Pai Gow Poker Strategy Betting
Pai-Gow poker--also known as double-hand poker--was invented in the 1980s, but its roots stretch back much further. That's because the game takes inspiration from the popular Chinese domino game known as pai gow, which came into being sometime around 960 AD.
The optimal strategy for Pai Gow Poker is a lot more complex. It’s even more nuanced than the optimal strategy for Video Poker games – and that’s already a tough nut to crack. Here’s some more good news: You’ll get almost all the benefits by playing a near-optimal Pai Gow Poker strategy. There are a few betting strategies for Pai Gow that will increase your odds of winning. The biggest way to impact your odds will be the difference in the size of the bets you make when you’re acting as the bank compared to the bet sizes you make when you’re acting as the player. How to Play Pai Gow Poker. Pai Gow Poker uses the standard 52-card deck, plus a Joker. It’s you against The Dealer; after you place your bet, you each receive seven cards – yours are face-up, the Dealer’s are face-down. Your task is to split your seven cards into two hands, one with five cards and the other with two cards. Pai Gow Poker Strategy - How to Better Your Pai Gow Game. In Pai Gow Poker, you get seven cards with which you create two separate poker hands – one five-card hand and one two-card hand. The five-card hand must have higher value than the two-card hand. The dealer also gets seven cards and makes two hands. Your goal is to beat him both ways. Pai-Gow Hand Rankings. While most of the rankings in double-hand poker are the same as regular poker, there are a few minor differences. Five of a Kind - The highest possible pai gow poker hand, it's comprised of four aces and a joker. Royal Flush - Made up of the following cards in.
The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with the basics of the game, from the rules of pai gow poker to various forms of real-money strategy. While the house will always maintain an edge over the player, an increased knowledge of the game should give you the best odds of walking away with a profit.
The Joker in Pai-Gow Poker
In addition to the usual 52 cards, the deck used in pai-gow poker also includes a single joker. The joker may substitute for any card in order to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush. Otherwise, it counts as an ace.
Pai-Gow Hand Rankings
While most of the rankings in double-hand poker are the same as regular poker, there are a few minor differences.
Five of a Kind - The highest possible pai gow poker hand, it's comprised of four aces and a joker.
Royal Flush - Made up of the following cards in the same suit: A, K, Q, J, 10.
Straight Flush - Five cards of the same suit in consecutive order. Example: 6H, 7H, 8H, 9H, 10H.
Four of a Kind - Four cards made up of the same rank. For example: 7H, 7D, 7C, 7S.
Full House - A hand comprised of one pair and three of a kind. Example: 4H, 4D, 4S, 6S, 6H.
Flush - Five cards made up of the same suit. Example: 2H, 4H, 5H, 8H, 10H.
Straight - Five consecutive cards of different suits. Example: 7H, 8S, 9C, 10C, JD.
Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same rank. Example: 2S, 2D, 2H.
Two Pair - Two individual pairs, each made up of a different rank. Example: 4C, 4D, 9H, 9C.
One Pair - Two cards of the same rank. Example: 4S, 4D.
High Card - When the hand contains none of the above combinations, the highest card is used to determine the hand's value.
How to Play Pai-Gow Poker for Real Money
Now that we've looked at the purpose of the joker and the hand rankings, let's examine the specific rules of pai-gow poker. Keep in mind that the player is competing only against the dealer.
Pai Gow Poker Rules
The game begins when the player makes a wager. Betting requirements differ from one casino to another, so make sure you check before starting play.
After the player has made their bet, they will be provided with seven cards. The dealer also receives seven cards face-down.
The player examines his hand and separates it into a five-card ('high') and two-card ('low') hand. The five-card option must be superior to the two-card hand (see the hand rankings listed above). The two-card hand can only achieve a pair or high card ranking.
Once the player has set his hand, the dealer turns his cards over and also arranges them into 5-card and 2-card sets. In both land-based and online casinos, the house has specific rules for how this is done, which prevents the dealer from having to employ any kind of strategy. This is known as the 'house way.'
The hands are now compared against one another. Here are the results:
- If both the player's hands are superior, he is declared the winner and receives even money on his payout, minus a 5% commission.
- If the player and dealer each win a hand, then the bet is considered a push.
- If the dealer wins both hands, the player loses his bet. Please note that a dealer wins any ties.
Hand Odds in Pai-Gow Poker
The following list shows the probability of achieving various hands in a game of double-hand poker.
- Five Aces - 0.00000732
- Royal Flush/Straight - 0.00136862
- Four of a Kind - 0.00199472
- Full House - 0.02717299
- Flush - 0.04004129
- Straight - 0.07289350
- Three of a Kind - 0.04846585
- Two Pair - 0.23065464
- One Pair - 0.41663862
- Anything Else - 0.16076246
Winning Strategies for Real-Money Pai-Gow Poker
If you're looking for an edge during your next pai gow poker session, give these tips a try. While you may still lose some hands, you should see your overall success rate improve.
- Avoid Bonus Bets - These side bets are far more common at land-based casinos, but even if you find an online establishment that offers them, they are to be avoided. Casinos take in more money from bonus bets than they do from the 5% commission charged to winning player hands.
- If you're lucky enough to get five aces, you should keep three in the high hand and move the others to the low hand. The only exception is when you have a pair of kings. In this case, move the kings to the low hand.
- When you have four of a kind, the following strategy should be employed. Keep the four cards together if their ranks are six or lower. If the ranks are seven through 10, split the cards unless you also have an ace or better to move to the low hand. Unless you have another pair to use in the low hand, four of a kind with face cards should always be split.
- Three of a kind should almost always be kept together. The only exception is when the cards are aces. In this case, use a pair of aces in the high hand and the remaining ace (along with your next highest card) in the low hand.
- If you have three pair after the initial deal, the highest pair should be moved to the low hand.
- If you find yourself with no pairs, flushes, or straights, leave the best card in the high hand and move the two cards with the next highest value to the low hand.
- When you draw a full house, move the pair to the low hand. If you happen to draw an additional pair, then use the higher of the pairs for the low hand.
- It is best to keep straights and flushes in the high hand. If, however, you have a pair of tens or better and an ace/king to move to the low hand, then you might consider splitting up a flush or straight.
- If you have two pair, and one of the pairs is comprised of aces, then you should split. The same goes for two pair with a pair of kings (unless the other is a pair of deuces). If the latter occurs, play the pairs together in the high hand and move the next best cards to the low hand.
- If you have two pair with jacks though aces, split the pairs and leave the best one in the high hand.
Pai Gow Poker Guide
We’re giving you the lowdown on Pai Gow Poker, hands-down one of the most popular real money table games and Ignition Casino. Played all around the world, this is a game of skill and guts, which is why it’s perfect for Ignition’s players.
What Is Pai Gow Poker?
Pai Gow is actually an ancient Chinese game of dominos – 32 to be exact – which later got appropriated for poker. It’s no cake walk either, but that doesn’t mean the poker version is difficult. Actually, it’s pretty easy. You just have to learn the fundamentals.
Thanks to Sam Torosian, owner of the California Bell Club cardroom, we now have a simplified version of pai gow uses playing cards instead of dominoes.
How to Play Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker uses the standard 52-card deck, plus a Joker. It’s you against The Dealer; after you place your bet, you each receive seven cards – yours are face-up, the Dealer’s are face-down. Your task is to split your seven cards into two hands, one with five cards and the other with two cards. Your five-card hand must rank higher than your two-card hand.
Once you’ve decided how to split your cards, the Dealer’s cards are flipped over and arranged, then the hands are compared. If both your hands are better, you win even money minus a 5% commission. If both the Dealer’s hands are better, you lose the wager. If one is higher and one is lower, the hand is a push and your bet is returned. Any tied hands go to the Dealer.
As with all table games at the casino, Pai Gow Poker comes with a house edge attached. That edge depends primarily on two things: Your skill at the game, and the method the Dealer uses to complete their two hands. This method is known as the “house way,” and you’ll need to tailor your Pai Gow Poker strategy accordingly. If you’re playing at a live casino, the house edge is also affected by whether you are the Banker or not. But as a rough guide, you can expect the house to have an edge of between 2.5% and 2.7% when you use at least a simplified strategy playing online.
While it’s always nice to find a big made hand in your seven Pai Gow Poker cards, you’ll be dealt a Pair or worse a shade more than half the time. Here are the chances of getting dealt each possible rank:
Five Aces 0.000732%
Straight or Royal Flush 0.137%
Four of a Kind 0.199%
Full House 2.72%
Flush 4.00%
Straight 7.29%
Three of a Kind 4.85%
Two Pair 23.1%
One Pair 41.7%
High Card 16.1%
The Rules
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. Your two-card hand is either a Pair or High Card. And the Joker in this game is a “semi-wild” card that can be used to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush or royal Flush; otherwise, the Joker is considered an Ace.
There are more rules to learn if you want to play Pai Gow Poker live. This is a banking game, meaning the player has the option of betting against other players, or even the Dealer. Players will take turns around the table acting as the Banker, although in most cases, they’ll decline the option and the turn will get passed around the table until it lands with the Dealer. You won’t have to worry about any of this at Ignition Casino – there are no other players at the table, and you’re always betting on yourself.
Optimal Strategy
Deciding how to split your seven cards is where Pai Gow Poker strategy comes in. Like Blackjack, this game has been “solved” by computers, and if you play an optimal strategy, you can narrow the house edge down as low as possible. However, the optimal strategy for Pai Gow Poker is more difficult to learn than it is for blackjack. A simpler, near-optimal strategy that’s easier to remember will get you most of the way there.
Whether you’re working with a simplified or an advanced Pai Gow Poker strategy, you’ll be separating your hands into 20 categories, depending on the seven cards you’ve been dealt. These categories are then listed in order of hand strength; you’ll choose the highest rank that applies to your cards, and follow the recommended instructions. It’s the same approach that you’d use to play Video Poker as optimally as possible.
The 20 categories for your Pai Gow Poker strategy are further divided into two sections: One, cards which complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush or royal Flush; and two, those which do not. The first section is relatively easy to handle, since you already have a made five-card hand at your disposal – remember, your five-card (high) hand has to be stronger than your two-card (low) hand. Here’s a simplified Pai Gow Poker strategy for this section.
1. Four of a Kind: Play the highest Pair possible in your low hand while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
2. Three of a Kind and a Pair: If you have a Pair of Sevens or better, put them in your low hand if you can maintain your Straight/Flush. If not, settle for putting Three of a Kind in your high hand.
3. Three of a Kind: Play your best kickers for the low hand while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
4. Three Pair: Play the highest of your Pairs in your low hand while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
5. Two Pair: This one’s a little tricky. Depending on the strength of each Pair, and what kickers are left over, you might want to put your better Pair in your low hand. Definitely do this if the face value of the two Pairs adds up to at least 17; for example, Kings and Fours (13+4) or Nines and Eights (9+8). Splitting your Pairs is less advised as their face value drops.
6. One Pair: Play the best low hand you can while maintaining your Straight/Flush – unless you have Queens through Nines, in which case play Ace-King in your low hand if possible.
7. No Pair: Play the best low hand you can while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
Working with cards that cannot make a Straight/Flush in Pai Gow Poker requires a few extra steps, because now you might have cards that fall into additional categories. Here’s what to do with your seven cards in these situations:
8. Five of a Kind and a Pair: Put two Aces in the low hand, and leave a Full House in the high hand.
9. Five of a Kind: Put two Aces in the low hand and leave a Set of Aces in the high hand.
10. Four of a Kind and Three of a Kind: If your Quads are at least two ranks higher than your set, split your Quads and put two of those cards in your low hand, leaving a Full House in your high hand. Otherwise, split your set.
11. Four of a Kind and a Pair: Put the Pair in your low hand.
12. Four of a Kind: This category requires a little more savvy. If you have Queens or better, split them up and put a Pair in your low hand. If you have Fours or worse, keep your Quads together in your high hand. Everything in between will depend on the strength of the kicker you can put in your low hand.
13. Three of a Kind and Three of a Kind: Split your higher-ranking set and put two of those cards in your low hand.
14. Three of a Kind and Two Pair: Put the higher Pair in your low hand.
15. Three of a Kind and One Pair: Put the Pair in your low hand.
16. Three of a Kind: Put the two highest kickers in your low hand, unless you have three Aces, in which case use an Ace and your highest kicker.
17. Three Pair: Put the highest Pair in your low hand.
18. Two Pair: Follow the same strategy as when you have seven cards that can make a Straight/Flush.
19. One Pair: Put your best two kickers in your low hand.
Pai Gow Poker Strategy Betting
20. No Pair: Put your second- and third-best kickers in your low hand.
What Is Pai Gow Poker
Even as a simplified strategy, this is quite a lot to absorb for newer Pai Gow Poker newbies. But most of these steps are pretty intuitive, and most of the time, you’ll be dealt seven cards that fall into one of these easier categories. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at following the strategy; then, if you choose, you can start on a more complex strategy by adding in some of the exceptions to these rules. For example, if you have seven cards that make a Straight/Flush and include both Three of a Kind and One Pair, and you have three Sevens and two Aces, you’ll only put the Aces in your low hand if your two kickers are Six-Five or worse.