Pai Gow Poker is a poker game inspired by the popular Chinese game Pai Gow, but the two should not be confused. Pai Gow Poker uses 53 playing cards, comprising a standard deck plus one joker.
Players are pitted against the dealer, and the aim of the game is to make two poker hands from seven cards – a high hand of five cards and a low hand of two cards. The joker serves as a “wild card” and always represents an Ace unless it can be used as any other card in the high hand to make a straight or flush.
The game begins with the player placing his bet. Seven cards are then dealt to each player and the dealer (in online games there will often be just you and the dealer at the table). You then need to decide which two cards you want to use as your low hand and which five cards you want to use as your high hand. It is important to note that the low hand should always have a lower rank than the high hand, so if your high hand is Queen high, your low hand must be Jack high or worse.
When you have made your decision, your high hand will be compared with the dealer’s high hand, and your low hand with their low hand. The highest hand in each case wins, with standard poker rankings being employed across the board.
If the dealer wins with both hands then the player loses their original bet. If the dealer wins one hand and the player wins the other, the player’s bet is returned. If the player wins both hands then the player is paid out at odds of even money. Some online casinos charge a small rake on winnings, whilst others charge a small sum for every hand played, win or lose, so be sure to know which approach is being taken before you commence.
As with Caribbean Stud, your strategy is something that will develop with experience and knowledge of the game, but there is a simple strategy you can adopt from the outset to improve your odds of winning. This is to always aim for the highest two-card hand you can whilst ensuring that the five-card hand is still higher (and therefore legal). For example, if you had A-K-K-3-3-J-4 you would play 3-3 as your low hand and K-K-A-J-4 as your high hand. Or, if you had A-K-Q-3-3-J-4 you would play A-K as your low hand and 3-3-Q-J-4 as your high hand.
What is Pai Gow Poker ?
Re: What is Pai Gow Poker ?
This is a clear and well-structured explanation of Pai Gow Poker. You’ve outlined the rules, hand setup, and payout system in a way that makes the game easy to understand for beginners. The example hands are especially helpful for visualising basic strategy, and the reminder about knowing the casino’s rake system is a smart inclusion. It’s a solid introduction to a unique and strategic poker variant.