Pai gow poker is a recent addition to the casinos, and is one of many games that has an Asian origin. A combination of the Chinese game of pai gow (meaning makes nine) and the American game of poker, this game of skill offers players a reasonable chance to win.
- Pai Gow Poker Betting Strategy Odds
- Pai Gow Poker Betting Strategy Against
- Pai Gow Poker Betting Strategy Tactics
- Pai Gow Poker Rules Strategy
- Pai Gow Poker Hands
In this version of poker, players are not wagering against each other but against the bank, and unlike the original Asian version which is played with dominoes, pai gow poker is played with a deck of cards. The object of the game is for the player to hold two hands of cards that rank higher than the banker's two hands.
Played around a special pai gow table, the table has room for the dealer and six players. The house initially assumes the role of the bank with the dealer as the banker, and then the position moves around from player to player. The role of banker can be declined by any player, and passed on to the next person in line. The role of banker is indicated with a chung that is set in front of that player's area. When the dealer is not the banker, he/she plays the hand as a player.
There are a few betting strategies for Pai Gow that will increase your odds of winning. The biggest way to impact your odds will be the difference in the size of the bets you make when you’re acting as the bank compared to the bet sizes you make when you’re acting as the player. Pai Gow Poker is always played with a 53 card deck–a standard deck of cards with the inclusion of a joker as a wild card. The goal is to beat the dealer by putting together a better hand. In a game of Pai Gow Poker, everyone is dealt seven cards. Each player then makes two poker hands out these seven cards–a five card hand and a two card hand. Published in April 1990, Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow Poker by Sanford Wong is one book to read if you are truly interested in this game. Even though I have not read it myself, the book has been praised for years to offer the best strategies, point out the conditions in which you can beat the game, and how to minimize losses and maximize wins. Optimal Pai Gow Poker Strategy 1. When dealt only one pair, keep it in the five-card hand and move your two highest cards to the two-card hand.
Pai Gow Poker Game Play
The game is played with a standard 52-card deck and a joker that serves as a wild card in straights, flushes and straight flushes. The joker may also be used as an ace in any hand, and in some casinos may be considered completely wild. The dealer shuffles the deck and deals out seven stacks of seven cards, discarding the remaining four cards.
All bets are made and then the dealer shakes and rolls three dice from a teacup to determine which player will get the first stack of cards. The dealer totals the amount shown in the dice, and then starting with himself, counts around the players at the table in a clockwise motion until he reaches the player who gets the first hand. The remaining hands are dealt out to the players in a counterclockwise motion.
When the players receive their cards, they set them into two hands of five and two cards. The two-card hand is known as the low hand is placed in front of the five-card hand known as the high hand. Each five-card hand is ranked according to the pai gow poker hierarchy which varies only slightly from the standard poker hand hierarchy. The only real difference is that five aces, which are accomplished by adding four aces to a joker, beats out a royal flush and is the highest hand in the game.
| Rank | Hand Name | Description of hand |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Five Aces | Five aces and a joker |
| 2 | Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 all of same suit |
| 3 | Straight Flush | Five cards of the same suit in sequence |
| 4 | 4 of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank |
| 5 | Full House | 3 of a Kind and a Pair |
| 6 | Flush | Five cards of the same suit |
| 7 | Straight | Five cards in sequence |
| 8 | 3 of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank |
| 9 | 2 Pair | Two cards of one rank, plus two of another |
| 10 | 1 Pair | Two cards of the same rank |
The hierarchy of two-card hands is much simpler in that the hand is either a pair or it is not. The highest two-card hand is a pair of aces, and the rank of subsequent pairs falls in order from kings down to two's. The same ranking order applies to single cards.
It is the players' responsibility to ensure that their five-card hand has a higher ranking then their two-card hand. If the two-card hand turns out to be higher, the hand is said to be foul and the player automatically loses his bet.
When all the player's cards have been set, the banker's cards are turned face up by the dealer. It is then the banker's job (not the dealer's) to arrange the stack into a two-card hand and a five-card hand. The banker's hands are then individually compared to the players' hands in a clockwise order, starting with the player who received the cards first.
To win, both of the player's hands must beat both of the banker' hands. If the player's two-card hand and the banker's two-card hand have equal poker value, they are said to be copies. The same applies if the five-card hands match in value as well. The banker wins all copies. If one of the player's hands beats the banker's, but the other does not, the result is a tie and no money changes hands.
When a player wins, the dealer uses the banker's money to pay the player even money for their bet. If the player's hand loses, the dealer awards the player's bet to the banker. The house makes its money by taking a 5% commission on each winning bet. The dealer collects the commission from each player that wins a hand, and from the total of the banker's winnings.
STRATEGY
As with blackjack, pai gow poker has some basic strategy guidelines to follow:
| if you hold: | play your hand this way: |
| no pairs, no straight, no flush | 2- use your second and third highest card 5- use your highest card |
| a pair, no pairs, no flush | 2- use your two highest single cards 5- use the pair |
| two pair | if you have a single ace, use the ace in the two-card hand and keep the pairs together in the five-card hand. Otherwise split the pairs as follows: 2- use the lower pair 5- use the higher pair |
| three pair | 2- use the highest pair 5- use the second and third highest pairs |
| straight and two pair | play as two pair, ignore the straight |
| five-card straight | 2- use the two cards not in the straight 5- use the straight |
| six-card straight | 2- use the two highest cards that you can 5- use the remaining straight |
| flush and two pair | play as two pair, ignore the flush |
| other flush | 2- play the highest cards in this hand without breaking up the flush 5- flush |
| full house | 2- use the pair 5- use the three of a kind |
The best way to get an edge in pai gow poker is to be the banker. This is due to the fact that the banker wins all copies. Player's are usually allowed to bank for one or two consecutive hands before passing the role on to the next player. The amount of money that the banker will be risking is limited to what the banker places on the table. The banker may be expected to place enough money on the table to cover all of the player bets, or the banker may be allowed to risk less than what the players in total wish to bet.
Pai Gow Poker Hint
- to break even when the house takes a commission of five percent, you need to bank 6 to 14 times as many dollars as you bet when you are a player
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Pai Gow Poker offers one of the slowest games in the casino. Once you learn how to play, it offers a fun way to pass time gambling.
Pai Gow Poker resembles craps. Players tend to win or lose together.
Why?
It’s because the players all play against one dealer hand.
When players win or lose together it can lead to a feeling of camaraderie at the table.
Advantages of Playing Pai Gow Poker
The two biggest advantages offered by Pai Gow Poker?
- The low house edge.
- The slow pace of play.
Many hands end up in pushes. The actual number of winning or losing hands per hour is small. Your bankroll lasts long. You see more winning sessions.
Some casino games that offer a lower house edge, but most of them play many more hands or spins per hour, so you can end up losing more per hour at a lower house edge game than at a slow game like Pai Gow Poker.
Here’s an example:
You’re playing a video poker game with a house edge of .5% (one half percent). You’re betting $5 per hand and playing 400 hands per hour.
Pai Gow Poker Betting Strategy Odds
Your expected loss rate is $10 per hour.
The normal house edge for Pai Gow Poker is around 2.5% and roughly 40% of the hands end up in a push. If 30 hands are dealt per hour, only 18 of them end up with a win or a loss.
If you’re betting $10 per hand, your expected loss rate is only $4.50 per hour – even though you’re wagering twice as much per hand as you are per spin.
It’s also easy to learn a fairly solid basic strategy.
Pai Gow Poker Basic Strategy
Pai Gow Poker Betting Strategy Against
Your goal is to create the best two card hand that you can legally use. The exception is when you can build a high five card hand that is unlikely to lose like a straight or flush.
But with a full house, use the three of a kind in the five card hand and the other pair in the two card hand.
A lone ace or king is a valuable card to be able to place in the two card hand as it will often win. So a strong hand can be kept in the five card hand if you can also play an ace of king in the two card hand.
Here are some example hands and the right strategy for each:
| Seven Card Hand | Five Card Hand | Two Card Hand |
| Ah Ad Kc Ks 7h 6d 3c | Ah Ad 7h 6d 3c | Kc Ks |
| Ah Ad Ac Ks 4d 3s 2h | Ah Ad 4d 3s 2h | Ac Ks |
| Ad 9s 8c 7h 6d 5d 2h | 9s 8c 7h 6d 5d | Ad 2h |
| 7d 7s 7c 6h 6c 3d 2s | 7d 7s 7c 3d 2s | 6h 6c |
| Ac Qs 8d 7c 5h 2s 2d | 2s 2d 8d 7c 5h | Ac Qs |
Since you have to win both hands to win or lose both hands to lose, your goal is to create as close to a sure thing in at least one hand and take my chances with the other hand.
Of course the five card hand has to be higher than the two card hand by the rules of the game. The more you play, the more instinctive your play will become.
You can take the time to memorize a more advanced strategy, but the extra percentage you pick up will be minimal. It might not be worth your effort.
All of this may sound complicated, but once you start playing, it won’t take you long to figure out the best way to play almost every hand. Within an hour, you should be able to play solid Pai Gow Poker without worrying about making many mistakes.
If you’re convinced you need to learn an advanced strategy, I’ve included a sample house way in the next section. Learn it and you will play your hand just like most casinos have their dealers play their hands.
The House Way
Each casino plays or sets their Pai Gow Poker hands a certain way. This way can vary, but it’s very close with only minor changes. If you don’t care for either of the basic strategies listed above you can play your hands the house way listed below.
Simply read down the instructions until you find your hand.
When you have five aces, always play two of the aces in the two card hand unless you have a pair of kings to go with the five aces. In that case play the two kings in the two card hand.
If you have four of a kind and a pair or three of a kind you will play the four of a kind in the five card hand and the pair or two of the three of a kind in the two card hand unless you have four aces. When you have four aces you play two of them in the two card hand unless you also have a pair of kings. Then you play the pair of kings in the two card hand.
Pai Gow Poker Betting Strategy Tactics
When you have four of a kind of aces or face cards you always play a pair of the cards in the two card hand. If your four of a kind is sevens, eights, nines or tens you play a pair of them in the two card hand unless you can play an ace in the two card hand. Then play the ace with the next highest non paired card in the two card hand. If the four of a kind is twos, threes, fours, fives or sixes you always leave all four cards in the five card hand.
If you have a full house with two three of a kinds you play a pair from the highest three of a kind in the two card hand. If you have three of a kind and two pair you play the highest pair in the two card hand. When you have three of a kind and a pair you play the pair in the two card hand except when the pair is a pair of twos and you have an ace and king. In that case play the ace and king in the two card hand.
When you have any straight or flush with three of a kind you play a pair in the two card hand.
If you have any straight or flush with three pair always play the highest pair in the two card hand.
When you have a straight or flush with two pair use the two pair rule listed below.
If you have a straight or flush with one pair play the pair in the two card hand if the straight or flush can still be played in the five card hand. When you have an ace and a pair of tens or higher play the ace in the two card hand and the pair in the five card hand unless the flush or straight can still be played in the five card hand with the ace in the two card hand.
When you have any straight or flush with no pair play the arrangement that allows you to play the highest two cards in the two card hand while still playing the flush or straight in the five card hand.
If you hold two three of a kinds play the highest possible pair in the two card hand.
When you have three of a kind keep the three of a kind in the five card hand and play your other two highest cards in the two card hand unless the three of a kind is aces. Then play one of the aces in the two card hand.
Pai Gow Poker Rules Strategy
If you have three pairs always play the highest pair in the two card hand.
When you have two pair of jacks, queens, kings or aces you always place the second highest pair in the two card hand. If you have a pair of aces and any other pair you place the second highest pair in the two card hand. When you have two pair with one pair being jacks or higher and one pair being from sevens to tens you always place the lower of the two pairs in the two card hand. When you have two pair that are each from sevens to tens you place the second highest pair in the two card hand unless you also hold an ace. Then you play the ace in the two card hand. If you have a pair of jacks or higher and a pair of sixes or lower play the lower pair in the two card hand unless you have an ace. Then play the ace in the two card hand. When you have a pair between sevens and tens and a pair of sixes or lower play the lower pair in the two card hand unless you have an ace. Then play the ace in the two card hand. When you have two pairs of sixes or lower play both of them in the five card hand.
If you have one pair play it in the five card hand and use your other two highest cards in the two card hand.
When you have no pairs use the highest card in the five card hand and the second and third highest cards in the two card hand.
Pai Gow Poker Hands
Conclusion
Using either of the two strategies listed above for Pa Gow Poker play will offer you one of the lowest house edges that you can get. If you look at both strategies, you can see the simple strategy is very close to the house way. My suggestion is use whichever one is easiest for you to learn and spend the rest of your time enjoying the game.