How To Play Pai Gow
Posted : admin On 4/1/2022
- How to Play Pai Gow Poker – A Step by Step Guide to The Game’s Rules. At first glance, Pai Gow Poker Online might seem like a difficult game to play at the casino. Yet, once you know its rules, you’ll definitely be able to realize that it is actually a much simpler game that it first appear to be.
- Moreover, unlike other variations of poker, Pai Gow Poker is much faster and significantly much easier to play. Since it was invented back in the 80s, Pai Gow Poker has grown in popularity across a plethora of gambling platforms – finding an online or land-based casino that offers at least one version of the game will, therefore, be a breeze.
Pai Gow Poker is one of those Americanized Chinese gambling games that today are part of almost every casino. This game is a social game just as poker and can be played by six players simultaneously using a 52-card deck. In addition to the players, land-based casinos appoint a dealer at the table to assist players. Similar to other casino games, the players in Pai Gow Poker play against the house, not against each other.
This game came to be when a Chinese game called Pai Gow in which dominoes were used, was mixed with poker cards. What came out as a result was a gambling game with a very reasonably low risk compared to other games. Pai Gow Poker is a more of a game of skill, although learning the cards and using the skills is not that farfetched for beginners. The hands are easy and obvious, and strategies can be applied without much difficulty. The fact that all the players play together against the house makes this game very fun and leisure game.
The game as we know it today was established in California in the mid-80s in 1985. The person that invented the game first began offering it at his own casino, and later the game began appearing across many other casinos without prior permission of its author due to a lack of patent for the game. Since then Pai Gow Poker has brought millions of players to casinos and the game today has a well-deserved status.
Pai Gow Poker Rules
Pai Gow Poker Rules – Learn How to Play Pai Gow Poker Pai Gow Poker is one of those Americanized Chinese gambling games that today are part of almost every casino. This game is a social game just as poker and can be played by six players simultaneously using a 52-card deck. Play Pai Gow Poker. Them’s the rules: the standard hand rankings for poker apply, except for one twist. The second-best Straight you can make in Pai Gow Poker is the wheel (Five-Four-Three-Deuce-Ace), which is the lowest Straight possible in regular poker.
Pai Gow Poker uses many rules that are commonly known in standard poker, such as:
- The game is played with standard fifty-two cards and a joker from a single deck only.
- As in other games, the joker is used to complete a hand like straight flush, flush, straight or royal flush, and it can be used instead of an Ace.
- Each player receives 7 cards along with the dealer too after all the players have made their bets previously.
- With these seven cards, the players have to form two hands, one five card hand and one two card hand. The only condition is for the five card hand to be of higher value than the two card hand.
- The two card hand will always be a pair of the highest possible value, while the five card hand will be a standard poker hand.
- The dealer will reveal his cards after the players have divided their cards. The dealer follows a special rule referred to as the House Way. This rule is actually a predetermined manner in which the dealer will play the cards. This rule varies from casino to casino.
- The two hands of each player are then compared against the dealer’s hand and the player with the two hands of higher values will take his winnings.
- There is a special rule for a tie. If the two card hand of both the player and the dealer are composed of pair of Kings or Aces, then the house wins.
- In order for the player to win his both hands need to be stronger than the dealer’s hands. In this case the bet pays 1 to 1. If the player loses one hand to the dealer, then it’s a push. In all other scenarios, the player loses. Five percent commission is taken of each winning.
- The banker role rotates between players, and each player can refuse the role.
The Basics of Pai Gow Poker
Objective of the Game
The objective in Pai Gow Poker is for players to assemble hands that are stronger than the dealer in order to beat the house and win the bet with the help of seven cards. The only chance to win is to have both hands of higher value. The lower hand, which is the two card hand is always a pair (if there two cards of same value) while the higher five card hand can be any of the standard hands used in poker. The two card hand mustn’t be of a higher value than the five card hand.
Pai Gow Poker Hands
In order to form a hand, players can use a joker. It can be used to replace a card any kind of straight or flush. In other cases the joker is valued as an Ace. The following are the hands in Pai Gow Poker arranged from the weakest to the strongest:
- No Pair hand is a hand that has no cards that can be combined together to form a pair.
- One Pair is a hand consisted of any two cards of the same value.
- Two Pair is a hand consisted of two pairs with cards of the same value.
- Three of a Kind is a hand consisted of three cards of the same value.
- Straight is a hand in which all cards are arranged in a sequence, for example from 6 to 10.
- Flush is a hand in which all cards are of the same suite, either clubs, diamonds, spades or hearts.
- Full House is a hand consisted of two cards of the same value, and three cards that are all of some different value.
- Four of a Kind is a hand consisted of four cards of the same value.
- Straight Flush is a hand in which all cards of the same suite, but also they need to be arranged in a sequence, for example from 7 to Jack.
- Royal Flush is a hand consisted of Jack, King, Queen, Ten and an Ace, but all five cards need to be of the same suite.
In any of the hands, the remaining cards help determine the winner in cases when the competing five card hands are identical.
The Ranking of Two Card Hands
There are special rules set for the ranking of the two card hands. It is obvious that with two cards the only hand you can play is a pair i.e. a hand consisted of two cards of the same value, with a pair of 2s as the weakest, and a pair of Aces as the strongest two card hand.
But, there is also a No Pair hand. This hand is also valued, but here the weakest hand is a combination of 2 and a 3, while the strongest No Pair two card hand is consisted of a King and an Ace. A Pair hand always beats a No Pair hand. The Joker here is used instead of an Ace too.
The House Way
As mentioned previously, the House Way is a predetermined manner of how the dealer will play with his hand. This rule can vary from casino to casino. Somewhere you may find it more in your favor, somewhere you may not, in general it doesn’t vary substantially.
The Odds
Although Pai Gow Poker a house edge that is worse than craps, blackjack and baccarat, it is still a very decent edge that varies between 2 and 3 percent. Since it is a game of skill this edge can be easily eliminated with a little spell of luck. Also, since it is a much slower paced game compared to other games with a lot of ties and pushing your playing time is much longer and your bankroll is more prone to survive.
An Easy Pai Gow Strategy to Use
First, when playing Pai Gow Poker, whether using a strategy or not, you need to remember that both of your hands need to win. So basically you have to think how to equally distribute your hands. If you can’t form a strong five card hand, make sure at least for your two card hand to be as high as it can get in order to cause for a push and stop the house from winning. Or do the other way around, by setting a strong five card hand while making a weak two card hand.
If your hand is a no pair hand, just use the third and second highest cards for the two card hand. If you have at least one pair the highest two cards should be used as a two card hand. This strategic playing extends to different scenarios for having dealt 2 pairs, 3 pairs, three of a kind and all the other possible hands and involves how to split your hands and use the most of all cards dealt.
Summary
Pai Gow Poker has spurred so much interest in the public due to its ingenious way of playing with two hands at the same time so that many experts have even written books on the optimal strategies that can be used for playing the game. Try the game a little at any online casino offering it for practice, and we guarantee you will immediately like it.
Useful Pai Gow Poker Glossary
– Back Hand: used to refer to the five card hand.
– Banking: this is when players bet either against the players or the dealer.
– Foul Hand: this is when a player has not split his hands appropriately which means his two card hand is stronger than his five card hand. It is used in land-based casinos.
– Front Hand: used to refer to the two card hand.
For a more comprehensive list of terms and phrases, check out our Pai Gow Glossary section.
YOU MIGHT BE ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THESE:
RELATED NEWS
Divine Fortune™ Megaways™ Now Live in New Jersey and Pennsylvania [...]
Trio of Incredible Progressive Jackpot Games Are Coming to the Microgaming Platform Soon [...]
A New Classic Slot: Joker King Arrives from Pragmatic Play [...]
MORE INTERESTING ARTICLES
Wild Symbols in Slots Explained [...]
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THESE POPULAR PAGES
ONLINE CASINO PAI GOW POKER RESOURCES
STRATEGYCheck out our simple but yet effective strategy for Pai Gow.
GLOSSARYCovers most of the important terms of Pai Gow Poker.
RULESNeed to read up on the rules? No problem, just go here.
HISTORYLearn the old and modern history of Pai Gow.
GAME REVIEWSFind new cool games here reviewed by our expert review team.
How To Play Pai Gow In Casino
READY TO PLAY NOW? CHECK OUT OUR #1 ONLINE PAI GOW CASINO
BACK TO TOPCASINODIRECTORY.COM SUPPORTS MOBILE!
CHECK OUT OUR SITE ON YOUR SMARTPHONE OR TABLET.
Pai Gow Poker has become one of the most popular casino table games. It involves the player competing against the banker to make the better low and high hand than the house.
This is a slow-paced, relaxing game. The low number of hands dealt per hour and the number of pushes keep players in the game longer. Some consider it a great way to get comp drinks with little risk.
There are five types of Pai Gow Poker in Las Vegas. Each is a bit different. All is explained below, along with details of which casinos offer Pai Gow Poker.
Pai Gow Poker Variants in Las Vegas
Fortune Pai Gow is based on the traditional version of the game. Players may bank this game. The button moves around the table.
Banking is optional. Winners pay a five percent commission on all wins.
Emperor’s Challenge Pai Gow
Emperor’s Challenge is another Pai Gow Poker variant that is based on the original game. Like Fortune, players may bank and pay a five percent commission on wins.
The difference between Fortune and Emperor’s Challenge is the side bets.
Pai Gow Plus is another classic variant.
How To Play Pai Gow Poker In Vegas
It is essentially the original version of the game.
Face Up Pai Gow
Face Up Pai Gow now accounts for about two-thirds of the Pai Gow Poker installs in Las Vegas. That is an incredible feat considering the game did not exist a few years ago.
In Face Up Pai Gow, the dealer looks at the house hand before players act. If the dealer has an ace high pai gow, the hand pushes. If the dealer has any other hand, it is set face up and players set their hands accordingly.
This version turns a skill game into pure luck.
There is no commission on wins in Face Up Pai Gow. Players may not bank.
This was the first version of Pai Gow Poker that eliminated the five percent commission on wins. The dealer pushes if the house has a queen high pai gow. Players may not bank. There is no commission on wins.
Best Las Vegas Casinos for Pai Gow Poker
There are many variables that go into what makes a Las Vegas casino the best one for Pai Gow Poker. Some players have a specific variant in mind. To others, the ambience and minimum bet matters more.
Variant | Max Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aliante Casino | Emperor’s | 5 | 1000 | 3 |
| Arizona Charlie’s Decatur | Emperor’s | 5 | 500 | 1 |
| Club Fortune | Emperor’s | 5 | 200 | 1 |
| Eastside Cannery | Emperor’s | 5 | 1000 | 1 |
| M Resort | Emperor’s | 10 | 2000 | 3 |
| The Strat | Emperor’s | 10 | 2000 | 2 |
| Westgate | Emperor’s | 15 | 2000 | 1 |
| 4 Queens | Face Up | 15 | 500 | 1 |
| Aliante Casino | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 1 |
| Aria | Face Up | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Bally’s | Face Up | 15 | 5000 | 1 |
| Binion’s | Face Up | 10 | 1000 | 1 |
| Boulder Station | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 3 |
| Cannery | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 1 |
| Circus Circus | Face Up | 20 | 1000 | 2 |
| Encore | Face Up | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Fiesta Henderson | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 1 |
| Flamingo | Face Up | 15 | 3000 | 2 |
| Gold Coast | Face Up | 10 | 2000 | 2 |
| Green Valley Ranch | Face Up | 10 | 2000 | 4 |
| Harrah’s | Face Up | 10 | 5000 | 4 |
| Linq | Face Up | 10 | 3000 | 2 |
| Luxor | Face Up | 25 | 3000 | 2 |
| Mandalay Bay | Face Up | 25 | 5000 | 2 |
| MGM Grand | Face Up | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Mirage | Face Up | 25 | 10000 | 3 |
| NYNY | Face Up | 25 | 3000 | 2 |
| Palace Station | Face Up | 10 | 3000 | 4 |
| Palazzo | Face Up | 25 | 20000 | 3 |
| Palms | Face Up | 10 | 2000 | 3 |
| Paris | Face Up | 15 | 5000 | 2 |
| Park MGM | Face Up | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Planet Hollywood | Face Up | 15 | 5000 | 2 |
| Plaza | Face Up | 10 | 1000 | 2 |
| Rampart | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 4 |
| Red Rock | Face Up | 10 | 2000 | 5 |
| Rio | Face Up | 15 | 5000 | 2 |
| Sam’s Town | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 3 |
| Santa Fe Station | Face Up | 5 | 1000 | 3 |
| Silverton | Face Up | 10 | 2000 | 1 |
| Sahara | Face Up | 10 | 3000 | 1 |
| Suncoast | Face Up | 10 | 2000 | 3 |
| Sunset Station | Face Up | 10 | 1000 | 3 |
| Texas Station | Face Up | 5 | 500 | 2 |
| Treasure Island | Face Up | 10 | 5000 | 2 |
| Venetian | Face Up | 25 | 20000 | 3 |
| Wynn | Face Up | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Aria | Fortune | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Bellagio | Fortune | 25 | 10000 | 1 |
| Caesars Palace | Fortune | 25 | 5000 | 4 |
| California | Fortune | 15 | 500 | 2 |
| Cannery | Fortune | 5 | 1000 | 1 |
| Cosmopolitan | Fortune | 15 | 10000 | 2 |
| Cromwell | Fortune | 10 | 3000 | 4 |
| Downtown Grand | Fortune | 10 | 1000 | 1 |
| Fiesta Rancho | Fortune | 5 | 500 | 2 |
| Flamingo | Fortune | 15 | 3000 | 3 |
| Fremont | Fortune | 10 | 500 | 1 |
| Gold Coast | Fortune | 10 | 2000 | 2 |
| Golden Nugget | Fortune | 15 | 5000 | 2 |
| Harrah’s | Fortune | 10 | 5000 | 3 |
| Linq | Fortune | 10 | 3000 | 1 |
| Main Street Station | Fortune | 15 | 500 | 1 |
| Mandalay Bay | Fortune | 25 | 5000 | 1 |
| MGM Grand | Fortune | 25 | 10000 | 1 |
| Orleans | Fortune | 10 | 2000 | 2 |
| Paris | Fortune | 15 | 5000 | 5 |
| Park MGM | Fortune | 25 | 10000 | 1 |
| Planet Hollywood | Fortune | 15 | 5000 | 3 |
| Rio | Fortune | 15 | 5000 | 2 |
| Santa Fe Station | Fortune | 5 | 1000 | 1 |
| Silverton | Fortune | 10 | 2000 | 1 |
| Sahara | Fortune | 10 | 3000 | 1 |
| South Point | Fortune | 10 | 2000 | 8 |
| Tropicana | Fortune | 10 | 2000 | 2 |
| Wynn | Fortune | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| Fiesta Henderson | No Commision | 5 | 1000 | 2 |
| Bellagio | Plus | 25 | 10000 | 2 |
| The D | Plus | 10 | 2500 | 1 |
How to Play Pai Gow Poker
How To Play Pai Gow
Pai Gow Poker is spread at over 60 Las Vegas casinos. There are several variants dealt, even within the same casino.
There are several bets available at a Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker table. The main bet has a minimum of at least $5, depending on the casino. Side bets can often be made for $1 or $5.
The player and dealer start with seven cards. The deck has a joker that may be used to complete straights and flushes. Otherwise, it is an ace.
In traditional versions of the game, the player sets that hand before the dealer does. It is separated into a five-card and two-card hand. The five-card hand must be higher than the two-card one. The dealer then sets the banker hand.
If the player beats both dealer hands, the bet is paid, sometimes with a five percent commission. If the dealer wins both hands or wins one and ties one, the house wins. If the dealer ties one and loses one, the hand pushes. If the player and dealer split with one win each, the hand pushes. Some casinos permit players to bank once per round.
In Face Up Pai Gow Poker, the dealer sets the house hand first. If the dealer makes an ace-high pai gow, the hand pushes all around. If it does not, players set their hands based on the best way to beat the dealer’s exposed one. Players may not bank in Face Up Pai Gow.
How To Play Pai Gow Poker In Las Vegas
We carry out an annual survey of Las Vegas casinos and the table games they offer. This allows us to publish details of every table game available in Vegas, and the best place to play it.
How To Play Pai Gow Poker At A Casino
See the page below for the latest version of our full survey.