Pai Gow Poker rules
Pai Gow has its roots in Asia as a quite complicated social game,
back then the game was played with special dominos and dice. The
modern version of Pai Gow is played using a 53 card deck (a standard
52 card deck plus a Joker). The pace of the game is rather slow
which makes a good contrast to the other more hectic casino games,
and it allows a player with a modest bankroll to last longer at
the table than would be possible with many other games.
In a land based casino, Pai Gow is usually a multiplayer game where
the deal rotates around the table, like in poker. Online however
the game has been simplified to the player versus dealer/house model.
Playing the game
Each player as well as the dealer gets seven cards and makes two
poker hands, one five card hand and another two card hand. The five
card poker hand must be greater than the two card hand, or the player
will automatically lose. The objective is to beat both of the dealers
poker hands, the players five card hand must beat the dealers five
card hand and the players two card hand has to beat the dealers
two card hand in order for the player to win.
If the player will lose one hand and win the other this will result
in the player getting his wager back. In the event that the player
and dealer have the same ranks (tie), the dealer wins, this is where
the house/dealer has its advantage over the player.
A table showing the possible outcomes and the result of it:
| Result |
Outcome |
| Player wins |
Player gets paid even money, minus a 5 % commission |
| Dealer wins |
Player lose the wager |
| Lose one hand win the other |
Player gets the wager back |
| Tie |
Player lose the wager |
The game is played with a 52 card deck plus a Joker; the Joker
can only be used as a wild card to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight
Flush or a Royal Flush. Otherwise it is treated as an Ace. However
under some rules the Joker is completely wild.
A table showing the hand ranks:
| Pai Gow poker hand ranks |
| Five of a Kind |
Four cards of the same rank plus the Joker |
| Royal Flush |
A, K, Q, J, 10 of same suit |
| Straight Flush |
Five consecutive cards of the same suit |
| Four of a Kind |
Four cards of the same rank |
| Full House |
Three of a kind plus any pair |
| Flush |
Five cards of the same suit |
| Straight |
Five consecutive cards but not of the same
rank |
| Three of a Kind |
Three cards of the same rank |
| Two pair |
Two separate pairs of identically ranked cards |
| Pair |
Two cards of the same rank |
| High Card |
The highest card in from Ace and down |
The banker
In a land based casino and a few online casinos the deal will rotate
among the players, the person dealing is called the banker. The
casino dealer will start out as the banker for the first round(s)
to be offered the role as the banker the player needs to have enough
money to cover all the other player bets, if the player does not
wish to be the banker he can decline and it will rotate to the next
player. The dealer will play as a regular player when someone else
is the banker.
Recommended online casino for playing Pai Gow
bet365
Casino (Online Casino)
This is a new online casino brought to you by bet365 the trusted
UK land based betting company. High quality of service, excellent
reputation.
Software: Boss Media, download games only
Number of games: about 20
New player bonus: 200% match bonus up to $40 free
More casinos
|