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Pai Gow Poker Strategies, Increase Your Chances of Winning with Pai Gow Poker in Canada

Increase Your Chances of Winning with Pai Gow Poker in Canada

The best chance a player has of beating Pai Gow is when they are given the chance to Bank on a regular basis. I've seen heads-up games where the player was allowed to bank every other hand. That's a wonderful game, but don't expect to find it. Instead, most casinos offer the player a chance to bank once every seven hands. If you have the bankroll, take the bank, which means you are playing your money against every other player on the table! Pai Gow poker is played with a standard English deck of 52 cards plus the joker, or bug. The joker can only be used as an ace or a card that completes a straight or flush. Players and the dealer receive seven cards they place into two hands: five cards and two cards. The five-card hand must be of a higher total rank than the two-card hand. Also, an Ace-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest after Ace-K-Q-J-10.

Pai Gow Poker Strategies

Beating Pai Gow Poker at your local casino isn't as tough as you think! Although there are books on the subject like Sanford Wong's Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow Poker, there are some simple things you can do to increase your chance of winning without reading a 150-page book!

How to Play Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow poker is played with a standard English deck of 52 cards plus the joker, or bug. The joker can only be used as an ace or a card that completes a straight or flush. Players and the dealer receive seven cards they place into two hands: five cards and two cards. The five-card hand must be of a higher total rank than the two-card hand. Also, an Ace-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest after Ace-K-Q-J-10.

Ultimately, Pai Gow is about hand-setting. The hands are grouped into a high hand made up of five cards, and a lower value low hand of just two cards. Because there are many possibilities with seven cards, a high hand might be a straight and the low hand just a pair, or you might be dealt an actual pai gow - a hand with no straight, flush or pair.

The player's job is to set their cards into two hands, making sure the five-card hand is the highest. Once the dealer sets the Banker hand using a casino-chosen house way, the hands are compared. If the player's two-card hand beats the banker's two-card hand AND the player's five-card hand beats the banker's five-card hand, the player wins. If one wins and one loses, it is a push. If either player hand is the same value as the banker’s hand it is a tie or copy, and the Banker wins. If the Banker’s two hands beat both of your hands you lose.

The Banker's Edge

It's that copy aspect that gives the house (or banker) an edge since two hands will copy about 2.6 percent of the time, so the banker wins 29.9 percent of the outcomes and the player wins 28.6 percent. In addition, when the player does win, the house charges a 5 percent commission, except in EZ Pai Gow. There will be an overall tie 41.5 percent of the time.

Beating Pai Gow Poker

The house uses a house-way to set each hand, and a player can stay almost even with the house by playing in a similar manner. In fact, you can ask the dealer to help you set your hand. The house always starts with the idea that it does not want to lose. You want to play the best two hands, which is not always the best hand possible in the high hand.

If you are dealt four aces and a two, three, and four, you could play the four aces in the high (five-card) hand with the deuce, and the 4-3 in the low (two-card) hand. Or, you could play three aces in the high hand and an ace-4 in the low hand (which most players do). However, the house knows that if it plays an ace-ace in the low hand it can not be beat, since four aces are out and the best any other player could play in the low hand is a king-king, and it will beat a few other hands with the pair of aces in the high hand. So, don't gamble - always try to play a very good two-card hand. Learn Pai Gow strategy like blackjack basic strategy.

Simple Pai Gow Strategies

When you have no pair, straight, or flush, play the highest card with your high hand (the five-card hand) and the next two highest cards in the low (the two-card hand) hand.

Two pair, where the top pair is an aces, split. Two pair where the top pair is kings, split except when the other pair is deuces, then play together and play the two highest remaining cards in the low hand. Otherwise, use the two-pair rules that follow:

Two pairs: sixes and below, split unless you hold an ace, then play together with the ace and the next highest card in the low hand.

Two pairs: 7's thru 10's, split unless you hold an ace, then play together with the ace and the next highest card in the low hand.

Two pairs: Jack's thru Aces, split - obviously with the highest pair in the high hand.

Three Pair

Play the highest pair in the low hand.

Three of a Kind

Always play together except when the cards are aces, then play a pair of aces in the high hand and a single ace with the next highest card in the low hand.

Full House

Always split with the pair in the low hand unless you have a second pair also, then play the highest of the two-pairs in the low hand.

Straight and Flushes

Keep the straight or flush in the high hand, choosing whichever gives you the highest card for the low hand. The exception is when you also have two pairs, then split according to the two-pair rules. Straights and Flushes are always kept together in the five card hand unless you also have a pair of tens or better. In cases where you have a pair of tens for a five card hand WITH an AK or better for the two card hand – you might consider splitting up a straight or a flush.

Four of a Kind

Four of a kind, sixes or lower, keep together.

Four of a kind, seven thru tens, split unless you have an ace or better to play in the low hand.

Four of a kind face cards, Aces, Kings, Queens, or Jacks, always split, unless you have another pair to play in the low hand.

Five Aces

Always split unless you also have a pair of kings, then play the kings in the low hand.

Bonus Bets

The house makes more money on the bonus bets (Fortune bonus, etc.) than on the commission it charges at Pai Gow. The bonus bets make the game more exciting and provide the anticipation of big payoffs, but if you want to beat Pai Gow, don't play the bonus bets.

Banking

In this case, you might just use the house-way to set your hand. And, you'll pay commission on what you win. The best part of banking is winning when the other players make mistakes setting their hands. That's your edge!

5 Best Tips for Winning at Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker Table, Hand Holding Queen Poker Card

So, you’ve seen Pai Gow Poker at the casino and thought it looked neat. You’re not alone! Since the late 1980s, Pai Gow has been featured in a number of American casinos and gambling establishments abroad.

It’s a fairly simple game derived from a dominos game (also called Pai Gow) that involves forming two of the best hands possible from a pool of seven cards. There are no additional draws and no ways to improve your hand. It’s just you versus the dealer in a showdown of hands where anything is possible.

Some might think that the fact there is no ability to draw and no community pool would mean there is little skill in Pai Gow Poker. Actually, the opposite is true, as you have to form two hands that can beat the dealer or come away with nothing.

Sound fun? It is. Let’s look at the game itself and how to make money off of it.

What Is Pai Gow?

A lot casino-goers and gamblers have heard of this poker variant, but probably have never played it and may not know the rules. If so, that’s fine. It’s an easy game to learn, though it can be difficult to master.

Also, it should be noted that “Pai Gow” is really shorthand for “Pai Gow Poker” in this article, because Pai Gow is a dominoes game played in China while Pai Gow Poker is the card equivalent of that game.

Confused so far? Good! This game is played with a standard 52-card deck with an additional joker. The joker is wild and can complete a straight or a flush, or it counts as an ace. It’s not completely wild like in some games.

In a hand, each player and the dealer are dealt seven cards.

“Best” in this case is defined by the typical poker hand ratings. Also, the high hand has to be of a higher rank than the low hand.

Once the players make their high hand and their two-card hand, the dealer assembles her hands and the hands are compared. If the player has a better high hand and two-card hand, they win their bet.

If the dealer has one better hand and one worse hand, the game is a push. Any other result, including ties, go to the dealer. At the end of the day, the casino may ask for a commission from your winnings. The standard commission is 5%.

Other Bets in Pai Gow Poker

There are also some other factors that go into Pai Gow Poker. First, there are a lot of other bets that can be placed to make the game more interesting.

For example, you can make a side bet that you will make a certain type of hand (for instance, a three of a kind or better). You can also make envy bets in which the house pays out based on the seven cards and doesn’t matter if the player wins or loses.

Three of a Kind Poker Hand, Green Poker Table

Finally, Pai Gow offers an almost unique betting experience. You can bank in Pai Gow Poker, which means you make a bet that you will beat another player’s hand, not just the dealer’s hand.

Now that you have at least a taste of the game of Pai Gow, let’s talk about how you can win at it. Like games such as online baccarat, it can be somewhat difficult to really win at Pai Gow because it lacks hand improvement via drawing and more skill-based actions like waiting for position, bluffing, or even doubling down.

Still, there are ways you can come out on top in the game. Just follow these tips.

1 – Make a Side Bet

Depending on the game, there are different types and amounts of side bets you can make. Sometimes, you’re betting on a certain hand strength. Other times, you’ll be entering into a progressive jackpot.

You may be able to make a single side bet, other times, you can make two. Check with the rules or your dealer to find your options.

No matter how you make the side bet, it will be paid out in multiples based on the strength of the hand. For instance, a straight pays out 3 to 1, while five aces pays out 250 to 1.

In this case, though, Pai Gow offers you very little else that you can do that will allow you to flex your skills. Therefore, if you’re feeling it, place a side bet.

But don’t go too crazy with your side betting because you will be asked to bet on things that are improbable. The house doesn’t want to pay out a lot of the hard-earned money it has collected, so please remember this tip.

In this case, “not going crazy” means don’t bet too much above the minimum side bet. Also, bet on hands you’re more likely to achieve. You can track if you win or lose your side bets. If you lose more than you win, find another bet to make.

2 – Make an Envy Bet

Envy bets work a lot like side bets except you’re betting that another player at the table will hit a hand of a certain strength. For instance, you might bet that a player will make a straight or a flush. If any other player at the table has a hand of that score, you get an envy bonus, which is a set dollar amount.

Unsurprisingly, the envy payouts are smaller than the side bet payouts. For instance, a four of a kind might pay $5, while five aces might only pay $50 for the first hand.

Four of a Kind Poker Hand on Poker Table

There are a number of reasons for this, the most obvious being that with more players at the table, there’s a greater chance you will hit the envy bonus. This brings us to the topic of winning with envy bonuses.

First, when you sit to play Pai Gow, you’ll want to find a crowded table. This is an important Pai Fow tip because it increases the odds you’ll hit an envy bonus. Second, the payouts for them aren’t huge, so don’t bet more than the minimum.

Finally, when you’re betting an envy bonus, try to bet hands that someone is more likely to get (a four of a kind or a straight flush). They will pay more than the minimum bet and someone is at least a little likely to get one of those hands.

3 – Deploy Your Joker Wisely

The strange thing about Pai Gow Poker is that you’re making two hands. Therefore, you have two potential places to use your joker. The natural tendency will always be to complete a straight or a flush with your joker, but don’t neglect your two-card hand.

Sometimes, it might be worth having a pair of aces or an ace high just so your small hand isn’t terrible.

A lot of that depends on what else you can put into your high hand. Just don’t make a high hand without thinking about the low.

4 – Be Aggressive

Aggressive is the name of the game in Pai Gow and, in this case, aggressive means presenting the highest value in both your high and your two-card hand.

Therefore, you need to win outright. How you do that will vary from hand to hand.

However, don’t get carried away with this tip… meaning don’t fall into the trap when you make a great high hand and a bad two-card hand. Try to find a way to maximize your strength so you can win the game.

5 – Bank Like Crazy

Banking is the part of Pai Gow when you play against other players. Do it. Especially if you’re playing on real money online casinos.

Stacks of Casino Chips, Poker Cards Spread Out on Table

Unless you’re at a table in which banking makes you out to be the villain (in which case, find a new table), bet against other players as much as you can.

This way, you can earn money from them on top of money from the house.

Conclusion

Pai Gow is a fun casino game with just enough skill to make it exciting, but not so much that beginners feel totally lost.

As long as you can play aggressively and make enough side bets to keep some extra money rolling in, it can be a lucrative game as well. Sadly, not every casino offers it, but when you find one that does, play it. You will not regret the experience.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy for Online Casinos

Many of you have played Pai Gow Poker at the best online casinos, but are you playing with a proper strategy? Despite the claim that Pai Gow Poker is a game of luck, there are strategies that you can use to improve your odds of winning.

Today, we will look at the basic strategy for playing your hands in Pai Gow Poker. Note that this strategy is based on you playing your hands as the player. It does not account for live Pai Gow games where you can play as the banker.

Playing Uncordinated Hands

There are going to be many times where you will receive a hand that’s completely uncoordinated. With these hands, you don’t have as much as a pair for either hand. When this happens, you have to play two high card hands and hope that the dealer has a bad low hand.

First, you will take your highest card and add your four lowest cards together. This is your high hand. You’ll take your second and third highest cards to make your low hand. For example, if you have A-K-J-9-7-5-2, you’d play A-9-7-5-2 for high and K-J for low.

One Pair Hands

Another common hand is where you only have a single pair and nothing else in your hand. In this case, the pair will be your high hand. Take your two highest kickers and play them as your low hand. For example, if you have A-Q-10-8-8-6-2, you’d play A-Q for low and 8-8-10-6-2 for high.

One pair hands are scoop capable when you have a medium pair and at least one card of queen or higher in your low hand.

Two Pair Hands

The hands that will be the trickiest to play in Pai Gow Poker are hands with two pair. That’s because you’re often going to split your pair. Splitting pairs is where most people get tripped up in this game.

First, let’s look at the three types of pairs. Low pairs are deuces through sixes. Medium pairs are sevens through tens. High pairs are jacks or better.

Here are the times where you will be splitting two pair, regardless of what your other cards are:

Anytime one of your two pairs is aces.

When you have two high pair.

When you have one medium and one high pair.

In the following scenarios, you will also split two pair provided you do not have an ace in your hand:

One low pair and one high pair.

One Low pair and one medium pair.

Two low pairs.

Two medium pairs.

In all other cases where you have two pair and an ace in your hand, you will play your ace and the second-highest non-pairing card as your low hand and the two pair for high.

Playing Trips in Pai Gow Poker

Playing trips, aka three of a kind, is easy in this game. In most cases, you will play trips for your high hand and your two highest kickers for the low hand. The only exception is when you have trip aces. In this case, you will split the trips and play one ace as part of your low hand.

Flushes and Straights

Hands with a straight or flush are usually going to play themselves. In the majority of cases, you’ll play the straight or flush as the high hand. For the times where you have a seven-card straight or a seven-card flush, you will play the two highest cards as your low hand.

The one exception for playing a flush is when you have a flush along with two pair. When this happens, you’re going to break the flush and split the pair according to the rules for splitting pairs.

Quads

You might be tempted to automatically play quads (four of a kind) as a high hand, but that’s not the case. When you have quad jacks or better, you’re splitting the hand into two pair. The same applies to medium quads, provided that you don’t have an ace in your hand. If you do, you will play the quads. For low quads, you will play them together.

Five Aces

As counterintuitive as it sounds, you’re almost never going to play five aces together. Instead, one ace and the joker will become your low hand and you’ll play trip aces for high.

The exception to this rule is when you have a pair of kings and five aces. Then, you’ll play the kings for low and five aces for high.

This Strategy Helps, But Not By Much

The above strategy is a great strategy to use to help improve your odds at winning in games where the dealer is always the banker. This applies to most Pai Gow Poker games at real money online casinos. However, the edge you gain with this strategy isn’t massive. It only improves your odds by about 0.21%. The general house edge when using this strategy is around 2.5%

Where this strategy helps is in games where the player is the banker. In those games, the house edge is reduced down to less than a half of a percent. However, you will find few online Pai Gow games offering player banking. However, it is still great to know when you play in live Pai Gow Poker games.

James Guill is a veteran of the gambling media industry. James started his career as a semi-professional poker player, traveling the US to play tournament poker. In 2008, he transitioned to the media side. Since that time, James has worked for many established brands, including PokerNews, OnGame, Bwin, CardPlayer Lifestyle, Poker Junkie, and Ivey Poker. He also wrote for PokerNews Australia and once had his work featured on G4’s Attack of the Show.

James has a wealth of gambling knowledge and can write on most topics. He also keeps an eye on the growing Bitcoin gambling market and is a HODLer of BTC and several top altcoins. Check out James’ Game of the Week feature, covering the latest and greatest online slot games. James is also a part-time picker, traveling around Virginia looking for deals to flip.

Real-Money Pai-Gow Poker

by James Carter on February 19th, 2015. Updated on January 2, 2020.

Playing pai-gow poker for real money at Bovada

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 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.

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 odds and payouts

The best Pai Gow casinos for UA players

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The odds of winning at Pai Gow Poker

What are the odds of being able to form any five card poker hand from the seven you're dealt in Pai Gow Poker?

And if you're playing Bonus/Fortune Pai Gow, what chance have you got of picking up a bonus?

The table below shows the probability and odds against forming each hand and (if you're playing Bonus / Fortune Pai Gow) the bonus you'd get if your seven cards contained the hand - regardless how you set the front and back.

If you're unsure about these hands, or just need a quick reference, check out our Poker Hand rankings chart.

Pai Gow Poker odds and probabilities

Hand	Odds	Probability	Bonus
7 card Straight Flush	5,000,000-1	0.00000021	8000 to 1
Royal Flush plus 2 2's	2,000,000-1	0.00000047	2000 to 1
7 card Straight Flush	800,000-1	0.00000127	1000 to 1
Five Aces	140,000-1	0.00000732	400 to 1
Royal flush	6,000-1	0.00016927	150 to 1
Straight flush	750-1	0.00119788	50 to 1
Four of a kind	500-1	0.00199472	25 to 1
Full House	36-1	0.02717299	5 to 1
Flush	25-1	0.04004129	4 to 1
Three of a kind	20-1	0.04977518	3 to 1
Straight	14-1	0.07158417	2 to 1
Two Pair	9-2	0.23065464	n/a
Pair	5-2	0.41663862	n/a
Nothing	13-2	0.15269722	n/a

Latest Pai Gow bonuses 2

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Optimal Pai Gow Poker strategy

We've used the information in the table above to devise our winning strategy for Pai Gow Poker.

Check it out, then play for free on our practice game, which is a great version of Pai Gow Poker, courtesy of Bovada Casino.

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Online Pai Gow Poker guide

Pai Gow is an unusual card game that can best be described as like Blackjack for Poker players - you play against the dealer, but have to form two Poker hands.

Although simple, there is plenty scope for players who want to develop an optimal playing strategy.

To help take you from beginner through to an expert Pai Gow Poker player, we've put together a comprehensive guide, that tells you everything you need to know:

Pai Gow Poker basics

In Pai Gow Poker, you're dealt seven cards which you have to make into two Poker hands - the Front (2 cards) and the Back (5 cards).

The dealer does the same. To win, both your hands must beat the dealers.

Pai Gow Poker strategy

Pai Gow Poker requires an optimal playing strategy, which comes down to understanding three basic elements and combining them to suit your own personal style:

General rules for setting any seven card hand;

The House Way - the way the casino instructs its dealers to set their hands;

The Bonus bet - betting on your hand, regardless of how you set it.

Pai Gow Poker practice game

Practice your new-found Pai Gow strategy skills on this free play game which you can play without downloading, on your mobile, tablet or desktop.

You'll get 1,000 play money credits and as long as you want to practice!

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How to Win While Playing Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is not your typical game of poker as it combines both poker and Chinese dominoes in the way that it is structured. In order to win at this poker variant, a poker player will have to lower the house edge. Many in the poker community believe that it is essential that the player have some mathematical skills and be able to calculate the house edge and win at Pai Gow Poker.

Here are some tips to win at Pai Gow Poker.

Understand The Rules And Betting Patterns –This is a standard tip for any poker game, and even more so with Pai Gow Poker. Players must known how the game works and have knowledge of the basics so that they do not struggle during game play.

Play Bank Whenever You Can – Position is an important factor in a game of Pai Gow Poker, and players must try and use the position of the Bank whenever possible, but need to be very careful at the same time. This is because the Banker is required to cover the best of all the other players at the table; however, the odds for the Banker to win are more favourable than for any other player. Remember that you will have to have a good bankroll to keep this position. You can also try and find a table that lets two players share the banker position to help you with this.

Watch the Ratio Between Banker to Player Bets – When playing as the Banker, a player should try and bet big if he feels he has a good chance of winning with his hand. When the player is not in the Banker position he should avoid placing large bets as he does not hold the advantage. When the ratio between the Banker bets and Player is great, then the odds are better for the Banker.

Be Careful How You Split Your Two Pairs – If you have a 2 pair hand, you will need to break it into two very well thought out hands as this will cut down the house edge in your favour. There are different ways of doing this and players should try out a few strategies in free play to see what suits their style of gaming before venturing on to one that they can use for real money play.

Here is a great video tutorial on how to play Pai Gow Poker

This video has been provided by wizardofodds.com

Focus on 5 Card Hand and 2 Card Hand –Players will need to create a 5 card hand and a 2 card hand to win this game. Most players concentrate on the 5 card hand and forget the 2 card hand or vice versa. A good player will try to balance both hands and keep this strategy in mind while betting. It is advisable to learn all the possible hand rankings before sitting down to a game of Pai Gow Poker.

Do Not Play a Full House As the Upper Hand – Unlike other poker games, Pai Gow Poker is one type of poker variant that does not favour a full house. Players who draw a full house or see the possibility of acquiring such a hand with the cards they have been dealt, should ideally avoid this hand. This is because although it will secure you a good 5 card hand, it will not leave you much room for creating a forward hand.

Use The House Way If You Need Guidance – Pai Gow Poker is not a simple game of poker and requires mathematical planning when you arrange your cards. For those players who suddenly get confused and do not know how to make the best out of their hand when they are confronted by a difficult arrangement, they can opt for the House Way. This is a method of automatically arranging your hand based on a fixed system of how the dealer arranges his own hand. Since this system varies from casino to casino, players should look it up and find out how it works before playing Pai Gow Poker at that particular online poker room or brick and mortar casino.

Play the Top Hand in A Three Pair – If you are lucky enough to secure a hand with a three pair, use the largest pair of that hand in front. This is a standard strategy and all good Pai Gow Poker players use it. However, if a player has three pair hand and nothing else, then he should play it at the back and put high cards in the front.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow poker is a simple table game that offers the player a chance to hit a big hand that can pay as high as 8,000:1 on their bet. Players are dealt seven cards which they then break up into a five-card hand and a two-card hand using Pai Gow poker strategy (more on that below). Both hands are played against the dealer in a head-to-head match, getting 1:1 on their bet if they win each hand.

Free Play - Pai Gow Poker

House Edge

You’re probably wondering how to play Pai Gow poker. First, you’ll need to understand the game’s house edge. The Pai Gow poker house edge when playing house rules against a player who does not bank (acts as a banker for other players to play against) is 2.84 percent. Most of that edge (1.27%) comes from players losing a tie to the bank. The rest comes from the five percent commission that’s paid on winning hands.

When a player decides that they will be the bank in Pai Gow poker, their chances to win will increase. If the casino allows them to bank half of their hands, they will lower the negative expectation from 2.84 percent down to 1.42 percent. If they’re able to bank more hands, that number will continue to decrease.

How to Play Pai Gow Poker

The goal of Pai Gow poker is to beat both the dealer’s hands. Because each player is given a seven-card hand that is split into five-card and two-card hands, the deck used in the game incorporates one joker instead of two like in other forms of poker. The five-card hand’s rank must exceed the rank of the two-card hand. The two-card hand is known as the in front, on top, hair, small, minor or low. The five-card hand is called the behind, bottom, high or big. The hands have the same value as they would in traditional poker. However, there is one exception: Ace-2-3-4-5 is the second-highest straight or straight flush and five aces is the highest hand in the game. In terms of the two-card hand, any pair will beat any two unmatched cards (no other combinations are possible). Unlike other poker games, there is no bluffing in Pai Gow poker.

Here’s how to Play Pai Gow Poker:

Before the cards are dealt, each player puts up their bet.

Seven cards are dealt face down to each player.

Players then rearrange their cards into two hands (one of five cards, one of two cards). The five-card hand must be higher than the two-card hand.

Players place their hands face down and then the dealer’s cards are revealed. The dealer arranges their cards into the same two hands as the players.

Finally, the players’ cards are shown and a comparison is made between each player’s hand and the dealer’s.

Should a player be lucky enough to win both hands, the dealer will pay out the amount the player bet.

If the dealer wins one hand but the player wins another (called a push), no money is paid out.

If the dealer wins both hands, they win the money the player has bet.

When either hand is tied, the victory goes to the dealer. The dealer also wins when both hands are tied.

When one hand is tied but the player wins the other, it’s also considered a push.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Learning proper Pai Gow poker strategy will increase your chances of winning. Proper hand-setting strategy should increase your chances by 0.15 percent. That doesn’t seem like it’s very much, but over a long session it can make a real difference. Gaining any edge you can find, regardless of the size, is what good gaming is all about.

Having a Pai Gow poker strategy can help improve your odds. Casinos will have the house way of sorting cards, but you can improve on those odds if you follow a few easy rules. Playing by these rules will bring the house edge down to 2.69 percent when the dealer is the banker. Most of these rules follow simple logic, so they’re easy to remember.

Optimal Pai Gow Poker Strategy

1. When dealt only one pair, keep it in the five-card hand and move your two highest cards to the two-card hand.

2. When dealt three pairs, put the highest-ranked pair in the two-card hand.

3. When dealt three of a kind, keep it for the five-card hand and place your two highest single cards in the two-card hand.

4. When dealt two three of a kinds, keep the lower-ranked three of a kind in your five-card hand and take a pair from the biggest three of a kind for the two-card hand.

5. When dealt three of a kind and two pairs, put the highest-ranked pair in the two-card hand and leave the smaller-ranked full house for the five-card hand.

6. When you’re dealt a full house, move the pair to the two-card hand and keep the three of a kind for the five-card hand.

7. When dealt four of a kind, only split them if they are 7s or bigger. If it’s four of a kind of 7s, 8s, 9s or 10s, only split them if one of your other cards is an ace or king. Any four of a kind of jacks or higher should be split between the two hands.

8. When you’re dealt a hand that has a straight or flush in it, but has only one or no pairs, keep the straight or flush and put the two highest cards in your hand that are out of the run or flush in your two-card hand.

9. When you’re dealt a hand that has a straight or flush in it that also has two pairs, break up the flush or straight and put the pair in each hand (putting the lowest-ranked pair in the two-card hand).

10. When you’re dealt a hand that has a straight or flush in it as well as three of a kind, put a pair from the three of a kind that doesn’t break up the flush into the two-card hand.

Pai Gow Poker Payouts

Now that you know how to play Pai Gow poker, you’ll need to understand how the payouts work. Bonus payouts are what make this game so exciting to play. The player has an option to make a bonus wager, and if they hit a big hand they will win a bonus. The size of the bonus depends on the size of your bet and the hand that you get.

Pai Gow Bonus Payout Chart

7-Card Straight Flush (no Joker) pays 8,000-1

Royal Flush plus two 2s pays 2,000-1

7-Card Straight Flush with joker pays 1,000-1

Five aces pays 400-1

Royal flush pays 150-1

Straight flush pays 50-1

Four of a kind pays 25-1

Full house pays 5-1

Flush pays 4-1

Three of a kind pays 3-1

Straight pays 2-1

Pai Gow Poker History

In the mid-1980s, an American casino owner named Sam Torosian invented Pai Gow poker. Based on a Chinese dominoes game, Torosian used cards instead of dominoes to create a double-handed version of poker. After getting bad advice from an attorney, our boy Sam did not patent his version of poker. The game became a casino staple and Torosian hasn’t made a dime from it. The moral of this story is that if you invent a cool new version of poker based on a Chinese game of dominoes, patent it and be the millionaire Sam should be.

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How to Play Pai Gow Poker

Playing online casino Pai Gow Poker is easy and fun. The game, which was invented in 1985 by Sam Torosian at the Bell Card Club in Southern California, is popular with those who like card games that are played one-on-one against the dealer. Along with a standard 52-card deck of playing cards, Pai Gow includes one joker, which serves as a wild card.

When you play online casino Pai Gow, the joker may be used in various ways. It may substitute for any ace or be utilized to complete a straight, flush, straight flush or royal flush.

The game includes up to six players and a dealer, who is also the banker. The banker receives a commission of 0.05% on all hands. After placing a bet, players and the dealer receive seven cards. When playing at a Pai Gow online casino, the player makes two hands from the seven cards they receive. One hand, which is known as the “in front,” “low,” “on top,” or “small” hand, consists of two cards, while the other, which is called the “behind,” “bottom,” “high,” or “big,” is comprised of the remaining five.

When compiling their two hands, online casino Pai Gow players must do so in a manner that ensures the behind (five-card) hand is of greater worth than the in front (two-card) hand. Once those playing the hand have arranged their cards, the player's hands are then compared to the dealer's. The two in front hands are compared and a winner is determined, and the two behind hands are also compared with a winner being identified.

Winning at Pai Gow Poker

A player wins at real money online casino Pai Gow Poker when their two hands beat the two hands held by the dealer. Payout odds are 0.95:1, with a commission of 0.05% going to the banker. If the player wins one and the dealer wins the other, then it's a push and bets are returned. In a Pai Gow online casino game, if the dealer wins both hands, then the player loses the bet. Ties are awarded to the dealer.

Hand rankings in online casino Pai Gow games are the same as those for poker with one exception. In some versions of online Pai Gow casino games the A,2,3,4,5 straight beats the 9,10,J,Q,K straight. Once hands are compared and determinations are made concerning whether either the player or dealer won or the round resulted in a push, it's time to shuffle and deal again.

House Edge

Online casino Pai Gow carries a low to moderate house edge of 2.84%. How does that compare to other real money online casino games? Blackjack offers a low edge of 0.26%, the craps pass/come bet is a 1.41%, baccarat is 1.24%, and single zero roulette is 2.70%. If you're interested in playing a low to medium risk card game at a Canadian real money online casino, then Pai Gow online poker is a good bet.

With Pai Gow, as with baccarat, a player may have the opportunity to be the banker. If you can and do take on that role, the house edge for Pai Gow goes down to 1.42%. Remember that the banker wins all ties, plus they receive a 0.05% commission on all wins. To be the banker, you must be able to cover all bets. By the way, online casino Pai Gow Poker does not allow the player to take on the role of banker. This is only done at select land-based casinos.

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Playing Pai Gow at the Best Canada Online Casinos

CA online casino Pai Gow Poker is a fun game where players can increase their chances of winning by carefully setting both of their hands. Before playing for real cash, take some time to learn Pai Gow in free play mode. This will certainly help you increase your chances of winning.

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Pai Gow poker

Online Pai Gow Poker is not the same at Pai Gow. While the former is a Chinese game of dominos available at Asian casinos, the latter is an online casino poker variant played in the West. Some people also call it Double-handed Poker. Although related, the two games stand in a class of their own.

This page is an online Pai Gow Poker guide for beginners. Read on to learn about the main features and rules of the game, how to play it, odds of winning, best Pai Gow Poker strategies, different types of Pai Gow Poker, and so on.

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Online Pai Gow Poker Rules Explained

Pai Gow Poker requires a standard deck of 52 playing cards plus a joker. Six players can play the game at a time along with a dealer. You have to create two hands out of seven cards. You aim to beat the banker, who can be one of the players at the table, the dealer, or a team comprising a player and the dealer.

The following is a guide that shows you how to play Pai Gow Poker online:

At the start of the game, you will receive seven cards.

You have to create two poker hands with your seven cards – a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand.

Place bets on the hands you have just created

Your high hand should be stronger than your low hand.

Once you have created your hands, the dealer reveals the banker's hands.

The game can have one of three outcomes—you win both hands, the dealer wins both hands, you win one hand and the dealer wins one hand.

In case of a tie, the dealer wins the bet.

Card values and combinations in Pai Gow Poker

Online pai gow poker winning combinations

A joker can replace any card in the deck or act as an ace. If a player has a chance to complete one of hands, such as straight, flush, royal flush, or straight flush, they can use the joker to substitute any card. If that’s not the case, joker will act as an ace. All standard poker rules apply, save the Ace-2-3-4-5 sequence which is the second highest straight. Application of this rule varies from casino to casino.

The hands are grouped into High and Low cards. The High Hand is a standard poker hand of 5 cards, whereas the Low Hand has 2 cards. The 2-card hand cannot be higher in rank than the 5-card, as this results in a foul. Because there are seven cards in total, it is up to the player to organize cards and split anyway he likes.

Here is a table that describes the card values and combinations in online Pai Gow Poker:

Online pai gow poker hand combinations

Hand	Description	Payout
Royal Flush	Ace, Queen, King, Joker, Ten of the same suit	2000:1
Straight Flush	Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine of the same suit in sequence	50:1
4 of a Kind	Four cards having the same value	25:1
Full House	Three cards of the same rank plus two cards of the same rank	5:1
Flush	Five cards of the same suit but not in sequence	4:1
Straight	Five consecutive cards from different suits	2:1

Bonus payouts

If you want to have more options to win more money, you need to place a bonus bet. Bonus hand payouts are as follows:

Online pai gow poker - bonus payouts

Hand	Description	Payout
7-card Straight Flush	e.g. 5-6-7-8-9-10-J all hearts	8000:1
Royal Flush and 2-2	e.g. 10-J-Q-K-A hearts plus a pair of twos	2000:1
7-card Straight Flush including Joker	e.g. 5-6-7-8-9-10-J plus Joker	1000:1
Five aces	four aces plus the Joker	400:1

Understanding Pai Gow Poker Main Features

Are you finding online casino games such as Casino Hold'em dull? In that case, you have to play Pai Gow Poker, which you will find at almost every top-rated online casino in the industry.

Playing Pai Gow Poker at online casinos involves the following moves:

Place a Bet

The Deal

Create Your Hands

Showdown

Payouts

Know Your Odds to Win

Are you new to Pai Gow Poker? You don’t have to place real money bets right away. Instead, you can get started playing for free. Later, you can wager real money on the game. Before playing Pai Gow Poker for real money, you have to understand your odds of winning.

If you get lucky, you can win up to 8000 times your bet amount while playing Pai Gow Poker. The game has a house edge of 2.84%, most of which comes from the game resulting in a tie plus the 5% commission you have to pay the house on your winnings. The house edge reduces to 1.42% if you choose to be a banker.

Players have equal odds of receiving a card over the other. There is no strategy to get favourable cards, but knowing how to create strong poker hands from a set of existing cards acts greatly in your favour.

The following are the odds of creating various hands in Pai Gow Poker:

Online pai gow poker odds

HAND	ODDS	PROBABILITY
7 card Straight Flush	5,000,000:1	0.00000021
Royal Flush plus 2 2's	2,000,000:1	0.00000047
7 card Straight Flush	800,000:1	0.00000127
Five Aces	140,000:1	0.00000732
Royal flush	6,000:1	0.00016927
Straight flush	750:1	0.00119788
Four of a kind	500:1	0.00199472
Full House	36:1	0.02717299
Flush	25:1	0.04004129
Three of a kind	20:1	0.04977518
Straight	14:1	0.07158417
Two Pair	9:2	0.23065464
Pair	5:2	0.41663862
Nothing	13:2	0.15269722

Best bonus offers for Pai Gow Poker games

Pai gow poker is the American version of the Chinese Pai gow dominos game. The game is a less intense version than other poker games but it still requires skill and you need to get familiar with the rules if you want to play pai gow poker online. The game is played with a 52 card deck plus a joker and a dealer and up to 6 players can play it at once. This game has quite a low house edge so using a good strategy can increase your payroll. Playing online pai go poker with bonus can take you a long way.

So, let's define, what was the most valuable conclusion of this review: How to have fun playing and winning the game of Pai Gow Poker. Learn simple Pai Gow poker strategies. at Increase Your Chances of Winning with Pai Gow Poker in Canada