
• 10 High Pai Gow – 25:1
• Jack High Pai Gow – 15:1
• Queen High Pai Gow – 7:1
• King High Pai Gow – 5:1
• Ace High Pai Gow – 3:1

No Push Pai Gow Poker

Many people choose to play Pai Gow Poker for the slow pace of the game.
Statistically, you will push almost half of the time, which means you can play a
lot of hands with your money. If you like the game but not the slow pace, No
Push Pai Gow Poker might be the variation for you. This game plays just like
regular Pai Gow Poker except for when the dealer and player hands result in a
push.

When the dealer deals a round of No Push Pai Gow Poker, they utilize the
extra playing cards left at the end of the deal. These cards are set to the side
individually to use in the event of a tie. When a tie happens, this game takes a
cue from the popular table game “Casino War”. Both the dealer and the players
will have one of the extra cards face down, which will be flipped over in the
event of a push. Whoever has the high card wins the hand. If it’s another tie,
the win goes to the dealer.

Other aspects of this Pai Gow Poker variation include no commission, and the
banker position only being available to the dealer. It has almost double the
house advantage percentage as regular Pai Gow Poker and no bonuses available to
play. As far as variations go, this is not the best choice statistically.

Pai Gow Mania

Pai Gow Mania Poker plays the exact same as regular Pai Gow Poker, other than
the addition of two side bonus bets. One side bonus is the typical 7-card best
hand bonus that many other variations offer. The payouts are slightly different.
It is based on any combination of cards in your hand.

Seven Card Hand Side Bonus Payouts:

• Five Aces – 500:1
• Royal Flush – 250:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1

The other bonus is a fun mash-up of two casino table games: Pai Gow Poker and
Three Card Poker. When the dealer deals the Pai Gow Poker Mania cards, they are
dealt in two separate batches. The first deal is 3 cards. If you are betting the
optional Three Card Bonus bet, your payout is determined by the first set of
cards dealt to you.

You will then receive your payout if qualified. After that, the other four
remaining cards are dealt to the players and the rest of the Pai Gow Poker game
is played. This side bonus has a house advantage of just 3.86%. Not only is this
a good percentage for an additional bonus game, but also adds a whole other game
to your normally slow-moving Pai Gow Poker Game. This variation is very popular
for this reason.

Three Card Side Bonus Payouts:

• Straight Flush (No Joker) – 40:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 30:1
• Straight Flush (With Joker) – 5:1
• Straight – 4:1
• Flush – 3:1
• Pair – 2:1

EZ Pai Gow Poker

This Pai Gow Poker variation has no commission, which makes it yet another
popular choice for players. The casino compensates for this with one main rule
change. Anytime the dealers’ hand is a queen high pai gow, all players will
push. This increases the house advantage because a queen high pai gow hand is
typically a losing hand for the dealer.

Another reason players seem to like EZ Pai Gow Poker is that this variation
has four bonus side bets. They are the Dynasty Bonus, Protection Bonus, Red or
Black Bonus, and a Progressive Bonus. This game also designates the dealer as
the only banker.

The Dynasty Bonus is similar to the 7-card side bonuses in most of the other
Pai Gow Poker variations. One interesting difference, though, is the addition of
a category for an A-5 straight flush. This is seen in another bonus in this game
as well.

Dynasty Bonus Payouts:

• A-5 Straight Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – 2,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (No Joker) – 2,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – 1,000:1
• Royal Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – 1,000:1
• Five Aces – 500:1
• Royal Flush – 120:1
• A-5 Straight Flush – 120:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1

The Dynasty Bonus also includes an envy aspect for players when another
player is dealt a high bonus hand. In this side bet, only a $1-dollar Dynasty
Bonus wager is needed to qualify for the envy bonus payouts listed.

Envy Bonus Payouts:

• A-5 Straight Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – $100
• 7 Card Straight Flush (No Joker) – $80
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – $40
• Royal Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – $60
• Five Aces – $20
• Royal Flush – $10
• A-5 Straight Flush – $15
• Straight Flush – $4
• 4-of-a-Kind – $1

The Protection Bonus in EZ Pai Gow Poker is basically an insurance bet. This
is placing a wager that you will be dealt a pai gow hand. There is one
difference in that they have included an A-5 straight flush into the paytable
for this bonus also.

Protection Bonus Payouts:

• A-5 Straight Flush – 120:1
• 9 High Pai Gow – 100:1
• 10 High Pai Gow – 25:1
• Jack High Pai Gow – 15:1
• Queen High Pai Gow – 7:1
• King High Pai Gow – 5:1
• Ace High Pai Gow – 3:1

The Red or Black Bonus is a unique side bet. It adds a slight roulette aspect
to the game. For this bonus, the player will choose to place their wager on
either red or black. If they are dealt a hand with 4 or more cards of that
color, they will win. It also has an incredibly low house advantage of 2.68%,
making it a great choice if you want to play a side bonus game.

Red or Black Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Cards of Chosen Color – 5:1
• 4-6 Cards of Chosen Color – 1:1

The Queen’s Dragon Bonus is simple and straightforward. You win this bonus
whenever the dealer has a queen high pai gow hand. It pays at a rate of 50:1 or
45:1 depending on the casino you’re playing with.

The last bonus available in EZ Pai Gow Poker is the Progressive Bonus. The
payouts are based on a $1 bet. Jackpot hands will not be multiplied by
denomination for bets higher than $1. All other payouts will be multiplied by
denomination.

Progressive Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Straight Flush – Bonus Jackpot Amount
• Five Aces – 10% of Bonus Jackpot Amount
• Royal Flush – $500
• Straight Flush – $ 100
• 4-of-a-Kind – $75
• Full House – $4

Dragon Hand

This one is a little different. It is not a particular game that you can
find, but rather an option some casinos will offer, while others will not. It is
only an option in a land-based casino. The dragon hand is an extra hand that is
dealt to an empty seat at the card table. A player can choose to play this hand
in addition to their own hand.

The way this option is given varies between casinos. Some will let all
players at the table choose to bet on one dragon hand. Others will have a dragon
hand button that is passed around the table. Only the player who currently holds
the dragon hand button is allowed to bet on it.

If the bet is offered to all players at the table, the player will not set
the cards. They will be set by the dealer under the house way guidelines. If the
dragon hand is only available to one player, they are typically allowed to look
at it and set it themselves. The dragon hand is always played after you have set
your regular hand.

Tips for Beginners

Pai Gow Poker is a much more complex game than many others. This is
especially true when adding in multiple side bets, and with the addition of the
joker card. The most important tips for any beginning Pai Gow Poker player
revolve around taking the time to thoroughly examine your hand, especially when
holding the joker card.

• Use the lowest straight and flush possibilities for your high hand to
  maximize your top hand quality. Many times, when holding a straight or a
  flush in your hand, especially with the joker, you have the ability to make
  more than one. Play around with your cards until you find the way to make
  the highest low hand while still maintaining your flush or straight.

  For example, if you’re dealt an A-J-9-8-7-5-Joker, you would want to set your
  hand like this:

  • High Hand – 5-Joker-7-8-9
  • Low Hand – A-J

  Not like this:

  • High Hand – 7-8-9-Joker-J
  • Low Hand – A-5
• Remember that you will be paid for a bonus hand, even if you decide to
  set your hand without using the bonus. For example, if you hold five Aces,
  you can choose to play a pair of Aces in your low hand and three Aces in
  your high hand. When set this way, you will still receive the bonus payout
  for five Aces.
• Thoroughly examine your hand for flushes and straights. These are easy
  to miss when holding seven cards. Be sure to double check for them in each
  hand dealt.
• If you feel overwhelmed by trying to set your hand or feel like you are
  making mistakes, you can ask the dealer to set your hand using the house way
  rules. This can be done for one hand or for an extended period of time with
  each new deal. You are able to resume setting your hand on your own at any
  time.
• If you are dealt a hand containing three separate pairs, you always want
  to play your highest pair as your low hand. You do not want to put your
  highest two pairs in your high hand and lowest pair in your low hand. This
  is a common mistake that new players make often. Remember that you’re trying
  to make both hands as high as possible.
• Many new players mistakenly believe the joker is a full wild card.
  This is not the case. The joker card can only be used to make a straight or
  a flush. Otherwise, it will play as an Ace.

Conclusion

That should cover absolutely everything you need to know about the game of
Pai Gow Poker. The game might feel like it takes a lot of effort to learn, but
it doesn’t. The rules sound much more complex than they actually are. After a
short learning period, not much thought has to be given to play the game.

If you haven’t tried Pai Gow Poker and are looking for a new game to try, it
should definitely be toward the top of your list. It’s an original and fun game,
offering the chance for a big jackpot payout. If you don’t already have a
favorite site in mind, start with one of our picks for the top online casinos
offering Pai Gow Poker.

In China, pai gow is a popular gambling game played with Chinese dominoes. In 1985, Sam Torosian, owner of the Bell Card Club, created a poker game inspired by pai gow—he called it “pai gow poker.” It’s become a popular game in casinos throughout the United States.

Like blackjack, pai gow poker is a game of skill, where your decisions matter. It’s also a slow-paced game, and the probability of getting into a “push” situation (a tie) is relatively high. For someone with a small bankroll, pai gow poker can be one of the best deals in the casino.

But pai gow poker is also more complicated to play than many other casino card games. Playing well is another magnitude of difficulty. This post aims to provide everything you need to know to get started playing pai gow poker without making a fool of yourself.

How to Play Pai Gow Poker

Pai gow poker is played with a standard 53-card deck of cards. (“53” is not a typo—it’s a 52-card deck with the addition of a joker.)

Poker Pairs

In most card games, jokers are “wild cards”—they can stand in for any card you need them to.

But in pai gow poker, jokers are only wild for certain situations. Here’s how you can use a joker in pai gow poker:

• You can use it as an ace.
• You can use it to complete a straight.
• You can use it to complete a flush.
• You can use it to complete a straight flush.

The game starts with the players making bets. Then the dealer and the players each get 7 cards.

As with most poker games, even house-banked games, the standard ranking of poker hands is used, with one exception:

After you get your 7 cards, you must “set your hand.” This means you divided your hand into 2 hands—a 5-card hand and a 2-card hand. You have a lot of freedom for setting the hand, but you must follow one restriction:

The 5-card hand must have a better poker hand ranking than the 2-card hand.

Of course, the 5-card hand is treated like a 5-card poker hand. The 2-card hand can only qualify for 2 poker hand rankings, though—a pair, or not a pair.

The dealer also sets his hand, but he must follow specific rules set by the casino. This is called “the house way.” It’s comparable to how a blackjack dealer must play his hand in a prescribed manner.

When you compare hands, you have the following possibilities:

1. Both of the player’s hands beat both of the dealer’s hands.
2. One of the player’s hands beats the dealer’s hand, but one of the dealer’s hands beats the player’s hand.
3. Both of the dealer’s hands beat both of the player’s hands.

If both of the player’s hands beat the dealer’s hand, he wins even money less a 5% commission on his bet.

If both of the dealer’s hands beat the player’s hand, the player loses his bet.

But if one hand is a winner and the other is a loser, the bet is considered a “push.” This means the player gets to keep his bet, but he doesn’t get any winnings in addition to that.

Also, ties go to the banker.

40% of the time, the outcome is a push, which is huge. At most pai gow poker tables, you’ll see 30 hands per hour. If 12 of them are ties, you’re only looking at 18 hands per hour with a win or loss.

This kind of thing matters a lot when you’re trying to track how much money per hour it costs to play a specific casino game. In blackjack, for example, you’re liable to see 100 hands per hour, but most of them won’t result in a push.

I like leisurely games where I don’t lose a lot of money at once. Pai gow poker fits the bill nicely.

Banking in Pai Gow Poker

In most casino games, the betting is pretty straightforward. You’re the player, and you bet against the dealer. In pai gow poker, though, you have the option to bet against the dealer and the other players. Only one player gets to be the banker on each hand, though—the opportunity rotates.

Here’s the thing about being the banker in pai gow poker, though—it requires (as you might expect) a large bankroll. Most people just decline the opportunity to be the banker.

If you do choose to play as the banker, you can set your hand any way you like. You’re not required to follow the house way.

Being able to play as the banker enables players to get a small edge, especially if you’re playing with other players who are beginners and aren’t good at the game. The strategy in pai gow poker stems from how you’re able to set your hands.

The House Edge in Pai Gow Poker

The house edge is the long-term expected win for the casino expressed as a percentage. It’s a forecast and an estimate, but it only applies in the long run—over the course of thousands of hands. Still, it’s good information to have about a casino game.

Generally, the lower the house edge, the better the game is for the player. For example, the house edge in blackjack is usually around 1%, but that assumes the use of perfect basic strategy. This means that every time you place a $100 bet, the casino expects to win an average of $1.

The house edge in pai gow poker varies based on a couple of things. One of these is how good you are at setting your hand. The other is how often you can afford to play as the banker.

Generally, the house edge in pai gow poker is 2.7%, although it’s much lower when playing as the banker. This estimate assumes you’re just following the house way strategy. If you can play more optimally than that, you can whittle the house edge down by another 0.2%.

And if you’re playing as the banker and using optimal strategy, the house edge is even lower—around 0.3%. If you can find a table where the other players aren’t very good at setting hands, you might even be able to get a long-term advantage. This is an example of an advantage gambling technique.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy for Setting Your Hand

For most recreational gamblers, a strategy similar to the house way is sufficient. Getting any more optimal than that is more trouble than it’s worth for the tiny gain in expectation. Below I’ve outlined one common house way of setting hands.

To understand this guide to pai gow poker strategy, you should know which hand is your “front” hand and which hand is your “back” hand. Luckily, this isn’t complicated.

The front hand is your 2-card hand.

The back hand is your 5-card hand.

Here’s how to play with close to correct pai gow poker strategy:

First, if you have no pairs at all in your 7 cards, put the highest card in your front hand. Put the next 2 highest cards in your back hand.

If you have one pair, always put it in your back hand. Then put your 2 other highest cards in your back hand.

If you have 2 pairs, you’ll put one pair in your back hand and the other in your front hand. The higher ranked pair goes in your back hand, and the lower ranked pair goes in your front hand. But sometimes, you’ll want to keep both pairs in your back hand.

You’ll do this if you have a pair of 7s and no ace. You’ll also do this if you have a pair of jacks or better AND a pair of 6s or better along with an ace. And finally, you’ll do this if you have a pair of aces and any other pair.

If you get 3 pairs, put the highest-ranked pair in your front hand. The other 2, of course, go in your back hand.

If you have 3 of a kind, put all 3 of those cards in your back hand UNLESS you have 3 aces. In that case, you put an ace in your front hand and 2 aces in your back hand.

If you have a 3 of a kind AND a 2^nd 3 of a kind, put the lower-ranked 3 of a kind in your back hand. Then split up the 2^nd 3 of a kind so that you’ll have a pair in your front hand.

If you get a full house, split it up so that you have a pair in your front hand and 3 of a kind in your back hand.

If you get a straight, flush, or a straight flush, you should always keep those 5 cards together in your back hand.

If you have a 4 of a kind, how you play it depends on the ranks of the cards. If they’re 6 or lower, you’ll keep the 4 of a kind together in your back hand. If they’re 7, 8, 9, or 10, you should split them unless you have an ace, in which case you keep them together and put the ace in your front hand.

If you have a 4 of a kind consisting of face cards, split them unless you also have a pair of 10s or higher. And if you have 4 aces, split them unless you have a pair of 7s or higher.

If you get 5 aces, you should split them unless you have a pair of kings to put in your front hand.

Besides that, you should always play as the banker if you can afford to, because of the much lower house edge. This isn’t an option when playing in an online casino, but it’s an option at most traditional brick and mortar casinos.

Conclusion

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If you’re looking for affordable entertainment in the form of casino gambling, you’ll have a hard time finding a better game than pai gow poker. A house edge of 2.7% sounds high, but it’s really not bad at all when you consider that 40% of the hands you’ll play will be a push.

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Optimal strategy for pai gow poker is more complicated than the house way, but if you just play by the house way, you’ll be doing better than most other players at the table. Consider using the house way strategy provided in this post next time you play.

Finally, one of the biggest distinctions between pai gow poker and other casino games is the ability to play as the banker. You should take advantage of this as much as possible, but you’ll probably only be able to if you’re a high roller with a huge bankroll.

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