How to Play Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is an intriging combination of the Chinese game of Pai Gow and Poker. Pai Gow Poker is played with one deck of cards, including one joker. The joker is a wild card, and can only be used to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush, otherwise it is counted as an ace.

The player and dealer first place bets, then are dealt seven cards. You must split your seven cards into one 5-card hand (the "back" hand) and one 2-card hand (the "front" hand). The back hand must outrank the front hand. The hope is that both your hands will beat the dealer's hands.

The trick is, the dealer doesn't reveal his hands and split them until after the player(s)s have.

If you beat one of the dealer's hands, and one of his beats yours, then it is a push and no money will be won or lost.

If either of your hands ties in rank with either of the dealers hands, the dealer wins the tie.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

    If you are holding: No Pairs

• Put the highest ranking card in your back hand, and the 2nd and 3rd highest ranking cards in front.

    If you are holding: One Pair:

• Put the pair in your back hand, and the highest ranking cards in your front hand.

    If you are holding: Two Pair:

• If highest value pair is Jack - Ace, put it in your back hand, and the smaller value pair in your front hand.
• If highest value pair is 7's - 10's, put both pairs in your back - but only if you have an Ace to put in the front hand, otherwise split them.
• If highest value pair is 2's - 6's, put both pairs in your back hand if you can put King or Ace in front; otherwise split them.

    If you are holding: Three Pairs

• Put the highest value pair in your front hand.

    If you are holding: Three of a kind

• If you have three Aces: Split the aces - put one ace, along with your next highest card, in your front hand.
• If you have three kings or lower, then put the three of a kind in your back hand, and the two highest cards in your front hand.

    If you are holding: Two Sets

• Put the pair from highest set in your front hand.

    If you are holding: a Straight, flush or straight flush

• With no pair - put your two highest cards in your front hand that will leave a complete hand in your back.
• With one or two pair - put the two highest cards possible (pair or not) in the front hand that will leave a complete hand in back.
• With three of a kind - put a pair in the front hand, leave a complete hand in back.

    If you are holding: a Boat (Full House)

• Put a pair in the front.

    If you are holding: Four of a kind

• Always split Jacks thru Aces
• 7's thru 10's - If you can put an Ace or King in the front, keep the four of a kind in the back hand. Otherwise always split.
• Never split 6's or below.

    If you are holding: Four of a kind with a pair or three of a kind

• With a pair - Four of a kind in back, pair in front
• With three of a kind - Highest pair in front, full house in back.

    If you are holding: Five Aces (four of a kind and a joker)

• Place a pair of aces in the front hand.

Article Courtesy of Casino Geek's Casino Games