Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow (pronounced "pie-gow") Poker is an exciting game of skill, which combines the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow (meaning: "makes nine"), and modern Poker. In Pai Gow Poker the player competes directly against the dealer. The object of the game is for the player to arrange seven dealt cards into two hands ("setting" the cards). The seven cards must be set in such a way so that the player's five-card ("High") hand scores a higher value than the two-card ("Low") hand. The player's High and Low hands must then have a greater value (see Poker Hands Value Chart below) than the dealer's High and Low hands.


Playing the Game
The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, plus a Joker (totaling 53 cards). (The Joker may be used either as an Ace or to complete a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush, only.)

Bets are placed then the players are each dealt seven cards. The players must then set their cards into two separate hands. The first hand, which must consist of 5 cards, is referred to as the "High Hand", as it must have the highest value of the two hands. The second hand, which consists of the remaining two cards, is referred to as the "Low Hand".

In online casinos you can often ask the house to arrange your hands into the best 2 hand combination, alternatively you can arrange them yourself.

The aim of Pai Gow Poker is to beat both of the dealer's hands, according to the standard Poker hand values rules (See Poker hand Rankings). If both hands beat the dealer's hands, the player receives "even money" on their bet (minus a 5% vigorish or house commission). If both of the player's hands lose against the dealer's hands, the dealer takes the player's bet. If only one of the player's two hands win, the round results in a tie or "Push".

NOTE in Pai Gow Poker there is one exception to the ranking of Hands. In Pai Gow A-2-3-4-5 is the second highest straight and would beat K-Q-J-10-9 it would lose to A-K-Q-J-10 however

Pai Gow Poker Resources