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Pai Gow Poker

How to play Pai Gow

Pai Gow is a form of poker that originated in Asia. The Western version of the game is easier to play and has grown popular in recent years. Correct betting strategies can be complicated and take some practice, but Pai Gow is so much fun to play that you certainly won’t mind taking the time to master its nuances.

You’re dealt a seven-card hand and you use these cards to create two separate hands. The back hand is composed of 5 cards and the front hand from the other 2. The hands are similar to those in traditional poker. The back hand can consist of a straight, a flush, a full house, three-of-a-kind and so on. The front hand can be a pair or simply two leftover cards, but it is always advantageous to have at least one high card in your front hand so it might beat the dealer’s front hand. Your front hand can never beat your back hand, however, or your play is over.

If both your back and front hands beat the dealer’s, you win. If only one of your hands beats the dealer, it is a push. Understanding how the dealer arranges his or her cards is key in winning at Pai Gow and it makes every hand interesting. Once you try it, chances are you’ll get hooked.

Objective

This game combines the elements of the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow with the American game of Poker. The game is played with a 53-card deck, which includes a Joker. The house is always the banker and the game and is played one on one - you against the dealer. The object of the game is to use 7 dealt cards to construct two hands that will beat the dealer's two hands.

Ranking of Hands

The ranking of the Pai Gow hands is very similar to that of standard Poker - Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. The exception in hands between Pai Gow Poker and standard poker is that in Pai Gow the following rules apply:

The highest Straight hand is A-K-Q-J-10
The second highest Straight hand is A-2-3-4-5
The third highest Straight hand is K-Q-J-10-9
Each suit (Spades, Clubs, Hearts and Diamonds) is of equal rank. The Joker serves as a "wildcard" and can only be used as an Ace, or to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, or a Royal Flush.

The Game

You and the dealer are each dealt 7 cards - yours face up and the dealer's face down. You must split your cards and skillfully arrange them into two separate hands:

A low hand consisting of 2 cards
A high hand consisting of 5 cards
The two-card hand is always either a pair or not a pair. You must be sure that your 2-card hand has a lower ranking than your 5-card hand. For example, should you be dealt 7 cards consisting of: K-K-A-Q-7-6-5, you will use the two Kings as part of your 5-card hand and not part of your 2-card hand. For example:

The dealer's cards are kept face down until your hands are set. The dealer arranges his cards into a 2-card and 5-card hand, with the 5-card hand having a higher Poker value. The dealer's two hands are then compared with your two hands. You win only if both of your hands beat both of the dealer's hands. The dealer wins if both of the dealer's hands beat both of your hands. If you win one hand and the dealer wins the other, a Push (tie) is declared.

Hands
Hand Discription
Five Aces Aces only. Four aces plus a joker.
Royal Flush Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10 of the same suit.
Straight Flush Five cards in sequence of the same suit.
Four of a Kind Any four cards of the same value.
Full House Three of a kind and a pair.
Flush Five cards of the same suit.
Straight Any five cards in sequence but not of the same suit.
Three of a Kind Three cards of the same value and two unmatched cards.
Two Pair Two cards with the same value with another two cards of the same value with any other card.
One Pair Two cards of the same value and three unmatched cards.

Copy Hand

When the player and the dealer compare hands that have the same rank, this is referred to as a "copy hand". In this situation, the dealer wins. For example, if your low hand is composed of an A-K and the dealer has an A-K as well, the dealer will win that portion of the hand.

Payout

If you win both hands, the payout equals the amount wagered (1 to 1) minus 5% of the win, which is the bank's (the house) commission. Your actual winnings are thus 95% of your bet. If there is a push, your wager is returned to you.

How to Set your Hands

The following strategy is the way in which the house plays and is a very safe strategy that is difficult to improve upon.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Any Pair of 2's through 6's is referred to as a "low pair", 7's through J's a "medium pair" and Q's through A's a "high pair".


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