How To Play Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker, which was first introduced in the 1980s, is another well-liked variation of banked poker that allows players to pit their wits and abilities against those of the casino.

Because the rules of Pai Gow poker are extremely similar to those of Chinese poker, those who are already familiar with Chinese poker will have no trouble picking up the feel of this game right away.

Pai Gow has a house edge of approximately 2.8 percent, which is not terrible when other factors are taken into account. The importance of the fact that the game is played in such a way that the volatility is extremely low cannot be overstated. You will find that many of the hands you play will result in a push, which means that you will frequently be able to play for extended periods of time periods a significant dent in your poker bankroll.

How To Play Pai Gow Poker – Basic Rules

The objective of Pai Gow Poker is, although it’s priced at the dealer, just like it is in 3 Card Poker or Ultimate Texas Holdem or any other casino poker game for that matter. This is true of all poker games, not just those played in casinos. To accomplish this, you will need to create two distinct hands, each of which must be stronger than the dealer’s two hands together. Just follow along with what I’m saying, and you’ll quickly understand what’s going on.

The game is played with a deck of cards consisting of the regular 52 cards plus one additional card known as the Joker.

In the card game Pai Gow, the Joker functions similarly to a semi-wild card because it can be used to finish off any straights or flushes that are incomplete. In every other situation, the Joker is treated as though it were an ace.

One thing that you should make sure to verify in the guidelines of a certain casino is whether or not the wheel (A 2 3 4 5) is counted as it now stands or as the straight that ranks second highest. In certain establishments, the wheel is still counted as the second-best straight (for whatever reason), and it is essential knowledge to understand before you begin.

When playing Pai Gow Poker, the first step of a hand is for each player to post their ante bet. After then, each participant, including the dealer, is given seven cards with their backs turned down. After you have received your cards, you will have the opportunity to examine them, and you will be required to arrange them in two different hands:

One possible combination using five cards

One hand is made up of two cards.

As was previously said, the optimal outcome for you would be for both of your hands to be superior to both of the dealer’s hands. The winner of the poker game is determined by using the standard poker hand rankings, such as “one pair beats a high-card hand,” “two pairs beat any single pair,” and so on.

For instance, if there is a pair of 10s at the bottom of the stack, it is impossible to place a pair of Jacks at the top of the stack. If you continue to do this, your hand will be considered a foul, and you will lose your stake.

Object Of Pai Gow Poker

The goal of the card game Pai Gow Poker is for each player to construct two hands out of their hand cards in such a way that both hands have a rank that is superior to those held by the Banker. The two-card hand must rank higher than the five-card handheld by the Banker, and the five-card hand must rank higher than the two-card handheld by the Banker to win. If two hands end up having the same rank, the game is considered to be a tie. “Copies” is another name for ties. The Banker is victorious in every copy hand.

Winners receive an equal amount of money, but those who come in last place lose everything they wagered. The result is a “Push” or a standoff if one hand wins, but the other hand loses. In this scenario, the wager is not processed because there is no clear winner.

Pai Gow Poker Payouts

Everything you need to know about the guidelines for playing Pai Gow Poker may be found in the previous section’s explanations. The dealer will rearrange the players’ hands once all of the players have finished constructing their hands. After that, they will evaluate their hands in comparison to those of the players, and then they will pay the winners.

If both of your hands are stronger than both of the dealer’s hands, you will receive an equal amount of your ante back.

If you win the first hand but then go on to lose the second hand, your bet will be pushed back (a tie)

The dealer takes the pot in the event of a tie; for example, if both players have a top hand consisting of a pair of kings, the dealer will take the pot.

It is essential to be aware that the majority of casinos deduct a commission of five percent from their earnings, which contributes to the casino’s advantage in the game. This practice has been eliminated in several areas, which has greatly improved the quality of the game for the participant. If there is no involvement of commission in the game, it is believed that the house edge is somewhere about 1.3 percent.

Fortune Pai Gow Poker

Fortune Pai Gow Poker is played in the same manner as the standard version of the game, except for an additional side stake known as the Bonus Wager.

When a player makes the Bonus Wager, they are betting that, out of the seven cards they receive, they will be able to form a qualifying five-card poker rank hand to win the bonus. The Bonus Wager has the potential to win an odds payment that is determined by the quality of the player’s five-card poker hand.

no matter how the player arranges the seven cards in their hand. Additionally, if any player at the table makes a five-card hand of four-of-a-kind or better, then all of the other players who have made the Bonus Wager $5 minimum qualify to receive the Envy Bonus payout, regardless of the hand that they have themselves. This is true regardless of whether or not they have made the Bonus Wager.

Side Bets In Pai Gow Poker

The game has developed throughout the years to incorporate a variety of new twists and options. The fundamental guidelines for each of these are essentially identical. However, some of them will also allow you to place side bets, which will increase the excitement level and allow you to win some significant sums of money.

Side bets are wagers that are made in addition to the main wagers that are being played and are paid out regardless of the result of the main bets. The following are some frequent payout tables for Pai Gow Poker:

It should come as no surprise that side bets raise the edge held by the house, and they do it fairly noticeably; hence, if this is something that concerns you, you should steer clear of side bets. On the other hand, the only way to win a significant amount of money playing Pai Gow Poker is through the use of side bets, even if you need to rely on luck to do it.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Pai Gow is not an overly difficult game from a strategic standpoint because players are not required to make any betting selections as they progress through the game. The only wager you will ever place is the one at the beginning of the hand, and you will never have to consider any more wagers or determine whether or not it is worthwhile to place them.

Having said that, you still have some choices to make regarding the order in which you will play the cards that are currently in your hand.

You need to consider what the best possible outcome for you would be while keeping in mind that your top (low) hand must always have a lower rank than the hand that you are holding in your bottom (high) position.

Because you need to beat both of the dealer’s hands to make a profit on a hand of Pai Gow, making a really powerful hand at the rear while having something like 9-high at the top won’t cut it most of the time.

Here are a few simple tips to keep in mind when arranging your Pai Gow hand

If you’re handed no made hand (a pair or better), put your best card in the back and two second-best cards in the front.

• If you have AA with any other pair, two high pairs (JJ through AA), or a high pair with a medium pair, always split them (7s through 10s)
• Unless you have an Ace, split two medium pairs or a combination of a high pair and a low pair (22 through 66). You can play two pairs in the back and Ace-high in the front if you have an Ace.
• Unless you have an Ace or a King, split two medium pairs or a medium and low pair combo. You can also play Ace or King-high in the front with two pairs in the back if you have one of these.
• Unless it’s trip Aces, always play trips in your backhand. Split the Aces in the back into a pair and Ace-high in the front.
• Always split JJ+ quads into two pairs if you have them.
• Unless you have an Ace to play in the front, split quads 77 through TT into two pairs.
• Keep quads in the back and play whatever the best hand you can make in the front with quad 6s or lower.
• Unless you have an extra pair to go with it, divide whole houses into trips Plus a pair combos. In that instance, the higher of the pairs in the low hand should be played.
• Unless you have a pair of Kings to put in front, split five aces (when you have a Joker).
• This is pretty much all there is to know about Pai Gow Poker’s strategy. It may appear to be a lot of knowledge at first, but most of it makes sense after some thought, so you should have no trouble memorizing it.

Plus, when you’re playing online, you may keep this advice open on the side and refer to them if you’re unsure what the optimal play is.

Conclusion: Enjoy Pai Gow Poker Games

Pai Gow Poker isn’t as popular in land-based casinos as it is online, most likely because each hand can take a while to finish (and casinos aren’t particularly fond of that). However, there are a tonne of places online where you can play the game, both for free and for real money, so if you’re interested in giving it a shot, you won’t have any trouble finding a place to do so.

If you’re a fan of Open Face Chinese Poker, you’ll probably also enjoy Pai Gow. The two games are very similar. This game is largely responsible for the development of Chinese Poker in its modern form.

You won’t lose a significant amount on most sessions because the house has a low edge and there are frequent splits. You shouldn’t anticipate earning a lot of money, of course, but just like with any other table game, you never know when you’re going to hit a winning streak when you least expect it!

FAQ: How To Play Pai Gow Poker

1. What are the rules of Pai Gow Poker?

The goal of Pai Gow Poker is to use the seven cards dealt to create two winning poker hands. Both the player’s two-card and five-card hands must beat the Banker’s two-card hand to win the wager and for money to change hands.

2. How good is Pai Gow Poker?

In comparison to most table games, Pai Gow Poker has a relatively modest house edge. It has a 1.46 percent advantage over blackjack without a strategy, 2.7 percent advantage over single zero roulette, and 5.26 percent advantage over American Roulette.

3. In Pai Gow Poker, what is the house advantage?

How does the house edge work? The normal house edge in Pai Gow Poker is 2.84 percent. However, there is a way to bring that margin down to roughly 1.42 percent. This is accomplished by taking on the role of “Banker.”

4. Are the odds in Pai Gow Poker favorable?

Outside of craps and blackjack, pai gow poker already has some of the finest odds/money returns of any casino game, so don’t give the casino any more of your hard-earned cash than you have to.

5. In pai gow, what is the fortune bet?

Fortune Pai Gow is an optional bonus game in which the player’s seven cards are used to create the best potential hand. “Envy Bonus” payments require a Fortune Bonus wager of at least $5. When another player at the table receives a four-of-a-kind or greater, the Envy Bonus is awarded.