Online Pai Gow Poker Guide with Basics, Rules, Odds & Strategy

But Pai Gow shares its name with the worst hand that can be made! A Pai Gow is when you don’t have any pairs, straights, or flushes. Pai Gow poker first hit casino floors back in the 1980s and became a pioneer for all of the poker-based table games that we see today. The game has managed to remain a favorite of gamblers, especially at online poker sites. Next in understanding the Pai Gow poker rules comes betting — each table has their own minimums and maximums.

• When a Player makes the Progressive Wager they are betting that of the seven cards they receive, they will be able to create a qualifying five-card poker rank hand.
• Some tables also have a minimum for an ‘envy’ bet that pays out if another player at the table hits four-of-a-kind or better.
• Winning both means a win, splitting one each is a push, and losing both is a loss.
• There are even free versions of Pai Gai Poker available, so you can practice without spending any money.

Where to Play Pai Gow Poker Online for Free

The Progressive Wager wins an odds payoff based on the rank of the five-card poker hand regardless of how the Player sets their seven cards. A Player may opt to split a straight flush, five Aces, or a full house etc., but will still be paid for the Progressive Wager. Online Pai Gow Poker offers a unique experience blending strategy and luck. Its slower pace, frequent pushes, and low house edge make it appealing to both new and experienced gamblers.

The Casino-info.com site has a page of Pai Gow Poker rules and strategy. An Ace, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is the highest ranking Straight Flush in Pai Gow Poker. A King, Queen, Jack, 10 and 9 is the second highest ranking Straight Flush, and 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 is the lowest ranking Straight Flush. But you have to be careful, as there are very specific rules surrounding the Pai Gow joker. (Two) Three of a Kind – Play pair of the highest Three of a Kind for the low hand.

If you want to know only how Face Up Pai Gow poker differs from conventional pai gow poker, then you can skip over the rules. Play the Ace and the next highest card if the low hand is improved over playing the straight, flush, or straight flush. After you’ve set your hand, place the two-card hand in front of the five-card hand on the table. The players place their two hands face down, and when all are ready, the dealer’s seven cards are exposed. The other players may not touch their cards from this point on.

Having to use the Pai Gow joker as an ace feels like a waste of the most powerful card in the deck. The exception is if you are using it to make three-of-a-kind or better. Otherwise, you should try to use this versatile card to make a bonus hand. Other table games, like blackjack, are named after the best hand in the game.

The difference between following the house way and the theoretical optimal strategy, which I’m quite sure nobody knows, is 0.21%. If you’re ever confused about how to set your hand, ask the dealer. Most casinos allow them to help you, and they will be happy to do it. Each seat is numbered one to seven beginning with whoever the banker is. A number is randomly chosen to decide who gets dealt cards first, and the dealer hands out the cards in a counter-clockwise direction. There are two known pay table for the Push Ace High bet, as follows.

The rush comes from winning money against the casino. The bet considers the best hand possible among the player’s seven cards. A player may play more than one Pai Gow spot at a time. When playing two hands he or she is allowed to set both hands prior to the dealer setting their hand.

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Casinos typically offer players the opportunity to act as the banker, which is a better mathematical proposition, even though you absorb greater financial risk. Still, the overall odds remain unfavorable due to the game’s inherent house edge. Traditional Pai Gow Poker – Players are dealt 7 cards and make a two-card low set and five-card high set. To win the primary bet, the Player’s two sets must be of higher ranking than the two corresponding sets belonging to the Banker. If both of the Player’s sets are lower than that of the Banker, the Player loses his or her primary bet.

Pai Gow Poker Free has information on Pai Gow Poker rules, strategy and odds and a selection of places where you carn play online for fun. Play three of a kind on your five-card hand unless they’re triple aces, in which case play the high ace in the two-card hand and the other two in the five-card hand. This is what makes Pai Gow Poker slower than other games of chance. There are frequent rounds (up to 40% of rounds) in which no one wins and playing time is simply extended.

Pai Gow Poker Guide: Rules & Strategy for Beginners

These seven cards are used to form two separate hands, hence why Pai Gow poker is also alternatively known as ‘Double Hand Poker’. One hand is designated as the ‘high hand’ and the other as the ‘low hand’. As you can see, Pai Gow is a fun game to play against ‘the House’ — you aren’t trying to take money away from other players!

Then, use your cards to make a 5-card hand and ballybet usa a 2-card hand. Like in regular poker, you’re aiming for a Royal flush, straight flush, or other strong hand. On this page, we’ll explain exactly how the rules work in Pai Gow. You’ll discover that the rules, while different than those for other popular casino games, are easy to learn quickly.

After all Players’ hands are set, the Dealer will expose the Banker’s hand. The Dealer will set the Bank hand according to the “House Way.” The Banker’s hand is then compared to each Player’s hand and wagers decided. In the absence of i-verify, the Dealer will shake a dice cup containing three dice to determine which Player will receive the first hand.

Granted some skill is necessary in setting one’s hand to provide the best chance of beating the dealer. Players are oftentimes faced with hands that can be set multiple ways which can have very different outcomes. The dealer deals seven hands of seven cards, discarding the remaining four cards. The dealer rolls three dice then counts the players at the table, starting with themselves and moving clockwise, up to the number rolled by the dice. The player who the dealer ends on gets the first hand dealt, and other hands are received counter-clockwise.

Pai Gow Poker is played with a 53-card deck (a standard 52-card deck plus one Joker). The Joker acts as an ace unless it can complete a straight or flush. Despite being a casino game, Pai Gow Poker fosters a team-like atmosphere. All players are aiming to beat the dealer, and many hands end in a push, allowing for longer and more enjoyable play sessions. The following table shows the probability of forming any specified poker hand.