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Traditionally Pai Gow poker is played with a set of domino-type tiles. To make the game easier to understand and play in casinos, an American version was developed using a standard deck of cards (and one joker) with hand rankings similar to regular poker. The extra joker card acts as an ace or wild card to complete a straight, flush or straight flush only.

An Overview

Pai Gow is played on a blackjack-sized table consisting of up to six players and a banker. All players are against the banker which is usually the dealer. In general, the house collects a five percent commission for each winning bet.

How to Play

To begin the game, each player places a bet equal to the table minimum. The dealer then shuffles and distributes seven stacks containing seven cards regardless of the number of players. The banker shakes a cup that holds three die; this resolves which player starts. The player evaluates the dealt cards and sets them into two hands; one containing two cards and one with five.

The two card hand is moved to the front and the five card hand to the back. If both hands beat the banker’s hands, you’re the winner. If only one wins, it’s a push and you’re money is returned. If either hand displays the exact same values, it’s referred to as a copy and the banker wins. Obviously if the banker has two better hands then you lose.

Your five card hand must be of higher value than your two card hand. If you set the two card hand higher, then a foul is committed which results in an automatic loss. The banker sets their cards according to the “house way” which are specific rules that must be followed. If you’re unsure how to set your hand, ask the dealer to set it the “house way” to avoid any costly mistakes.

Pai Gow Poker is generally a slower-paced game that has many pushes. The dealer does have a slight edge due to their automatic win during a copy. With the proper strategy the game can be mastered and won long term.

Most casinos offer Pai Gow poker at many of their regular gaming tables. In order to be successful, there are a few strategies that involve selecting specific cards depending on the nature of the hand. Following this general overview will help you familiarize yourself with the basics of the game.