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Pai Gow Rules
Pai Gow Poker is a relatively simple game to play
that can be optimized with a strategy that focuses on the arrangement of one's cards
and the ratio of player hands to banker hands. It is a fun
and slow-paced game that results in many tie hands, consequently requiring great
patience and chess-like bearing. Most dedicated Pai Gow Poker players use
what is called the Short Strategy, while the even more serious players use the
Long Strategy, which can only be covered in multiple pages of instruction.
The Short Strategy is quite adequate for most players, however, and safely
covers over 85% of all dealt hands. If after learning the rules below, you
find an attraction to Pai Gow Poker, we recommend you consult a good strategy
resource.
As for the rules of Pai Gow, all games begin with
each player making a wager (usually a $10 minimum in Vegas casinos).
After doing so, the dealer will commence to deal every player seven cards
total. All seats are dealt a hand even if there is no player in the seat,
which is because the Bank must rotate from player to player (including the
dealer) every seventh hand. (The casino knows that being the Bank has its
advantages, and so keeps a players chances of being the Bank to a minimum). All players will then separate their cards into a five-card hand and a
two-card hand. When the arranging of cards is completed, the Banker's cards are
arranged according to a standard called the House Way. Although this may vary
from casino to casino, online casinos generally follow a universal House Way
that is fair.
After all cards are dealt, players will then arrange
their hands into two hands - a five card and a two card. The objective is
to get two poker hands out of all seven cards. Keep in mind, however, that
the five card hand must always be better than the two-card hand. If not,
the bet is forfeited to the casino. After all hands have been set, all
cards are turned over - the two-card hand above the five-card hand. The
dealer will then reveal their two-card and five-card hands, which are compared
to the players according to standard poker hand rankings. In order for the
player to win money (with a 5% commission paid to the casino), both the two-card
hand and five-card hand must beat the banker
hands. If only one of the hands wins, the game is considered a tie, or push.
If both hands lose or tie, the player loses and the tie goes to the banker.
All tie hands are won by the banker, which is precisely why it is advantageous
to be the Banker.
Keep in mind that when acting as the Banker, your
bankroll must be able to cover all the bets on the table (You are essentially
acting as the casino). If you win as the Banker, you have essentially beat
all the other players at the table and are paid out even money, minus a 5%
commission of your net aggregate winnings. If other players at the table
decline on being the Banker, many casinos will let the willing players be Banker
up to every other hand.
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