How to Play Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is based on the Chinese Dominoes game called Pai Gow. The poker version was created by Americans and is played with cards that have poker hand values instead of Chinese dominoes. The game of Pai Gow Poker is played with one deck of cards and one joker card. Six players can play the game plus the dealer. The players are trying to beat the banker. The banker will be one of the players at the table or the dealer.

Objective of Pai Gow Poker
The objective to Pai Gow Poker is for players to get two poker hands out of the seven card hand the players are dealt. Players are trying to create a five card hand and a two card poker hand. The five card hand value must be larger than a two card hand’s value. A five card hand is called ‘behind’ or ‘bottom’ or ‘high’ or ‘big’. The two card hand is referred to as the ‘in front’ or ‘on top’ or ‘hair’ or ‘small’.

How to Play Pai Gow Poker
The dealer will shuffle the cards and then deal seven face down piles of seven cards in each pile. Four cards will be used no matter how many players are competing in the game. Starting with the banker of the hand, betting positions will be assigned from 1 to 7. The betting positions will go counter clockwise from the dealer and a number from 1 to 7 will be randomly picked.

Players will place their bets and then the banker will shake a cup of dice to determine who will get the first hand. The dealer will then deal the cards and the players will look at their cards and set them into a two card and five card hand. The two card hand is placed in front and the five card hand is set behind it.

A player who has two hands that will beat the banker’s two hand will win the game. If only one hand beats the bankers hand then it is a push and no one wins the game. If the player or the banker has the same hand then it is considered a tie and the banker will win. If the banker has two hands that beat the player’s two hands then the banker wins.

Setting your Hands
Players should be aware there is a certain way your hands must be set at the table. The five card hand must be larger than the two card hand. If a player has a higher hand on their two card hand and they place it on the table then the player has made a foul and they will lose automatically. If the dealer is acting as the banker then the hands must be set according to specific rules. This is called the House Way. Players can ask the dealer to set their cards the house way.

Hand Rankings in Pai Gow Poker
When it comes to two card hands players can have one pair or high cards.

Five card hands are based on standard poker hand rankings with only one difference. In certain casino an hand of Ace-2-3-4-5 will rank higher than a king-high straight. But the hand will rank below a Ace-K-Q-J-10. The rule varies according to casinos so you want to check where you play.

The Joker card can be used to complete a flush or straight and if it cannot be used in this way it will be used as an ace.

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