Pai Gow Poker
How the Game is Played
Pai Gow Poker is not too complex, but certainly requires knowledge of poker hands. See Poker Hand Rankings for more information.
Five-Card Hand Rules
Two-Card Hand Rules
Casino Etiquette
Optimal Strategy
Look at the example below. Although the player could have made a straight with the five-card hand, his two-card hand would have been very weak
Option 2 is the better choice to make
Pai Gow Poker is not too complex, but certainly requires knowledge of poker hands. See Poker Hand Rankings for more information.
- Each player is dealt 7 cards, as is the dealer.
- Players assemble their cards so that they have a five-card high hand and a 2-card 2nd high hand
- Objective: To beat the dealer's five-card AND two-card hands with your five-card and two-card hands
- Player only loses if he loses both hands
- Player only wins if he wins both hands
Five-Card Hand Rules
- Standard hand rankings (same as in poker)
- See for explanation
Two-Card Hand Rules
- Best hand you can make is a pair
- Straights and flushes do not count
Casino Etiquette
- Find an open seat at the table and wait until the current hand is over
- Place your bet amount in front of the card sections of the table
Optimal Strategy
- There are two decisions to make: What 5 cards to play as your high hand, and what 2 cards to play as your second-highest hand.
- Since you only win if you beat the dealer in both your 5-card and 2-card hand, you want to try to make both hands as strong as possible.
- This means you do not want to overload the high hand.
Look at the example below. Although the player could have made a straight with the five-card hand, his two-card hand would have been very weak
Option 2 is the better choice to make
Updated June 5, 2013 - Nathan Lord