Learn About Pai Gow Poker:

In Pai Gow poker, each player receives seven face-down cards. These seven cards will then be divided into one five card and one two card hand. The only condition these two hands must follow is that the five card hand must be equal higher than the two card one. So, if, for example, the two card hand is a pair of eights, the five card hand must be a pair of eights or higher. Invalid hands lose automatically.

The first betting round occurs when all players get their seven face-down card. Then players divide their cards, reveal two card hands and the second betting round takes place. After it, five card hands are revealed and the pot is split between the player with the highest two card hand and the player with the highest five card hand.

Pai Gow can also be played against the house. In this case, there is no pot to split. Players compare their hands against the one of the dealer, and if both five card hand and two card hand of the player beat the corresponding hands of the dealer, the player wins, if they both lose, the player loses, and if one of them beats the hand of the dealer and the other one does not, it is a push.

There are some precise strategies for Pai Gow poker, calculated with the help of computer, but without running into complicated systems, the main principle of Pai Gow strategy is to form the best possible two card hand keeping, of course, an equal or a better five-card hand. So, almost in any case, high and beautiful five-card hands should be sacrificed to form high two card hands. Full house, for example, should be split into a pair in the two card hand and three of a kind in the five card hand.

Pai Gow poker has a number of variations:

Stud Deal:

Players are not dealt all at once, but one at a time with a betting round following each new card, making seven betting rounds in total. Betting rounds may also follow every second card or come in any other combination convenient for the players.

Roll-Off

After all cards are dealt, player do not reveal their hands at once, but roll-off single cards first from their two card hand and than from their five card hand with a betting round after each roll-off. Such structure can add seven additional betting rounds to the game.

Pig:

A game with progressive jackpot. To collect the pot, the winner must win both hands. Otherwise, the pot remains at its place and all players re-ante, increasing it for the next game.

Reverse Pai Gow:

The two-card hand of the player must be higher than his five card hand. The only case when it can not be done, as a Full House where the trip is lower than the pair. In this case, a two card hand can be lower than the five card one.