Master the Art of Pai Gow Poker: How to Play

Understand the Strategies for Pai Gow Poker - Guide for Beginners and Experts: Learn how the PROS play Pai Gow Poker and the strategies behind the game. We brought together an in depth perspective of Pai Gow Poker to share with you on how to play, hands to be aware about in the game, and the best ways possible to have an advantage over the house. by Melissa S. at Gambling Guru

Shortcuts to Various Sections Covered:

 

1. What is Pai Gow Poker Exactly	4. Player Ties with the Dealer on Both Hands	7. Things to Know About Two Pairs
2. How are Jokers/Wild Cards Used in the Game	5. Highest to Lowest Winning Hand Combinations	8. When to Split Two Pairs
3. What Happens if the Dealer Wins One of the Hands & the Player Wins the Other	6. The Strategy for Splitting Up Hands	9. When Not to Split Two Pairs

1. What is Pai Gow Poker Exactly?

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Pai Gow Poker is a combination of the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow (Chinese domino-based game) and the western card game of poker. The game is played with 52-card decks along with a joker, or wild card. The objective is to make two poker hands that beat the dealer’s hands with 7 dealt cards. These two hands require a five-card hand called a “High Hand/ Back Hand” and a two-card hand called a “Low Hand/ Front Hand”. When making the hands, the High Hand must have a higher value than the Low Hand to qualify in the game or will the game will result in a loss. The outcome of the game will be determined by comparing the player’s High Hand (5 cards) with the Dealer’s High Hand (5 cards) and the player’s Low Hand (2 cards) with the Dealer’s Low Hand (2 cards)

Example of Pai Gow Poker Layout

2. How are Jokers/Wild Cards Used in the Game - Jokers/Wild cards are used only as an Ace, or to complete three hand combinations for a straight, flush, or straight flush.
3. What Happens if the Dealer Wins One of the Hands and the Player Wins the Other Hand- Out of the two hands being made, if the dealer wins one of the hands and the player wins the other hand, the game will result in a push and no money changes hands.
4. Player Ties on Both Hands with the Dealer ­ Unfortunately in the game of Pai Gow Poker, the dealer will result in the win instead of a push whenever the High Hand and Low Hand result in the same value.
5. Highest to Lowest Winning Hand Combinations:
   

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   5 Aces (Five aces and a joker/wild card) Royal Flush (A,K,Q,J,10 of all the same suit) Straight Flush (Five cards of the same suit in sequence) Four of a Kind (Four cards of the same rank) Full House (Five cards of the same suit) Flush (Five cards of the same suit) Straight (1st highest straight: ACE-King-Queen-Jack-10, 2nd Highest Straight: ACE-2-3-4-5) Three of a Kind (Three cards of the same rank) Two Pair (two cards  of one rank, plus two of another) One Pair (Two cards of the same rank) Ace King Queen Jack

   
   
6. The Strategy for Splitting Up Hands
   

   Hand Before Split	Hand Before Split: High Hand (5 Cards)	Hand Before Split: Low Hand (2 Cards)
   No Pairs	Highest Card	Second & Third Highest Cards
   1 Pair	Pair	Two Highest Cards
   2 Pairs (strategy varies)	1. High Pair is Jack to Ace: Split, Use Highest Pair 2. High Pair is 7’s to 10’s: Split, unless acquiring an Ace 3. High Pair is 2’s to 6’s: Split, unless acquiring a King	1. Use Lowest Pair 2. No Ace: Use Lowest Pair With Ace: Use in Low Hand 3. No King: Use Lowest Pair With King: Use in Low Hand
   3 Pairs	Second and Third Highest Pairs	Highest Pair
   3 of a Kind (strategy varies)	1. Two to King:  Use 3 of a Kind with Second Highest Pair if Available 2. 3 Aces: Split the Ace’s using a pair of Aces in the High Hand 3. 3 of a Kind Twice: Lower of 3 of a kind	1. Highest Pair 2. Use Ace with the next highest card 3. Use Highest Pair
   Straight, Flush,  or Royal Flush (strategy varies)	1. Straight, Flush, or Royal Flush with No Pair/Pair: Use Straight, Flush, or Royal Flush in High Hand 2. Straight, Flush, or Royal Flush with Two Pairs: Use Rule Applied Two Pairs Rule 3. 6 cards making Straight/Flush:Use the lowest of the Straight/Flush in High Hand 4. Straight & Flush: Use the combination that will result in the Low Hand having the two Highest Cards	1. Two Highest Cards/ Pair 2. Use Rule Applied to Two Pairs Rule 3. Use the Two Highest Card 4. Use the combination that will result in the Low Hand having the two Highest Cards
   Full House (strategy varies)	1. 3 of a Kind with Two Pairs: Split, Use 3 of a kind and second Highest Pair 2. 3 of a Kind with Pair of 2’s and Ace/King: Keep 3 of a kind with Pair of 2’s together	1. Highest Pair 2. Use Ace/King with Next Highest Card
   Four of a kind (strategy varies)	1. With a Pair: Keep Four of a Kind in High Hand 2. With Three of a Kind: Split four of a kind. Use the 3 cards and Pair to make a Full House 3. Two to Six: Keep Together 4. Seven to Ten: Split, unless Ace or Pair can be played in Low Hand. 5. Jack to King: Split unless acquiring a pair of 10’s/Higher 6. Aces: Split, unless acquiring a pair of 7’s/Higher 7. Five Aces: Split, unless acquiring a pair of Kings	1. Pair is Used in Low Hand 2. Split of Four of a Kind: Use in Low Hand 3. Two Highest Card 4. No Ace or Pair: Split With a Ace/Pair: Use in Low Hand 5. No Pair of 10’s/Higher:Split With a Pair of 10’s/Higher: Use in Low Hand 6. No Pair of 7’s/Higher: Split With a Pair of 7’s/Higher: Use in Low Hand 7. No Kings: Split With Kings: Use in Low Hand
   Five Aces (strategy varies)	1. With No Pair of Kings: Split having three Aces in High Hand 2. With Pair of Kings: Keep Aces together in High Hand	1. Pair of Aces 2. Pair of Kings

7. Things to Know to About Two Pairs - When using pairs in splits, players should categorize pairs into Low Pairs ( 2-6), Middle Pairs (7-10), and High Pairs (Jacks through Aces). To determine your cards rank sum, take the value of one card in a pair and add with the card value of one card of the other pair. For example, if the player has a pair of 4’s and 7’s their rank value sum would be 11.

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8. When to Split Two PairsThe best time to split two pairs is with the following hands:
   

   • Pair of Aces with a Pair
   • Two High Pairs with no Ace
   • One High Pair and one Middle Pair with no Ace
   • Two Middle Pairs with no King or ace
   • One Low Pair and One High Pair with no King or Ace.

   During splits, the best strategy for players to use is to place their better pair (for example a pair of Aces) within their High Hand, and the other pair within the Low Hand.
   
   

   

   Example of When to Split Two Pairs
9. When Not to Split Two PairsThe best time not to split two pairs is when:
   

   • The player’s rank sum adds to less than ten and is holding an Ace or a King.
   • The player’s rank sum adds to less than sixteen and is holding an Ace.

   When the player acquires these cards, the Ace or King card should be always placed within the Low Hand and the two pairs within the High Hand.

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Best Tips to Remember About Pai Gow Poker:

1. Highest to Lowest Winning Hand Combination
2. The Strategy for Splitting Up Hands
3. Things to Know About Two Pairs
4. When to Split Two Pairs
5. When Not to Split Two Pairs

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