The high hand must always be better than the low hand. The banker is often the dealer but it can also be a player or at some venues a player/dealer team.Įach player will then separate their hole cards into a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand. In other words, you can master the best approach to the game simply by learning the rules.Ī Pai Gow Poker hand begins after bets are placed when the dealer deals all of the players in a hand and the banker seven cards face down.

The game is easier to master than most forms of poker as there is no bluffing involved as betting only takes place before any cards are dealt. Pai Gow Poker utilizes a 53-card deck which features the standard 52 cards used in most poker games along with one joker. The good news is that the rules of Pai Gow Poker are easy to learn with a little practice and anyone – including you – can learn the optimal Pai Gow Poker strategy in no time flat. If you are planning to play Pai Gow for the first time, starting from the basic rules of the game is key. In addition, the Pai Gow Odds vary by venue but are typically among the lowest among casino table games. Pai Gow Poker is a bit different in that it is a casino game that you are playing against the dealer or on occasion, can even choose to be the dealer yourself.ĭespite being a casino game, it can be every bit as much as social as other forms of poker and is considered to be one of the lowest risk casino games thanks to the slow pace of play and many hands ending in a tie or push. Most poker games pit player against player with the dealer not involved with the hand other than dealing cards and enforcing the rules. Pai Gow roughly translates to “Make Nine” in Chinese as this represented the maximum score in the game outside some special circumstances. 'Pai Gow roughly translates to 'Make Nine' in Chinese'īut, the game does have deep historical roots as it was taken from the domino-based Pai Gow Tiles (also known as simply Pai Gow) that has been played in China for more than a millennium. Pai Gow Poker may not have the long and storied tradition of popular casino table games blackjack or roulette or of the most popular poker variant in Texas hold’em as it was invented by casino owner Sam Torosian in 1985. By the time you have completed this beginner’s guide to Pai Gow Poker, you will know: You are already ahead of the curve if you know the rules of Texas Hold’em, especially the hand rankings.īut don’t let the amount of previous poker knowledge stress you out.

If you want to enjoy playing Pai Gow Poker online or live at a casino, then it is important to learn the basic rules and hands. Pai Gow Poker is one of the most fun casino games but it can be tricky to learn when first starting out.

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