Pai Gow

Type of Dominoes Used: Oriental
Type of Game: Oriental Dominoes

Exciting news: exclusively on PaiGow.com, you can now learn an improved Pai Gow strategy, designed by computer, that works much better than the traditional strategy. Find out more in our discussion of the Denenberg Strategy. The Fortune Pai Gow Poker table itself features a silhouette of a dragon printed on the green baize, a nod to the game’s Asian roots. There are low and high sections for both you and the house, as well as the dealer’s shoe and stacks of casino chips. The game of pai gow poker was created in 1985 in the United States by Sam Torosian, owner of the Bell Card Club. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, plus a single joker. It is played on a table set for six players, plus the dealer. Pai Gow Poker: A Complete Game Guide. Pai Gow Poker, not to be confused with just Pai Gow, is a table game found in practically every casino. It has been on casino floors for almost 40 years.


(Pai Gow is Cantonese; Pai Jo is Mandarin; aka Pai Kow)

Pai Gow is a gambling game played with Chinese dominoes. The set consists of all pairs of numbers from 1-1 to 6-6, with the following eleven tiles duplicated: 6-6, 6-5, 6-4, 6-1, 5-5, 5-1, 4-4, 3-3, 3-1, 2-2, 1-1. There are 32 tiles in all. Pai is the Cantonese word for a.

This gambling game is an ancient Chinese or Korean domino game that has become very popular in quite a few Nevada, U.S., casinos.

Additional equipment needed: 3 dice to be thrown at the beginning of the game to determine the deal) and a number of chips of varying shapes denoting different denominations (or anything else that can be used for staking). Use chips during the game for staking and then settle accounts at the end of the game.

Object of the game: To have your high hand beat the banker's high hand and to have your low hand beat the banker's low hand.

Number of players: 4 players (one 'banker' and three 'punters') and any number of bystanders may participate.
Dominoes are stacked facedown in 2 piles, each pile containing 4 rows of 4 dominoes.
Each player takes a turn throwing 3 dice, going counterclockwise around the table and ending with the player who becomes the first banker, to determine where the deal begins. The dominoes are dealt by the banker, counterclockwise around the table, each player receiving 4 tiles.
Players examine their tiles without exposing them. From these tiles they form two separate hands of 2 tiles per hand: a high hand and a low hand, each designed to beat the banker's high hand and low hand. When the 3 players have placed their tiles on the table, they put their stake alongside. The banker may impose a limit if he wishes. Any onlooker may participate in the game by placing a stake alongside the tiles of a chosen player.
When all the stakes have been placed, the 3 players expose their first pair, their high hand. Next, the banker exposes his high hand. Then, the players expose their second pair, low hands. The banker follows by exposing his low hand.
To win a round, one of the three players or the banker must win both hands by holding a pair of tiles of higher standing than his opponents. If two different players win one hand each, the round is drawn and stakes are lifted from the table and may be staked again after the next deal. If the banker wins both hands, he takes all the stakes on the table. If a player wins both hands, the banker pays him his stake, and also those of any onlooker who may have laid a stake with him. The banker also pays the other players and participating onlookers, if their pairs rate higher than both of his. If any player's pairs are lower than the banker's, the banker wins their stakes. There is no exchange between banker and a player unless the value of each pair is higher (or lower) on both hands.
When the gains and losses have been settled, the banker deals the second pile of 16 tiles. The second round is played in the same way.
When both rounds are finished, all the tiles are reshuffled and stacked in two piles of 16 dominoes each. The player on the banker's right becomes the new banker, and the game continues. Players may drop out at the end of any round and their place may be taken by an onlooker.

Charles Marsh

Table Of Contents

Pai Gow Poker

  • Pai Gow Poker is a variant of Poker based on Chinese Pai Gow domino game
  • It’s one of the easiest Poker games to learn and play
  • Learn how to play Pai Gow Poker online and play for free here

Pai Gow Poker might sound Chinese in origin, and it is. But it’s a version of Poker that was developed in the United States.

Pai Gow, the ancient Chinese game of skill and craft, is played with dominoes and is still immensely popular to this day.

Pai Gow Poker, on the other hand, takes place at a Poker table, with a deck of cards.

Developed as a twist in Poker for those who want a bit of variation to their playing style, Pai Gow Poker is a great
card game to play - and you can play it online for free.

Let’s take a look at the reasons why you will love Pai Gow Poker free online Casino game. And a few basic strategy tips that will help you to hit the table and instantly do well.

Pai Gow Poker: the Basics

The game of Pai Gow Poker actually isn’t that old - it was developed by Sam Torosian for the Bell Card Club in 1985.

One of the reasons it became so popular is the social factor.

Pai Gow Poker requires both of a player’s two hands to beat those held by the banker in order for the player to win.

The game can last quite long, with many pushes, and you’re likely to spend a lot of time with your fellow players.

This is good for anyone who plays Poker to enjoy themselves, and to have a nice time with like-minded people.

Free Pai Gow Games Online

Check out the best Free Pai Gow Poker games online and unlock huge bonuses to build your bankroll!

Play Now

Surely, this is why we all play Casino games.

Yes, you might like to play for the money, but ultimately you need anything you play to be enjoyable, otherwise you’re wasting your time playing it.

The house edge of Pai Gow Poker, on average, is rated as between 2.5 and 2.7 percent.

So, whether you are an experienced Poker player or someone looking for a game for a bit of recreational fun, your chances of winning are very reasonable.

Another reason why people like Pai Gow Poker is because, in most versions of the game, all six players are playing against the banker.

This leads to a situation where you and your fellow players are all united by a common goal, and against a common enemy.

When the banker wins, everybody else loses. As a group, you’ll win and lose together on the balance of occasions.

Thanks to this, it’s a lot more social than a conventional game of Poker.

Pai Gow

Pai Gow Poker Online Rules

You can end up playing Pai Gow Poker with up to six players and a dealer. Online, it’s just you and the dealer.

In a real-life version of Pai Gow Poker, any player and the dealer can be the banker, but in the online version, it is the dealer who takes this role.

It’s often called a two-hand Poker because that’s exactly what you have when you play.

The banker uses a 53-card deck for a Pai Gow Poker. It consists of the classic 52-card deck, plus a Joker.

The Joker acts as a wild card like in other card games.

Unlike other Poker variants, in Pai Gow Poker, you’re dealt seven cards.

Gow

The aim is to use these cards to form two high hands out of it, both beating the dealer's hands.

The usual Poker hand ranking applies - you can win with a high-card hand, Royal Flush-hand, Straight-hand, etc. - you know the drill.

One of these hands should be a five-card hand and the other one a two-card hand.

The five-card hand has to be higher than the two-card hand. Yet, both still have to be the winning hands when they confront the dealer’s hands.

If you get it right, you win.

Pai Gow

There are three outcomes of the game:

  • you win when both of your hands beat the banker’s
  • it’s a push when only one of your hands is higher hand than banker’s
  • you lose when neither of your hands is higher than banker’s

The payout for the win is 1 to 1. If the game results in a push, you get your wager back but don’t win anything extra.

Pai Gow Strategy: How to Win at Pai Gow Poker Online

Pai Gow Poker is a great game. Especially, if you follow a strategy that works.

While you can ultimately develop one yourself, there are a few principles you can follow to make your playing experience as profitable as possible.

Here are some Pai Gow Poker strategy tips.

Make a Sensible Bet

At the start of a Pai Gow Poker online game, you’ll have to make a bet.

This is the only bet you need to make, so make sure it’s a good one yet friendly to your bankroll.

On all Casino and Poker games, I always advise you to only bet a small proportion of what you can afford, and this is sensible advice here too.

Remember -

When you’re starting out with Pai Gow Poker, even if the house edge is smaller comparing to some other games, you’ll still find yourself at a competitive disadvantage because of your inexperience.

Balance risk with reward and go for a bet that you can back up in future games too.

Play for Free at First

At some online Casinos, you can practice Pai Gow Poker by playing for free.

This is an ideal thing to do if you haven’t played the game before.

It gives you a chance to get to know how it works and what kinds of hands win. Thus, playing Pai Gow Poker online, free is a really good idea.

Free Pai Gow Games Online

Check out the best Free Pai Gow Poker games online and unlock huge bonuses to build your bankroll!

Play NowPai Gow

Make the Strongest Possible Hand Across Both Hands

Pai Gow Poker is different in that it gives you two hands to play with. That adds to the variables for you as a player.

Your two-card hand must never outrank your five-card hand.

If it does, that’s a foul and a silly way to lose your money.

However, you can’t win money if only one of your hands is better than the dealer’s.

Pai Gow Tiles

It’s necessary to balance your hands so that both are reasonably strong. Yet, keeping your five-card hand slightly stronger, as I’ve mentioned before.

Also, make sure to read this article on CasinoSmash to develop an optimal Pai Gow Poker strategy.

Pai Gow

Pai Gow Mtg

Do this and it won’t be long before you start winning.

The promotion presented on this page was available at the time of writing. With some Casino promotions changing on daily basis, we suggest you to check on the site if it still available. Also, please do not forget to read the terms and conditions in full before you accept a bonus.