Pai Gow Poker: Rules, Basic and Advanced Strategies, Game Example
Pai Gow Poker is a popular casino game that combines elements of the traditional Chinese game Pai Gow with classic poker. Players compete against the casino (the banker) by arranging two poker hands—known as the high hand and the low hand—to beat both hands of the banker.
Game Rules
The game is played with a deck of 53 cards, including the standard 52 cards and a Joker. The Joker can be used as an ace or to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush. If you are a novice to poker, here you can find general poker rules including card combinations etc.
- Each player is dealt seven cards to split into two hands (see the example game below):
- High hand: 5 cards;
- Low hand: 2 cards.
- Splitting Rule: The high hand must be ranked higher than the low hand. For instance, if a player has a pair of tens and a pair of fives, the tens must be in the high hand and the fives in the low hand.
- Both of the player's hands are compared to the banker’s hands:
- The player wins if both of their hands beat the banker's hands.
- The game results in a tie (called a push) if the player wins one hand and loses the other.
- The player loses if the banker wins both hands.
- The casino usually takes a commission of 5% on the player's winnings.
Joker and Its Usage
The Joker functions as a wild card but with limitations. It can:
- Act as an ace;
- Complete a flush, straight, or straight flush (it cannot complete e.g. a pair).
Basic Strategy
When splitting cards, players should follow these basic guidelines:
- If you have no pair, place the highest card in the high hand and the second-highest card in the low hand.
- If you have one pair, place the pair in the high hand and the next two highest cards in the low hand.
- If you have two pairs:
- Low pairs: Place both in the high hand.
- High pairs: Split one pair into the high hand and the other into the low hand.
- If you have a straight, flush, or straight flush, place it in the high hand unless it weakens the low hand too much.
Advanced Strategy
- Maximize the potential of the Joker by forming the strongest possible high hand.
- When holding two pairs, carefully consider how to split them, particularly if you also have high cards that can strengthen the low hand.
- With balanced hands, choose a safer strategy to minimize the risk of losing both hands.
Game Example
Player
Imagine the player receives the following 7 cards:
Now they must arrange a 5-card high hand and a 2-card low hand. Following the basic strategy, the player selects the highest unneeded cards—Ace of Hearts and Jack of Diamonds—for the low hand.
The player forms a high hand: | And a low hand: |
with a pair of Queens. | with Ace high. |
Banker
The banker receives the following cards:
The banker keeps a pair of Kings in the high hand and places the highest leftover cards—Queen of Hearts and Nine of Hearts—in the low hand.
The banker’s high hand: | And low hand: |
has a pair of Kings. | with Queen high. |
Game Outcome
The game results in a tie (push) because the player loses the high hand (Queens < Kings) but wins the low hand (Ace > Queen). To win, a player or the banker must win both hands.
Hand Probability Chart
The table below shows the probabilities of forming various poker hands for reference:
Hand | Probability |
---|---|
Royal Flush | 0.000154% |
Straight Flush | 0.00139% |
Four of a Kind | 0.0240% |
Full House | 0.1441% |
Flush | 0.197% |
Straight | 0.392% |
Three of a Kind | 2.11% |
Two Pair | 4.75% |
One Pair | 42.26% |
High Card | 50.11% |
House Edge
Most games result in a tie, or push, where your wager is returned. The house edge arises because the casino takes a 5% commission on winnings. With most games ending in a tie, the house edge is about 2.5%, making Pai Gow Poker one of the most player-friendly casino games.
Conclusion
Pai Gow Poker is ideal for players who prefer a slower-paced game with lower risk. Thanks to its mix of strategic decision-making and relatively low house edge, it is a favorite among both beginners and seasoned players.
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- Five-card Stud Poker;
- Seven-card Stud Poker;
- Omaha Hi-Lo Poker: The Game for Demanding Players;
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- Baccarat: Rules and Games;
- Black Jack Rules, Basic & Advanced Strategy;
- Hearts: Rules, Strategies, and How to Play for Money.
Based on the original Czech article: Pai Gow Poker – pravidla, základní a pokročilé strategie, ukázka hry.