How to Play Pai Gow Poker_2

How to Play Pai Gow Poker

You drop the tens place leaving you with a score of 1 for your pair. A practical application of this table is to add the two power ratings for the three ways to set a hand, and set it the way with the highest power rating sum. We also review online gambling websites to help you find the best sportsbooks and casino sites to play at. Winning wagers result in an even money payout minus a five percent commission to the house in most formats. Once you ‘set’ your hand, you cannot touch the cards again. This is the stage of the game in which you determine your high hand and low hand.

Don’t be scared to try the game, even if you know nothing about the rules. You can always ask the dealer to set your hands according to the “house way.” Better yet, keep reading to learn more about the game. Get ready for a thrilling ride through the world of Online Pai Gow Poker, where ancient Chinese traditions meet the excitement of modern poker! Craft not one, but two winning hands from your seven cards – one mighty five-card “high” hand and a sneaky two-card “low” hand.

The outcome that you’re playing towards with Pai Gow Poker isn’t that different than other poker games. You’re looking to have the best hand, but there are differences. The banker can be the dealer, another player, or a player-dealer combo. 4 Each player at the table receives seven (7) cards which they will use to construct two (2) separate poker hands of two (2) cards and five (5) cards. The one hand that contain five cards is known as the “High Hand” or “Back Hand”.

Another reason this might be done is to “change the luck” at the table. In this case, non-banking players may make a deal with the banking player that if one beats the other, the winner will refund the loser, less the 5% commission. It is essentially banking against yourself through a gentleman’s agreement with the banker. In some casinos, they will overtly not allow it, although it may be hard to prevent, especially if the deal is made in a foreign language the dealer doesn’t know.

  • If both your high hand and low hand beat the banker, you win.
  • You can always ask the dealer to set your hands according to the “house way.” Better yet, keep reading to learn more about the game.
  • Some casinos let the player bet up to 10% more than he wagered against the dealer the last time the dealer was the banker.
  • Once each player has their hands, and the banker has been established, players move to making their pairs.
  • The following graph shows how often the House Way will make each type of hand out of all combinations.

It contains simple, intermediate, and advanced strategies for both playing as the banker, against the banker, and combined. This page took months for my assistant JB to create so I hope you’ll have a look. After bets are settled the tiles are collected and a new round is started. We are Here to Help You Make Informed Betting Decisions and help players have more fun and more wins when gambling online. Some tables also have a minimum for an ‘envy’ bet that pays out if another player at the table hits four-of-a-kind or better.

But just like craps and other games that seem complicated at first, understanding Pai Gow is really all about understanding the terminology and gameplay. Pai Gow Poker is another poker variant that has enjoyed considerable popularity over the years and is actually quite fun to play. For example, if both you and the dealer have a low hand of A-K, the dealer wins that hand.

ONLINE CASINOS BEGINNER’S GUIDE

The other hand that contain two cards and is known as the “Second Highest Hand” or “Low Hand” or “Front Hand”. The object of the game is for both of the player’s two-card hand and five-card hand to rank higher than both of the Banker’s two hands. Should one hand rank exactly the same as the Banker’s hand, this is a tie and the Banker wins all tie hands. The rise of online poker sites has made Pai Gow Poker more accessible than ever before.

There is no numeric order to their ranking, and there is no way to know the ranking than to have them written or to memorize the pairings. A reader known as Charlie combined various parts of these strategies to create a nearly optimal strategy he could fit on a sheet of paper. Most casinos have their own variation that may have unique rules or payouts. A good rule to follow is, if you see an unfamiliar name, ask about the rules before making a costly mistake. After a standard shuffle from the dealer, the cards are dealt into seven 7-card piles, face down. The player’s High hand is lower than the Low hand that is considered a Foul hand.

Most times, your remaining cards will still form a higher five-card hand. Focus on setting balanced hands, use the “House Way” if you’re unsure, and always double-check to avoid fouling. In Pai Gow Poker, you play against the dealer instead of other players.

Playing correctly in Pai Gow is all about knowing how to set your front and back hands in the most effective manner. With four tiles to choose from, there’ll always be three possible combinations to form two pairs, and knowing which of these three options to choose from is the key the game. Part of what makes Pai Gow so difficult to grasp for many new players is that the game seems to be operating under a different language altogether.

Use the House Way

Pai gow is a game that cries out for a way to practice before making a fool of yourself and blowing your money in a casino. If your two hands are exactly the same as the dealer’s (a copy), the dealer wins. We analyze every game to help you find the best bets and best odds to wager on today’s games.

The object of the game Pai Gow Poker is to form two winning poker hands from the seven cards that are dealt. To win the bet and for money to exchange hands, both of the player’s two-card hand must beat the Banker’s two-card hand and the five-card hand must beat the Banker’s five-card hand. Poker hand ranking procedures are used in determining which hand is higher. When a joker is used in other popular casino games, it usually represents whatever the hand owner wants it to. It can help fill out a full house, 3 of a kind, or even a 4 of a kind. The Joker can only represent a card that completes a straight or flush (a straight flush would also fall within that criteria).

Online Pai Gow Poker for Real Money or Free

The difference between following the house way and the theoretical optimal strategy, which I’m quite sure nobody knows, is 0.21%. Casinos are increasingly adopting Pai Gow Poker variants which are characterized by side bets that can increase a player’s winnings. These side bets neither add to nor detract from the bet for the hand itself. Pai Gow Poker uses a standard deck of 52 cards plus one joker. A maximum of six players sit around the table along with the dealer.

Players often root for each other to push, creating a collaborative and relaxed atmosphere at the table. Unlike high-pressure games where competition is fierce, Pai Gow Poker fosters camaraderie and shared enjoyment among participants. One thing about Pai Gow to keep in mind is that it plays similarly to baccarat in a sense, so when your total exceeds 10, the left hand digit is always dropped to render a new total. This means two tiles valued at nine can be paired to form an eight, because the 18 is reduced by dropping the left hand digit.

You must split your seven cards into a five-card “High Hand” and a two-card “Low Hand,” with the High Hand ranking higher. A foul hand (where the two-card hand beats the five-card hand) is an instant loss. Ask the dealer for the “House Way,” a method casinos use to set hands optimally. Online versions often include an automatic “House Way” option too. Resorts World offers the traditional version of Pai Gow Poker. In the traditional version, a 5% commission is collected on all winning wagers.

If both player and dealer played optimal strategy, the house edge to the player when banking would be 0.54%, and when not banking 2.38%. For more on this topic see JB’s optimal house strategy comparison table (24K). To see an enormous document on the actual optimal house strategies see JB’s optimal house strategy charts (735K).

For example, if the player has an Ace-7 in the low hand and the dealer has an Ace-7 in the low hand, the dealer would win the low hand. Whether you’re a novice or a Pai Gow Poker enthusiast, we recommend that you visit Bodog Casino. Not only are they one of the most trusted names in online gambling, but they have designed a playing environment that is fluid and seamless. You can enjoy the game in their free gambling software or play it online within your browser.

You should also make sure you have a grasp of fundamental pai gow strategy because it can be confusing the best way to split up your hand to maximize your chances. Many casinos offer optional side bets with enticing payouts. One of the most popular is the Fortune Pai Gow side bet, which pays based on the value of all seven cards, not just the two hands you create. Pai Gow Poker is one of the most entertaining and social casino games, combining elements of traditional poker with ancient Chinese Pai Gow tiles. While it can appear tricky to new players, it’s surprisingly easy to learn—and even easier to enjoy. Success in Pai Gow Poker is largely dependent on how the cards are dealt as there are no betting rounds.

If the player’s hand curacao casino qualifies for payouts, the dealer pays him according to the posted pay-table. The bet considers the best hand possible among the player’s seven cards. A player may play more than one Pai Gow spot at a time. When playing two hands he or she is allowed to set both hands prior to the dealer setting their hand.