How to Play Pai Gow
The game of pai gow poker
is a variation of the Chinese domino game pai gow. A 53 card deck is used when
playing pai gow poker, including a joker. Pai gow poker is one
on one, the player(s) against the banker, each competing to make the best possible
hands. Due to a rather slow pace and a lot of ties pai gow poker is less
intense than most casino games and a modest buy in can usually last a long time.
This page will discuss the rules and strategy for pai gow poker as found
in casinos as opposed to card clubs. The game of pai gow poker is legal
in the card clubs of southern California but the rules are somewhat different,
often in the direction of being to the pai gow poker player's advantage.
Play begins in pai gow poker
by making a wager. Next everyone receives seven cards. A roll of the dice or
a randomly generated number determines which player gets the first set of cards.
The pai gow poker players then each arrange their seven cards into a
five-card hand and a two-card hand. The five-card hand is ranked as in poker,
with the exception that an A-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight.
The two-card hand will either be a pair or two individual cards. The highest
two-card hand is a pair of aces and the lowest is a 2-3.
After all the pai gow poker
players have arranged their hands the banker arranges theirs according to a
set of fixed rules known as the pai gow poker "house way." Then the pai
gow poker player's five-card hand is compared to the dealer's five-card
hand. Likewise the pai gow poker player's two-card hand is compared to
the dealer's two-card hand. The highest hand wins. In the event of an exact
match between hands, called a copy, the tie goes to the banker. If the pai
gow poker player beats the dealer with both hands the player wins even money,
less a 5% commission. If the pai gow poker player wins one and loses
one the bet is a push. If the pai gow poker player loses both the player
loses the entire wager.
When setting the hands the two-card
hand may not be higher then the five-card hand in pai gow poker. If it
is then both hands are deemed "foul" and both lose. The joker can only be used
to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush, otherwise it is treated as
an ace. At some places if there is an empty seat the dealer will also deal a
"dragon" hand in pai gow poker. Another player may assume the pai
gow poker dragon hand if they wish, essentially playing two positions rather
than one. The player may have to use the pai gow poker house way in setting
the dragon hand.
In pai gow poker any player
may elect to be the banker in turn. If a player banks the 5% commission is charged
on the net win. When a player is the banker the dealer will still play, betting
an amount equal to the last bet the player made when the dealer was banking.
It is strongly to the advantage of the player to be the banker as much as possible
in pai gow poker because the dealer wins on copies and the 5% commission
is charged after losses are set against winnings.
The opportunity to bank in pai
gow poker usually rotates from person to person, including the house, but
sometimes will zigzag between the players and the dealer. If the player wants
to bank they must have enough money on the table to pay off all winning bets
of the other players and dealer. The player must also have played a previous
hand against the pai gow poker house banker to bank. Some casinos will
allow the player to co-bank with the house. If this option is elected the casino
will assume half the financial responsibility of the outcome. The player must
set their hand according to the pai gow poker house way if co-banking.
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