Pai Gow poker is a casino game where players attempt to make two separate poker hands, one with five cards and the other with two, that rank higher than the dealer’s corresponding hands. The game is played using a standard deck of 52 cards and includes a joker that may be used as an ace or to complete a straight, flush or royal flush. Players place a bet before the dealer deals seven cards to each player and himself. The cards are then arranged into seven face down piles, shaped like a dragon’s head, body and tail, with four unused extra cards placed in the discard pile, or muck. The dealer then deals each player a pair of cards in a counter-clockwise order.
Once a hand is set, the player’s hand and the dealer’s hands are compared. If the player’s hand beats the dealer’s, the player wins their bet. If the player’s hand loses to the dealer’s, the player pushes and no money is exchanged. If both the dealer’s and the player’s hands tie, the dealer wins both hands.
Most pai gow poker games offer a variety of side bets that can increase a player’s winnings. These side bets include the Dealer Bonus, Progressive, Emperor’s Challenge and Insurance. They vary from casino to casino and it is recommended that players ask the dealer how these side bets work before playing if they are not familiar with them.
Players must understand how to set their pai gow poker hands before playing the game. A basic strategy for setting a hand is as follows:
10’s, 9’s and 7’s should always be split, unless they are paired with an Ace, in which case they should be placed in the front. A pair of 6’s should never be split, unless they are paired together with a King or an Ace, in which case they should be positioned in the back.
The dealer’s pawn (or banker) is the highest value hand, followed by the wheel (or banco). If the banker has a low hand of A-K, the player wins both hands and the player’s bet is doubled. If the dealer has a high hand of A-K, the player pushes. If the dealer has a low and high hand, the player wins only their bet, which is not doubled. Ties go to the dealer. Most pai gow poker tables also have a 5% commission on winning hands, except for Emperor’s Challenge and Face Up Pai Gow, which do not charge this fee. US Casino Advantage may earn a commission from any links or offers on this page. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.