The online casino Pai Gow Poker game is played with a regular deck of 52 cards plus one joker which can be used only as an ace, or to fill out a straight, flush or a straight flush. The goal is simple. Each player receives seven cards and the players then arrange their cards into two hands using traditional poker rankings. The highest two-card hand would be a pair of aces. The highest five-card hand would be five aces.
Pai Gow Poker Articles
In Online Pai Gow Poker, the only decisions are how much to bet and how to set your hand. The strategy in Pai Gow Poker for setting your hand is to make the highest 2- card hand that is less than your five card hand. The only difficult decision to online casino players in Pai Gow Poker comes when you are deciding whether or not to split pairs since pairs usually win the 2-card hands, and two-pair wins the 5- card hands.
Pai Gow Poker Hands
In Online Casino Pai Gow Poker hands are basically ranked the same as standard poker hands. The one exception in Pai Gow Poker is that A-2-3-4-5 is the second highest straight hand, making 6-5-4-3-2 the lowest possible straight. The following chart is ranked from highest to lowest hand in Pai Gow Poker:
| Hand | Description | ||
| 5 Aces | 4 Aces + Joker | ||
| Royal Flush | A,K,Q,J,10 of the same suit | ||
| Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit | ||
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank | ||
| Full House | Three of a Kind + another pair | ||
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit regardless of rank | ||
| Straight | Five consecutive cards regardless of suit | ||
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank | ||
| Two Pair | Two pairs of different rank | ||
| Pair | Two cards of the same rank | ||
| High Card | Five cards all of different rank and a variety of suits |
How To Play Online Pai Gow Poker
Place your bet: Begin the Pai Gow Poker game by placing your wager. Choose from five chip denominations: $1, $5, $10, $25 and $100. In Pai Gow Poker you are betting on your High and Low hands winning over the dealer’s hands.
Cards dealt: In Pai Gow Poker you will be dealt seven cards face-up. The dealer will receive seven cards face-down. The dealer’s cards will not be revealed until you have finished your action.
Player action: Split your cards into two separate hands: High hand and Low hand. Your High hand must consist of five cards and contain your best ranking poker hand. Your Low hand must consist of two cards and be lower in rank than your High hand. The online Pai Gow Poker game will not allow you to create a Dead Hand (a Low hand of higher value than a High hand).
Dealer action: The dealer’s hand will be arranged in a High and Low hand as well. The dealer’s hand will be divided according to Fair Way Rules. Please see the Pai Gow Poker Rules section for details. At this time, the dealer’s hands will be revealed.
Payoff: Your High hand and the dealer’s High hand will be compared against each other, as will both Low hands. In Online Casino Pai Gow Poker a winning wager pays 1:1 less a 5% commission. For example: A winning bet of $10 will pay $9.50. No commission is applied to losing or tied hands.
The House wins in Pai Gow Poker if:
- Both the dealer’s hands outrank the player’s hands.
- One of the dealer’s hands outranks the player’s corresponding hand and the other hand is a copy.**
- Both the dealer’s hands are copy hands.**
**A copy hand is when a dealer’s hand and player’s hand are identical.
You win in Pai Gow Poker if:
- Both your hands outrank the dealer’s hands.
You push** in Pai Gow Poker if:
- You win one hand, but lose the other hand.
- You win one hand and your other hand is a copy.
**Your bet will be returned to you in all instances of a push.
Game Rules
- Pai Gow Poker is played with a single 53 card deck (52 cards plus a joker).
- In Pai Gow Poker the deck is reshuffled after each game.
- Pai Gow Poker Wagers:
Minimum wager: $1
Maximum wager: $250 - A winning wager will pay off at 1:1, less a 5% commission.
- In Pai Gow Poker no commission is taken on losing or tied hands.
- Fair Way Rules will always be used in Pai Gow Poker to determine the dealer’s play.
- The Dragon is not offered and players may not act as dealer.
- Hands are ranked according to standard poker rules with one exception. For straights and straight flushes, A-2-3-4-5 is the second highest hand after A-K-Q-J-10. A hand with 6-5-4-3-2 becomes the lowest possible straight or straight flush.
- In Pai Gow Poker the joker acts as a wild card only to complete a straight, flush or straight flush. In all other cases, the joker is used as an Ace.
- A copy hand is defined as the player and dealer having an identical two or five card hand. In Pai Gow Poker the dealer wins copy hands.
- In the event of unusual activity in the software or outside ntervention all wagers will be placed under review for further determination.
Fair Way Rules: Dealer hands will always be played according to the following set of rules to ensure maximum consistency and fairness.
No Pair: Use second and third highest ranked cards for the Low hand.
One Pair: Always use the pair as the High hand and the highest ranking outside cards for the low hand.
Two Pair: Pairs will be broken into four groups (when splitting, always play the lower pair in the Low hand). Two pair will always be split between the High and the Low hand unless holding an outside Ace.
| Pair | Group |
| 2 – 6 | Low Pair |
| 7 – 10 | Medium Pair |
| J – K | High Pair |
| Aces | Aces |
Three Pair: The highest pair will always be played in the Low hand.
Three of a Kind: Will always be played in the High hand unless the three of a kind is aces, then one ace will be played in the Low hand and the pair of aces will remain in the High hand. In the case of two three of a kind, a pair from the highest three of a kind will be played in the low hand.
Straights, Flushes and Straight Flushes:
Without a Pair: Play the combination that allows the highest possible Low hand if given a choice to play a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush.
With a Pair: Play pair in Low hand if Flush, Straight or Straight Flush can be preserved in High hand.
With Two Pair: Use Two Pair Rule.
With Three Pair: Use Three Pair Rule.
With Three of a Kind: Use Three of a Kind Rule.
With Full House: Use Full House Rule.
Full House: Split and play pair in Low hand.
Three of a Kind and Two Pair: Play higher pair in Low hand.
Two Three of a Kind: Play higher three of a kind as a pair in Low hand.
Four of a Kind without a Pair: Never split 2 through 9. Play in High hand. Always split 10 through King unless there is an outside Ace or Joker, then play the four in High hand. Always split Aces.
Four of a Kind with a Pair or Three of a Kind: Play pair in Low hand.
Five Aces (with Joker): Always split and play two Aces in Low hand unless five Aces are with a pair of Kings, then play Kings in Low hand.
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