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Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker is a very fun game to play, and
once you understand the rules, it is very easy to learn. It is
played with a deck of 53 cards, a normal deck and one joker. The
joker is a limited wild card, meaning that it can only be used as an
Ace or to make a Straight, a Flush or a Straight Flush. Also, in
this game, players compete only against the dealer, not each other .
The object of the game is to make the best high (five card) hand
possible and the best low (two card) hand possible. Once each player
has placed their bet, the dealer deals seven face down cards to each
player and to himself. When all cards have been dealt, the players
are to set their cards into a two card and a five card hand, making
sure that the five card hand is higher in rank than the two card
hand. After the hands are set, they are placed face down in the
marked areas in front of the players and the dealer’s cards are
turned over and set into two hands. At this point, each players
hands are individually compared to the Dealer’s hands for
determination of wins and losses, and all wins are paid even
money.
The following strategy is great for anyone new to the
game, but can be used by anyone. It shows you how you should play
each of the possible hands in Pai Gow Poker.
Five Aces - In
this instance, you should always split the pair of Aces into the Low
Hand and the remaining three aces into the High
Hand.
Straight Flush with No Pair - Simply split the cards
not involved in the straight flush into the low
hand.
Straight Flush with a Pair - Split the Pair into the
Low hand and the Straight Flush into the High hand.
4 of a
Kind - Keep the 4 of a Kind in the High Hand and put the 2 highest
remaining cards into the Low Hand.
Full House - Put the 3 of
a Kind into the High Hand and the Pair in the Low Hand
Flush
and Straight - See Straight Flush
3 of a Kind -Keep the 3 of
a Kind in the High Hand and the 2 highest remaining cards in the Low
Hand, except in the case that you have 3 Aces, when this happens,
put 2 aces in the High Hand and 1 in the Low hand.
2 Pair -
If pair of sixes or less and pair of tens or less, then split if
there is not a King, Ace or Joker. If pair of sixes or less and pair
of Jacks or higher, then split if there is not an Ace or Joker. If
two pairs between sevens and tens, then split if there is no Ace or
Joker. Split in all other situations.
A Pair - Place the
Pair in the High Hand and the 2 highest remaining cards in the Low
Hand.
The most important thing to keep in mind when playing Pai
Gow Poker is that you need to pay close attention to the cards in
your hand as you are setting them into the High Hand and the Low
Hand. You have to make sure that the High Hand is always higher in
rank than the Low Hand, that is the first and foremost thing that
must be done, as it can result in a forfeit of your bet if you do
not adhere to this rule. Another thing that you need to watch for is
that you set your hands in an effective manner. For example, you
wouldn’t want to split a 3 of a Kind (unless they are 3 Ace) and you
wouldn’t want to accidentally split up a Straight Flush. If you make
sure to do this at all times, you will increase your chances of
winning more often and of improving your overall game. Finally, you
want to make sure that you pay attention to how the dealer sets
their cards, sometimes you can pick up some pointers by making that
observation.
You can play Pai Gow Poker in these casinos:
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