Pai Gow Joker
- The Fortune Pai Gow Poker table itself features a silhouette of a dragon printed on the green baize, a nod to the game’s Asian roots. There are low and high sections for both you and the house, as well as the dealer’s shoe and stacks of casino chips.
- Jan 21, 2021 Created by an American casino owner (Sam Torosian) in the mid-1980s (without patenting it, unfortunately), Pai Gow has taken hold as a casino staple and is still going strong 30 years later. In simple terms your goal is to make two poker hands – one 5-card hand and one 2-card hand.
Pai Gow Poker is one of the most fun casino games but it can be tricky to learn when first starting 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.
The name 'pai gow' is sometimes used to refer to a card game called pai gow poker (or “double-hand poker”), which is loosely based on pai gow.
You are already ahead of the curve if you know the rules of Texas Hold’em, especially the hand rankings.
But don’t let the amount of previous poker knowledge stress you out. By the time you have completed this beginner’s guide to Pai Gow Poker, you will know:
- What is Pai Gow Poker
- Pai Gow Poker rules
- Pai Gow Poker hands
- Pai Gow Poker strategy
- How to Play Pai Gow Poker for Free
1. What is Pai Gow Poker?
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.
Free Pai Gow Poker
'Pai Gow roughly translates to 'Make Nine' in Chinese'
But, 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 roughly translates to “Make Nine” in Chinese as this represented the maximum score in the game outside some special circumstances.
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 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.
Despite 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.
In addition, the Pai Gow Odds vary by venue but are typically among the lowest among casino table games.
If you are planning to play Pai Gow for the first time, starting from the basic rules of the game is key.
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.
2. Pai Gow Poker Rules
So how do you play Pai Gow Poker?
Pai Gow Poker utilizes a 53-card deck which features the standard 52 cards used in most poker games along with one joker.
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. In other words, you can master the best approach to the game simply by learning the rules.
So, let’s dive straight in…
A 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 banker is often the dealer but it can also be a player or at some venues a player/dealer team.
Each player will then separate their hole cards into a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand. The high hand must always be better than the low hand.
The banker places their hand into a high and low hand as well via house rules which can differ between venue and online. Players can also ask the house for advice on how to set their hand the house way if they so choose at most if not all casinos.
A player can then win, lose, or push (tie) a hand based on the following scenarios:
- The player wins their bet when both of the player’s hands are better than both of the banker’s hands. The amount won is the amount of a bet less a commission (usually 5%).
- The player pushes (ties) and has their bet refunded when only one of the player’s hands beats one of the banker’s hand. This applies whether the banker has won or tied a hand while losing the other hand.
- The player loses their bet when the player loses or ties both hands against the banker.
Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings
Pai Gow Poker utilizes the same hand rankings as most poker games including Texas hold’em. One big difference between Pai Gow and other forms of poker is the joker in the deck.
In Pai Gow Poker, the joker is treated as an ace unless it can be used to complete a flush or straight.
The hand rankings are identical to that of Texas hold’em except for the two following rules.
- Five aces, which can be achieved with the joker, beats a royal flush and is the best hand in Pai Gow Poker.
- A wheel straight, e.g. , is the second best straight at most casinos, only behind a broadway straight, e.g. .
Here is a look at all of the Pai Gow Poker hand rankings. Please take note that in the two-card low hand the best hand that can be achieved is one pair.
Also in the case both the player and the banker have the same hand, the rank of that hand would be used to potentially break a tie. For example, if a player’s straight would be stronger than the dealer’s and a player’s one pair would be better than a dealer’s one pair.
- Five Aces – five aces including the joker
- Royal Flush — five cards of the same suit, ranked ace through ten; e.g.,
- Straight Flush — five cards of the same suit and consecutively ranked; e.g.,
- Four of a Kind — four cards of the same rank; e.g.,
- Full House — three cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank; e.g.,
- Flush — any five cards of the same suit; e.g.,
- Straight — any five cards consecutively ranked; e.g.,
- Three of a Kind — three cards of the same rank; e.g.,
- Two Pair — two cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank; e.g.,
- One Pair — two cards of the same rank; e.g.,
- High Card — five unmatched cards; e.g., would be called 'ace-high'
Pai Gow Poker Side Bets
Both online and live casinos often offer special Pai Gow Poker side bets.
These bets can often be lucrative in the short run, especially those with progressive jackpots, but in general should be avoided as they boast a higher house edge than the base game.
Face Up Pai Gow Poker
The Fortune Pai Gow Poker side bet is one of the most popular you will see. This side bet looks at all seven of the player’s cards regardless of how it was eventually set.
A natural seven-card straight flush without a wildcard can pay big with this side bet, especially if a progressive jackpot is involved instead of fixed odds. The pay tables can vary but very often players can win with trips or better while other payout structures begin with a full house.
Other side bets include Dealer Bonus, Jackpot, Emperor’s Challenge, Progressive, Insurance, Lucky 8’s, and many more.
As these side bets vary from casino to casino, it is best to ask the dealer, who is usually more than happy to explain, how all the side bets work if interesting in an extra gamble before sitting down to play in a live casino. Likewise, you can read up about all the rules of any side bets your favorite online casino might feature in its Pai Gow offering.
Pai Gow Strategy
Setting a Pai Gow Poker hand can be tricky, although most of the time it is straight forward.
For example, being dealt a hand plays itself out with a straight going on the bottom high hand and the pair of deuces going on top for the low hand.
But what if you are dealt a hand like . Your best two options to choose from are as follows:
- Strongest possible hand up top - = high hand for a straight; for low hand.
- Very strong low hand – = high hand for a pair of nines; for low hand.
The first hand would almost guarantee a push but it might not be the best option even if it is at first the most intuitive.
The second hand presents better options as the pair of eights for the low hand is almost very strong while giving the player a chance for a win with the pair of nine for the high hand often being a winning hand.
How to Play Pai Gow Poker Online
Pai Gow Poker Guide
We’re giving you the lowdown on Pai Gow Poker, hands-down one of the most popular real money table games and Ignition Casino. Played all around the world, this is a game of skill and guts, which is why it’s perfect for Ignition’s players.
What Is Pai Gow Poker?
Pai Gow is actually an ancient Chinese game of dominos – 32 to be exact – which later got appropriated for poker. It’s no cake walk either, but that doesn’t mean the poker version is difficult. Actually, it’s pretty easy. You just have to learn the fundamentals.
Thanks to Sam Torosian, owner of the California Bell Club cardroom, we now have a simplified version of pai gow uses playing cards instead of dominoes.
How to Play Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker uses the standard 52-card deck, plus a Joker. It’s you against The Dealer; after you place your bet, you each receive seven cards – yours are face-up, the Dealer’s are face-down. Your task is to split your seven cards into two hands, one with five cards and the other with two cards. Your five-card hand must rank higher than your two-card hand.
Once you’ve decided how to split your cards, the Dealer’s cards are flipped over and arranged, then the hands are compared. If both your hands are better, you win even money minus a 5% commission. If both the Dealer’s hands are better, you lose the wager. If one is higher and one is lower, the hand is a push and your bet is returned. Any tied hands go to the Dealer.
As with all table games at the casino, Pai Gow Poker comes with a house edge attached. That edge depends primarily on two things: Your skill at the game, and the method the Dealer uses to complete their two hands. This method is known as the “house way,” and you’ll need to tailor your Pai Gow Poker strategy accordingly. If you’re playing at a live casino, the house edge is also affected by whether you are the Banker or not. But as a rough guide, you can expect the house to have an edge of between 2.5% and 2.7% when you use at least a simplified strategy playing online.
Pai Gow Poker Rules
While it’s always nice to find a big made hand in your seven Pai Gow Poker cards, you’ll be dealt a Pair or worse a shade more than half the time. Here are the chances of getting dealt each possible rank:
Five Aces 0.000732%
Straight or Royal Flush 0.137%
Four of a Kind 0.199%
Full House 2.72%
Flush 4.00%
Straight 7.29%
Three of a Kind 4.85%
Two Pair 23.1%
One Pair 41.7%
High Card 16.1%
The Rules
Them’s the rules: the standard hand rankings for poker apply, except for one twist. The second-best Straight you can make in Pai Gow Poker is the wheel (Five-Four-Three-Deuce-Ace), which is the lowest Straight possible in regular poker. Your two-card hand is either a Pair or High Card. And the Joker in this game is a “semi-wild” card that can be used to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush or royal Flush; otherwise, the Joker is considered an Ace.
There are more rules to learn if you want to play Pai Gow Poker live. This is a banking game, meaning the player has the option of betting against other players, or even the Dealer. Players will take turns around the table acting as the Banker, although in most cases, they’ll decline the option and the turn will get passed around the table until it lands with the Dealer. You won’t have to worry about any of this at Ignition Casino – there are no other players at the table, and you’re always betting on yourself.
Optimal Strategy
Deciding how to split your seven cards is where Pai Gow Poker strategy comes in. Like Blackjack, this game has been “solved” by computers, and if you play an optimal strategy, you can narrow the house edge down as low as possible. However, the optimal strategy for Pai Gow Poker is more difficult to learn than it is for blackjack. A simpler, near-optimal strategy that’s easier to remember will get you most of the way there.
Whether you’re working with a simplified or an advanced Pai Gow Poker strategy, you’ll be separating your hands into 20 categories, depending on the seven cards you’ve been dealt. These categories are then listed in order of hand strength; you’ll choose the highest rank that applies to your cards, and follow the recommended instructions. It’s the same approach that you’d use to play Video Poker as optimally as possible.
The 20 categories for your Pai Gow Poker strategy are further divided into two sections: One, cards which complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush or royal Flush; and two, those which do not. The first section is relatively easy to handle, since you already have a made five-card hand at your disposal – remember, your five-card (high) hand has to be stronger than your two-card (low) hand. Here’s a simplified Pai Gow Poker strategy for this section.
1. Four of a Kind: Play the highest Pair possible in your low hand while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
2. Three of a Kind and a Pair: If you have a Pair of Sevens or better, put them in your low hand if you can maintain your Straight/Flush. If not, settle for putting Three of a Kind in your high hand.
3. Three of a Kind: Play your best kickers for the low hand while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
4. Three Pair: Play the highest of your Pairs in your low hand while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
5. Two Pair: This one’s a little tricky. Depending on the strength of each Pair, and what kickers are left over, you might want to put your better Pair in your low hand. Definitely do this if the face value of the two Pairs adds up to at least 17; for example, Kings and Fours (13+4) or Nines and Eights (9+8). Splitting your Pairs is less advised as their face value drops.
Pai Gow Poker Quiz
6. One Pair: Play the best low hand you can while maintaining your Straight/Flush – unless you have Queens through Nines, in which case play Ace-King in your low hand if possible.
7. No Pair: Play the best low hand you can while maintaining your Straight/Flush.
Working with cards that cannot make a Straight/Flush in Pai Gow Poker requires a few extra steps, because now you might have cards that fall into additional categories. Here’s what to do with your seven cards in these situations:
8. Five of a Kind and a Pair: Put two Aces in the low hand, and leave a Full House in the high hand.
9. Five of a Kind: Put two Aces in the low hand and leave a Set of Aces in the high hand.
10. Four of a Kind and Three of a Kind: If your Quads are at least two ranks higher than your set, split your Quads and put two of those cards in your low hand, leaving a Full House in your high hand. Otherwise, split your set.
Pai Gow Poker Cards
11. Four of a Kind and a Pair: Put the Pair in your low hand.
12. Four of a Kind: This category requires a little more savvy. If you have Queens or better, split them up and put a Pair in your low hand. If you have Fours or worse, keep your Quads together in your high hand. Everything in between will depend on the strength of the kicker you can put in your low hand.
13. Three of a Kind and Three of a Kind: Split your higher-ranking set and put two of those cards in your low hand.
14. Three of a Kind and Two Pair: Put the higher Pair in your low hand.
15. Three of a Kind and One Pair: Put the Pair in your low hand.
16. Three of a Kind: Put the two highest kickers in your low hand, unless you have three Aces, in which case use an Ace and your highest kicker.
17. Three Pair: Put the highest Pair in your low hand.
18. Two Pair: Follow the same strategy as when you have seven cards that can make a Straight/Flush.
19. One Pair: Put your best two kickers in your low hand.
20. No Pair: Put your second- and third-best kickers in your low hand.
Even as a simplified strategy, this is quite a lot to absorb for newer Pai Gow Poker newbies. But most of these steps are pretty intuitive, and most of the time, you’ll be dealt seven cards that fall into one of these easier categories. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at following the strategy; then, if you choose, you can start on a more complex strategy by adding in some of the exceptions to these rules. For example, if you have seven cards that make a Straight/Flush and include both Three of a Kind and One Pair, and you have three Sevens and two Aces, you’ll only put the Aces in your low hand if your two kickers are Six-Five or worse.