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How To Play Pai Gow Dominoes

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Pai Gow Poker is one of those Americanized Chinese gambling games that today are part of almost every casino. This game is a social game just as poker and can be played by six players simultaneously using a 52-card deck. In addition to the players, land-based casinos appoint a dealer at the table to assist players. Similar to other casino games, the players in Pai Gow Poker play against the house, not against each other.

This game came to be when a Chinese game called Pai Gow in which dominoes were used, was mixed with poker cards. What came out as a result was a gambling game with a very reasonably low risk compared to other games. Pai Gow Poker is a more of a game of skill, although learning the cards and using the skills is not that farfetched for beginners. The hands are easy and obvious, and strategies can be applied without much difficulty. The fact that all the players play together against the house makes this game very fun and leisure game.

  1. This traditional form of Pai Gow was originated in China, and is played with 32 Chinese domino tiles. Player and dealer are given four tiles each, and must form a high and low hand of two tiles.
  2. Similar to other casino games, the players in Pai Gow Poker play against the house, not against each other. This game came to be when a Chinese game called Pai Gow in which dominoes were used, was mixed with poker cards. What came out as a result was a gambling game with a very reasonably low risk compared to other games.

The basic form of Domino found online is a single player block Domino where you compete against the casino in a set number of rounds. Per the rules, the game begins with both players being given 7 to 9 tiles for the round. Some variation also determine the first player by who has the highest pair (two 3s, 6s, etc).

The game as we know it today was established in California in the mid-80s in 1985. The person that invented the game first began offering it at his own casino, and later the game began appearing across many other casinos without prior permission of its author due to a lack of patent for the game. Since then Pai Gow Poker has brought millions of players to casinos and the game today has a well-deserved status.

Pai Gow Poker Rules

Pai Gow Poker uses many rules that are commonly known in standard poker, such as:

  • The game is played with standard fifty-two cards and a joker from a single deck only.
  • As in other games, the joker is used to complete a hand like straight flush, flush, straight or royal flush, and it can be used instead of an Ace.
  • Each player receives 7 cards along with the dealer too after all the players have made their bets previously.
  • With these seven cards, the players have to form two hands, one five card hand and one two card hand. The only condition is for the five card hand to be of higher value than the two card hand.
  • The two card hand will always be a pair of the highest possible value, while the five card hand will be a standard poker hand.
  • The dealer will reveal his cards after the players have divided their cards. The dealer follows a special rule referred to as the House Way. This rule is actually a predetermined manner in which the dealer will play the cards. This rule varies from casino to casino.
  • The two hands of each player are then compared against the dealer's hand and the player with the two hands of higher values will take his winnings.
  • There is a special rule for a tie. If the two card hand of both the player and the dealer are composed of pair of Kings or Aces, then the house wins.
  • In order for the player to win his both hands need to be stronger than the dealer's hands. In this case the bet pays 1 to 1. If the player loses one hand to the dealer, then it's a push. In all other scenarios, the player loses. Five percent commission is taken of each winning.
  • The banker role rotates between players, and each player can refuse the role.

The Basics of Pai Gow Poker

Objective of the Game

The objective in Pai Gow Poker is for players to assemble hands that are stronger than the dealer in order to beat the house and win the bet with the help of seven cards. The only chance to win is to have both hands of higher value. The lower hand, which is the two card hand is always a pair (if there two cards of same value) while the higher five card hand can be any of the standard hands used in poker. The two card hand mustn't be of a higher value than the five card hand.

Pai Gow Poker Hands

In order to form a hand, players can use a joker. It can be used to replace a card any kind of straight or flush. In other cases the joker is valued as an Ace. The following are the hands in Pai Gow Poker arranged from the weakest to the strongest:

  • No Pair hand is a hand that has no cards that can be combined together to form a pair.
  • One Pair is a hand consisted of any two cards of the same value.
  • Two Pair is a hand consisted of two pairs with cards of the same value.
  • Three of a Kind is a hand consisted of three cards of the same value.
  • Straight is a hand in which all cards are arranged in a sequence, for example from 6 to 10.
  • Flush is a hand in which all cards are of the same suite, either clubs, diamonds, spades or hearts.
  • Full House is a hand consisted of two cards of the same value, and three cards that are all of some different value.
  • Four of a Kind is a hand consisted of four cards of the same value.
  • Straight Flush is a hand in which all cards of the same suite, but also they need to be arranged in a sequence, for example from 7 to Jack.
  • Royal Flush is a hand consisted of Jack, King, Queen, Ten and an Ace, but all five cards need to be of the same suite.

In any of the hands, the remaining cards help determine the winner in cases when the competing five card hands are identical.

The Ranking of Two Card Hands

There are special rules set for the ranking of the two card hands. It is obvious that with two cards the only hand you can play is a pair i.e. a hand consisted of two cards of the same value, with a pair of 2s as the weakest, and a pair of Aces as the strongest two card hand.

But, there is also a No Pair hand. This hand is also valued, but here the weakest hand is a combination of 2 and a 3, while the strongest No Pair two card hand is consisted of a King and an Ace. A Pair hand always beats a No Pair hand. The Joker here is used instead of an Ace too.

The House Way

As mentioned previously, the House Way is a predetermined manner of how the dealer will play with his hand. This rule can vary from casino to casino. Somewhere you may find it more in your favor, somewhere you may not, in general it doesn't vary substantially.

The Odds

Although Pai Gow Poker a house edge that is worse than craps, blackjack and baccarat, it is still a very decent edge that varies between 2 and 3 percent. Since it is a game of skill this edge can be easily eliminated with a little spell of luck. Also, since it is a much slower paced game compared to other games with a lot of ties and pushing your playing time is much longer and your bankroll is more prone to survive.

An Easy Pai Gow Strategy to Use

First, when playing Pai Gow Poker, whether using a strategy or not, you need to remember that both of your hands need to win. So basically you have to think how to equally distribute your hands. If you can't form a strong five card hand, make sure at least for your two card hand to be as high as it can get in order to cause for a push and stop the house from winning. Or do the other way around, by setting a strong five card hand while making a weak two card hand.

If your hand is a no pair hand, just use the third and second highest cards for the two card hand. If you have at least one pair the highest two cards should be used as a two card hand. This strategic playing extends to different scenarios for having dealt 2 pairs, 3 pairs, three of a kind and all the other possible hands and involves how to split your hands and use the most of all cards dealt.

Summary

Pai Gow Poker has spurred so much interest in the public due to its ingenious way of playing with two hands at the same time so that many experts have even written books on the optimal strategies that can be used for playing the game. Try the game a little at any online casino offering it for practice, and we guarantee you will immediately like it.

Useful Pai Gow Poker Glossary

Back Hand: used to refer to the five card hand.

Banking: this is when players bet either against the players or the dealer.

Foul Hand: this is when a player has not split his hands appropriately which means his two card hand is stronger than his five card hand. It is used in land-based casinos.

Front Hand: used to refer to the two card hand.

For a more comprehensive list of terms and phrases, check out our Pai Gow Glossary section.

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Categories:Casino Guide|Published by: Cooper Hilton

Pai Gow Poker has been around for a long time. With a large number of players, this game has become one of the most popular games in casinos today.

The reason why the card game has such a great appeal, in addition to the simple rules of the game, there is also an interest in the game experience that only insiders can understand.

If you want to learn how to play, we will cover the basic rules and strategies of the Poker game Pai Gow in this article.

Stay tuned!

What is Pai Gow Poker?

Pai Gow Poker is also known as Chinese Domino. This is a traditional folk game. Pai Gow rules are actually very difficult to play, but strangely appealing to players.

It is a table with lots of Domino pieces, each with its own score. The dominoes are shuffled and divided equally among the players. The player wins if there is a hand with the highest score pair.

This is a game where players have to use their minds to think about the move, patiently waiting for the right moment. It looks easy at first glance, but it's actually not easy at all.

The Pai Gow hand is dealt seven cards and divided into 2 hands. Anterior has 2 hands and 5 hands in lower. To win, you must have 2 hands stronger than your opponent's 2 hands.

Note: The anterior hand should not be stronger than the lower hand.

The Pai Gow card game is played with 52 cards plus 1 joker card. A total of 53 leaves. The Joker can be used as an Ace, or any card to complete a straight or flush set, with 5 Aces (or 4 Aces and 1 joker) being the strongest.

History Of Pai Gow Poker

If you have ever learned about the high-end entertainment world at casinos, the name Pai Gow Poker is not too strange. This is a game associated with cards that are said to be easy to play and understand.

This casino game is an American version of the game Pai Gow. The Pai Gow Poker game was created in 1985 by a Bell Card club owner named Sam Toroi San.

Based on the Pusoy game played by a Filipino client, Sam realized that a game with 13 was that the player had to arrange 3 players too slowly.
So, Sam created a 7-card version with 2 players. This way it will be much easier to play.

From there, the game quickly gained popularity. And in the late 1980s was played in Las Vegas, and finally around the world.

Variants Of The Pai Gow Poker Game

There are several variations of the Pai Gow Poker table game that are also popular. These variations were formed mainly in the years 2004 – 2009.

  • Pai Gow Mania: Pai Gow Mania is the first variant. They allow for 2-side betting instead of the traditional 1-side betting per player.
  • Fortune Pai Gow: It allows side bets to be placed on a Poker player ranking. This is rated as one of the most popular variants.
  • Emperors Challenge: Bet on 1 7 card side (no players).

Terms Used In Pai Gow Poker

To get the most out of your online Pai Gow games, make sure you understand this game's jargon. Below are the most commonly used terms in Pai Gow's online games and in traditional casinos.

Jokers

In Pai Gow Poker, Jokers can be used as wild cards to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush in any other combination. It is seen as an Ace.

Copy

Anytime one of your hands is the same as one of the house's hands, those hands are considered a copy. The playhouse wins all copies.

Note that the two Straights are not necessarily a duplicate. If you have a 7, 8, 9, 10, J straight and the dealer has 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 straight, then you win because your straight is higher than the dealer.

Deal

You can press the 'Deal' button once the wager has been placed on the table. You are divided into seven flip-up cards that you need to split into the front and backhands. To win, you must be about to beat both Dealer's front hands.

House Way

Press the 'House Way' button to automatically force the Dealer to arrange your cards. Those cards are arranged optimally so that your chances of winning are maximized.

According to a set of rules used by the Flamingo Hilton Casino in Las Vegas, the casino monitors the card selection progress.
After pressing 'House Way', you can always come back and fold one or all of your hands if you find that the hand doesn't like you.

Done

The 'Done' button is pressed once you have finished placing your money and backhands and ready for the house to reveal the cards.

The Dealer's cards are shown and compared with your cards. If your trump cards beat the Dealer's cards, you win!

Repeat Bet

Click the 'Repeat Bet' button to repeat the previous wager with the same wager amount and automatically split your next card.

Minimum stakes/maximum stakes

  • Minimum bet: Shows the minimum wage required to play a hand.
  • Maximum bet: Shows the maximum bet amount allowed to play a hand. You can see this displayed in the upper right corner of the screen.

Clear

The 'Clear' button regenerates the currently used cards back to zero.

Fast-Play

The 'Fast-Play' button allows you to play Pai Gow poker faster by eliminating the animation you experience. Fast Play does not change the outcome of the game at all. You can turn this option on and off at any time.

Chip Selector

Chip Selector allows you to select the unit of cards or cards you need to play at the Pai-Gow Table.

Credit/Money To Be Paid

  • Credit: shows how much money you currently have in your casino account.
  • Payouts: shows the amount you have paid out in the last hand.

Hand Rankings

Hand ranking is a combination of different cards to win in Pai Gow Poker. Like most poker-based games, Pai Gow uses regular poker hands with a variety of variations.

Listed below are the hands in Pai Gow starting from top to bottom.

1. Five Aces

Pai

This is the highest possible hand arrangement in Pai Gow Poker. It includes four Aces plus Joker.

2. Royal Flush

A Royal Flush includes Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and number 10 in the same suit. For example, A, K, Q, J, 10.

3. Straight Flush

A 'Straight Flush' consists of five cards in sequence and of the same suit. (Note that an ace can be seen as the lowest in the card as well as the highest, for example:

  • A, K, Q, J, 10 – Highest
  • A, 2, 3, 4, 5 – Second highest
  • 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – Lowest

4. Four of a Kind

This hand consists of four cards of the same rank plus another odd hand. For example, Q, Q, Q, Q, 3.

5. Full House

This is a hand containing three cards of the same rank plus two cards of another rank. For example, Q, Q, 7, 7, 7, or 6, 6, 6, 8, 8.

6. Flush

If five cards in hand belong to the same suit, then you have a Flush.

7. Straight

A straight has 5 cards in sequence but not in the same suit, for example:

  • A, K, Q, J, 10 – Highest
  • A, 2, 3, 4, 5 – Second highest
  • 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – Lowest

Three of a Kind

This is three cards of the same rank.

Two Pair

Pai gow poker play

This is two sets, each consisting of two children of the same rank.

One Pair

This is two cards of the same rank.

No Pair

Put the second and third highest cards in front.

Basic rules when playing Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow is a game between the players and the Dealer. Each game consists of a dealer and an unlimited number of players.

The game has 4 positions. The dominoes are shuffled, aligned, and scripted.

The Dealer rolls the dice to determine the order in which the cards are dealt. Domino cards are dealt 4 cards respectively to the player.

After receiving the cards, the player must put them in 2 rows. The previous row is cards of low value.

The player matches the rows against the Dealer. If a player's 2 hands hit the Dealer's 2 hands, they win. If the player's 2 rows both lose, they will lose money. And 1 lose, 1 win counts as a tie.

Detailed Guide To Play Pai Gow Poker

How To Play Pai Gow Dominoes

This is the highest possible hand arrangement in Pai Gow Poker. It includes four Aces plus Joker.

2. Royal Flush

A Royal Flush includes Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and number 10 in the same suit. For example, A, K, Q, J, 10.

3. Straight Flush

A 'Straight Flush' consists of five cards in sequence and of the same suit. (Note that an ace can be seen as the lowest in the card as well as the highest, for example:

  • A, K, Q, J, 10 – Highest
  • A, 2, 3, 4, 5 – Second highest
  • 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – Lowest

4. Four of a Kind

This hand consists of four cards of the same rank plus another odd hand. For example, Q, Q, Q, Q, 3.

5. Full House

This is a hand containing three cards of the same rank plus two cards of another rank. For example, Q, Q, 7, 7, 7, or 6, 6, 6, 8, 8.

6. Flush

If five cards in hand belong to the same suit, then you have a Flush.

7. Straight

A straight has 5 cards in sequence but not in the same suit, for example:

  • A, K, Q, J, 10 – Highest
  • A, 2, 3, 4, 5 – Second highest
  • 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – Lowest

Three of a Kind

This is three cards of the same rank.

Two Pair

This is two sets, each consisting of two children of the same rank.

One Pair

This is two cards of the same rank.

No Pair

Put the second and third highest cards in front.

Basic rules when playing Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow is a game between the players and the Dealer. Each game consists of a dealer and an unlimited number of players.

The game has 4 positions. The dominoes are shuffled, aligned, and scripted.

The Dealer rolls the dice to determine the order in which the cards are dealt. Domino cards are dealt 4 cards respectively to the player.

After receiving the cards, the player must put them in 2 rows. The previous row is cards of low value.

The player matches the rows against the Dealer. If a player's 2 hands hit the Dealer's 2 hands, they win. If the player's 2 rows both lose, they will lose money. And 1 lose, 1 win counts as a tie.

Detailed Guide To Play Pai Gow Poker

For those who are new to playing Pai Gow Poker, it can be quite difficult. However, the article below will provide information that makes it easier to understand.

First, players bet. The Dealer then deals cards to each player and to themselves.

However, the first hand decided at random by a random number generator will choose a number between 1 and 9. Or a set of three dice totaling 3 -18. The dealer box is traditionally 1.

Then comes the player squares. Then go back to the Dealer's box, which is the number 8. In the end, there is no advantage to which box accepts which cards.

The Pai Gow Poker game's goal is to create a larger hand than the Dealer. And no matter how you arrange your hand so that the 5-card hand is 2-card higher than the low hand.

If you happen to forget to make the correct hand, you will lose money immediately. Because it is a violation post, be precise when placing your cards!

If you want to increase your chances of winning, a player must beat both the Dealer's cards and vice versa. For example, a player holds an Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Q.

They should arrange their hand this way: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (straight) for the high hand, and A – Q for low post.

Suppose the Dealer holds an Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, K. They will also arrange their high hand of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the low hand is A, K. In that case, the two higher cards are called a 'copy', and actually, the house wins.

Then the Dealer's A – K pair wins the player's A – Q pair. So the Dealer wins this bet. The player does not have this advantage. If there is a copy and the player's low hand wins the Dealer's low hand. The overall result is a push.

The Odds Of Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker has a 1.46% house margin. That number means that (with an infinite stake over an indefinite period), the bettor is expected to lose 1.46% of the amount in their Pai Gow Poker account.

It also tells you how much you are expected to lose. Here is an example of how these odds can affect the amount of money in your account.

With an average of 180 hands per hour, an online Pai Gow Poker player wagering $ 1 per game is expected to lose $ 2.52 per hour of play.

Remember that this number is estimated when you play with the ideal strategy.

This is a great strategy page for Pai Gow Poker.

Results Occurring During Play

If both player's hands beat the dealer's hand, then they win 1: 1 of their bet, minus the house's 5% commission.

For example, if you wager $ 20, you can keep your stake plus $ 20 from the Dealer, minus the commission. So you will get paid $ 19.50 in addition to keeping your stake.

If only one of your cards beats the Dealer's hand, the game is considered a push, and neither the Dealer nor the player wins. Players are allowed to keep their bets.

If both draw, the Dealer wins.

The 2-card card cannot be higher than the 5-card hand. If so, then both hands are considered a foul, and the player's stake is collected.

The software will prompt you to correct your cards at some online casinos if you make this mistake, allowing you to continue playing.

If a player is the Dealer, they must have sufficient funds in their bank account to cover all the player's bets.

In this case, the Dealer becomes the player and bets the same amount that the player or Dealer did in their last hand when the Dealer was the Dealer.

If the player's hand wins while being the Dealer, the Dealer will still take 5% of their commission, but this time the net winnings instead of each individual bet won.

If a player does not have enough in their bank account to cover or wishes not to cover the full amount, the Dealer has the option of half insurance.

In this case, the player/dealer must set the hand according to the Dealer's Play, just as the Dealer would. Again, check your table's rules to see if this is an option or not.

Strategy When Playing Pai Gow Poker

The Dealer has a specific dealer-method for handing, and a player can almost tie with the Dealer by following the same rules for hand placement.

If you are unsure of the best way to play, the Dealer will help you by suggesting the casino dealer's layout.

However, remember that the casino will always play their hand to reduce risk, instead of trying to win every game. Players sometimes forget this.

Because the highest low hand (2 cards) is an ace pair, you can play with an ace as the low hand so you cannot lose at any time. With this in mind, let's say you have A-A-A-A-7-8-9.

You could lay four Aces with 7 in the high hand and 8-9 in the low hand, but you probably won't win with this pair. Because you might think it's better to have three Aces in the high hand with 7-8 and A-9 in the low hand.

But that is not the best card layout. It is better to always split, placing A-A-7-8-9 for the high hand and A-A for the low hand. If you do that, you won't be beaten, and you should be happy when you win. That's a good card.

Where To Play Pai Gow Poker?

In the 1990s, Pai Gow Poker was launched on the Internet and available across all online casinos.

The interesting thing about this game is that players get bonus bets. This helps the player to win a lot of cash. With today's modern technology, Pai Gow Poker dominates the majority of casinos in the world.

How To Play Pai Gow Dominoes Play

Therefore, for the best experience, an online casino is ideal if you want to play. You can find a list of reputable online casinos at Betting Valley's website.

This website specializes in providing information related to online betting, online casino games, as well as the most useful and complete instructions on this field.

With a simple and easy to use website interface and an enthusiastic team of consultants, Betting Valley will definitely bring you the best experience.

Final Words

Hopefully, with the above information, everyone understands how to play Pai Gow Poker, a popular game in casinos. Knowing how to play is essential, but it takes experience to become confident in integrating hands.

Therefore, manage your finances wisely in exchange for experience and fun in entertainment.

Wish you will have great moments of relaxation with this game.

Thanks for reading!

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