Each player groups their four tiles into two hands of two tiles each. The highest-ranked hands are formed from the sixteen named pairs. If the four tiles drawn for the two hands do not permit the formation of a named pair, Gong, or Wong, then the total number of pips on both tiles in a hand are added using modular arithmetic modulo 10 , equivalent to how a hand in baccarat is scored.

The name "pai gow" is loosely translated as "make nine" or "card nine". The 32 tiles in a Chinese dominoes set can be arranged into 16 named pairs. Eleven of these pairs have identical tiles, and five of these pairs are made up of two tiles that have the same total number of pips, but in different groupings.

The latter group includes the Gee Joon tiles, which can score the same, whether as three or six. Any hand consisting of a pair outscores a non-pair, regardless of the pip counts. Named pairs are often thought of as being worth 12 points each, but there is a hierarchy within the named pairs.

Each subsequent pair is another step in the story robes Bon for man to wear, a hatchet Foo to chop wood, partitions Ping for a house, man's seventh Tit and eighth Look children.

Only the sixteen named pairs are valid. For example, if a hand contained a Yun and a Chop Bot or , these would not form a pair at all, despite both tiles having eight pips each. A Yun exclusively pairs with the other Yun, and likewise only the two Chop Bot tiles can be paired together.

Likewise, tiles with six pips Look , , pairs with another Look, not the Gee Joon and seven pips Tit , , pairs with another Tit, not the two Chop Chit tiles and , which pair with each other are subject to the same pairing restrictions.

When the player and dealer both have a pair, the higher-ranked pair wins. Ranking pairs is determined not by the sum of the tiles' pips, but rather by aesthetics; the order must be memorized. The highest pairs are the Gee Joon tiles, the Teens, the Days, and the red eights.

The lowest pairs are the mismatched nines, eights, sevens, and fives. The double-one tiles and double-six tiles are known as the Day and Teen tiles, respectively. The combination of a Day or Teen with a nine Gow , or creates a Wong , worth 11 points, while putting either of them with an eight either Yun , ; or Bot , or results in a Gong , worth Gongs and Wongs formed with a Teen tile are ranked higher than those formed with a Day tile.

However, if a Day or Teen is grouped in a single hand with any other tile, the standard scoring rules apply. The combination of a Day or Teen with a seven Tit , ; or Chit , or is sometimes referred to as a high nine , as the score is the maximum nine when added together, and the group contains a high-rank tile for potential tiebreaking purposes.

When a hand is formed from two tiles that are not a named pair, Wong, or Gong, the total pips on both tiles are counted and any tens digit is dropped; the resulting ones digit the sum of all pips modulo 10 gives the final score.

There is one exception. The and the tiles which form the Gee Joon pair together, can act as limited wild cards singly. When used as part of a hand of mixed tiles, these tiles may be scored as either 3 or 6, whichever results in a higher hand value.

If the player has both the and tiles, those collectively form the highest-ranked named pair and should be used together to form an unbeatable rear hand. When the player and dealer display hands with the same score, the one with the highest-valued tile based on the named pair rankings described above is the winner.

However, since the dealer's Mooy outranks the other three tiles, he would win the hand. If both have a bonus combination Wong or Gong or the scores are tied, and if the player and dealer each have an identical highest-ranking tile, then the dealer wins.

The lower-ranked tile in each hand is never used to break a tie. There are two exceptions to the method described above. First, although the Gee Joon tiles form the highest-ranking pair when used together, when used as single tiles in a mixed hand, for tiebreaking purposes, they fall into the mixed-number ranks according to the number of pips.

That is, the ranks sequentially below the Chop Chit tiles and , and the ranks sequentially last overall, below the Chop Ng tiles and The key element of pai gow strategy is to present the optimal front and rear hands based on the tiles dealt to the player.

For any four random tiles, there are three ways to arrange them into two hands, assuming that a named pair cannot be formed. However, if there is at least one pair among the tiles, there are only two distinct ways to form two hands.

In some cases, a player with weaker tiles may deliberately attempt to attain a push so as to avoid losing the bet outright. Many players rely on superstition or tradition to choose tile pairings. The film Premium Rush features Pai Gow play as an integral plot element.

Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Download QR code Wikidata item.

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons. Chinese gambling game using tiles. This article needs additional citations for verification. For the five-card hand, standard poker hand rankings apply.

It is important that the five-card hand outranks the two-card hand. For example, if the two-card hand consists of a pair of aces, the five-card hand must be better than two-pair. The joker can be used only to complete a flush or straight.

If neither of these situations apply, the joker must be an ace. Some casinos have different rules regarding the joker, but this is by far the most common.

If a player cannot make a pair or better with their cards—for example, if you were dealt Q—this is called a pai gow, or non-hand. Once players have set their hands, they place the two-card hand in front and the five-card hand in back.

If a hand is set incorrectly—such as having the two-hand hand outranking the five-card hand—then the hand is fouled and is either reset according to house rules or forfeited, depending on the casino.

However, if a player is the banker for a particular hand, that player is free to set their hand however they choose. If a player co-banks with the dealer, the player must set their hand the according to house rules. Other casinos charge a flat fee per hand depending on the amount bet.

These side bets neither add to nor detract from the bet for the hand itself. Instead, the player is betting extra on whether they get three-of-a-kind, a full house, four-of-a-kind, a straight flush, or a royal flush.

Of course, the higher the hand, the higher the bonus payout. Some casinos have envy bonuses as well. For these, players wager an amount that another player at the table will hit a premium hand. Like any bet offered by a casino, Pai Gow side bets have a negative expectation—much more negative than the game of Pai Gow alone.

Avoid them unless you feel like gambling even more than you already are. Success in Pai Gow Poker is largely dependent on how the cards are dealt as there are no betting rounds. Players are oftentimes faced with hands that can be set multiple ways which can have very different outcomes.

Thus, if a player wants to virtually guarantee a push, the top option would likely be the best; however, the most profitable play would be the bottom option as it gives the player a great chance to win. In some of these close spots, it boils down to personal preference and gut feeling. Unless, as mentioned, that player is co-banking with the dealer.

Most casinos allow them to help you, and they will be happy to do it. Pai Gow Poker is another poker variant that has enjoyed considerable popularity over the years and is actually quite fun to play. She is an avid low-stakes for now poker player and huge Vegas Golden Knights fan.

How to Play Pai Gow Poker.

The name pai gow is sometimes used to refer to a card game called pai gow poker (or "double-hand poker"), which is loosely based on pai gow. The act of playing Want to learn how to play Pai Gow poker? This complete guide gives you everything you need to learn Pai Gow Poker so that you can compete with confidence Pai Gow Poker has an interesting deal method. After the cards are shuffled, the dealer places them into seven face-down piles comprised of seven

Póker Pai Gow - Pai Gow Poker is a card variation of the Chinese domino game called Pai Gow. It's an exciting but relaxed casino game that has become extremely popular The name pai gow is sometimes used to refer to a card game called pai gow poker (or "double-hand poker"), which is loosely based on pai gow. The act of playing Want to learn how to play Pai Gow poker? This complete guide gives you everything you need to learn Pai Gow Poker so that you can compete with confidence Pai Gow Poker has an interesting deal method. After the cards are shuffled, the dealer places them into seven face-down piles comprised of seven

Please take note that in the two-card low hand the best hand that can be achieved is one pair. Also in the case both the player and the banker have the same hand, the rank of that hand would be used to potentially break a tie.

These bets can often be lucrative in the short run, especially those with progressive jackpots, but in general should be avoided as they boast a higher house edge than the base game.

The Fortune Pai Gow Poker side bet is one of the most popular you will see. A natural seven-card straight flush without a wildcard can pay big with this side bet, especially if a progressive jackpot is involved instead of fixed odds.

The pay tables can vary but very often players can win with trips or better while other payout structures begin with a full house.

As these side bets vary from casino to casino, it is best to ask the dealer, who is usually more than happy to explain, how all the side bets work if interesting in an extra gamble before sitting down to play in a live casino.

Likewise, you can read up about all the rules of any side bets your favorite online casino might feature in its Pai Gow offering.

Your best two options to choose from are as follows:. The first hand would almost guarantee a push but it might not be the best option even if it is at first the most intuitive. The second hand presents better options as the pair of eights for the low hand is almost very strong while giving the player a chance for a win with the pair of nine for the high hand often being a winning hand.

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Each player groups their four tiles into two hands of two tiles each. The highest-ranked hands are formed from the sixteen named pairs. If the four tiles drawn for the two hands do not permit the formation of a named pair, Gong, or Wong, then the total number of pips on both tiles in a hand are added using modular arithmetic modulo 10 , equivalent to how a hand in baccarat is scored.

The name "pai gow" is loosely translated as "make nine" or "card nine". The 32 tiles in a Chinese dominoes set can be arranged into 16 named pairs. Eleven of these pairs have identical tiles, and five of these pairs are made up of two tiles that have the same total number of pips, but in different groupings.

The latter group includes the Gee Joon tiles, which can score the same, whether as three or six. Any hand consisting of a pair outscores a non-pair, regardless of the pip counts.

Named pairs are often thought of as being worth 12 points each, but there is a hierarchy within the named pairs. Each subsequent pair is another step in the story robes Bon for man to wear, a hatchet Foo to chop wood, partitions Ping for a house, man's seventh Tit and eighth Look children.

Only the sixteen named pairs are valid. For example, if a hand contained a Yun and a Chop Bot or , these would not form a pair at all, despite both tiles having eight pips each.

A Yun exclusively pairs with the other Yun, and likewise only the two Chop Bot tiles can be paired together. Likewise, tiles with six pips Look , , pairs with another Look, not the Gee Joon and seven pips Tit , , pairs with another Tit, not the two Chop Chit tiles and , which pair with each other are subject to the same pairing restrictions.

When the player and dealer both have a pair, the higher-ranked pair wins. Ranking pairs is determined not by the sum of the tiles' pips, but rather by aesthetics; the order must be memorized. The highest pairs are the Gee Joon tiles, the Teens, the Days, and the red eights.

The lowest pairs are the mismatched nines, eights, sevens, and fives. The double-one tiles and double-six tiles are known as the Day and Teen tiles, respectively. The combination of a Day or Teen with a nine Gow , or creates a Wong , worth 11 points, while putting either of them with an eight either Yun , ; or Bot , or results in a Gong , worth Gongs and Wongs formed with a Teen tile are ranked higher than those formed with a Day tile.

However, if a Day or Teen is grouped in a single hand with any other tile, the standard scoring rules apply. The combination of a Day or Teen with a seven Tit , ; or Chit , or is sometimes referred to as a high nine , as the score is the maximum nine when added together, and the group contains a high-rank tile for potential tiebreaking purposes.

When a hand is formed from two tiles that are not a named pair, Wong, or Gong, the total pips on both tiles are counted and any tens digit is dropped; the resulting ones digit the sum of all pips modulo 10 gives the final score. There is one exception. The and the tiles which form the Gee Joon pair together, can act as limited wild cards singly.

When used as part of a hand of mixed tiles, these tiles may be scored as either 3 or 6, whichever results in a higher hand value. If the player has both the and tiles, those collectively form the highest-ranked named pair and should be used together to form an unbeatable rear hand.

When the player and dealer display hands with the same score, the one with the highest-valued tile based on the named pair rankings described above is the winner. However, since the dealer's Mooy outranks the other three tiles, he would win the hand.

If both have a bonus combination Wong or Gong or the scores are tied, and if the player and dealer each have an identical highest-ranking tile, then the dealer wins. The lower-ranked tile in each hand is never used to break a tie. There are two exceptions to the method described above.

First, although the Gee Joon tiles form the highest-ranking pair when used together, when used as single tiles in a mixed hand, for tiebreaking purposes, they fall into the mixed-number ranks according to the number of pips.

Part 1. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U. and international copyright laws.

This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Learn the 10 basic 5-card hands in traditional poker. Pai Gow Poker is a variation of poker that uses the traditional 5-card hand. However, instead of playing against the other players at the table, everyone is playing against the dealer's hand.

Before you play Pai Gow Poker, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic 5-card poker hands. Straight flush: 5 consecutive cards of the same suit like ace, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of clubs. Full house: 3 cards of the same ran plus 2 cards of the same rank. Flush: 5 cards of the same suit.

Straight: 5 cards in sequence but can be from different suits, like 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. A pair: 2 matching cards. High card: the highest ranking card in the hand. Make your best 2 hands out of the cards you're dealt each round. In Pai Gow poker, you're dealt 7 cards each round.

Once you get your cards, you need to arrange your best 5-card hand and your best 2-card hand. Your 5-card hand has to be better than your 2-card hand. For your 2-card hand, the best you can get is a pair.

For example, if you have 3 of a kind, the remaining 2 cards can simply form the rest of your 5-card hand. Try to beat both of the dealer's hands to win a round. In Pai Gow poker, you play against the dealer, not the other players at the table. If both your 5-card hand and your 2-card hand beats the dealer, you win the round and double the bet that you placed.

Lose both of your hands against the dealer's hands, then you lose your bet. If you win 1 of your hands and the dealer wins the other, then the round ends in a push and nobody wins the round.

Part 2. Choose the dealer for each round. You can change the dealer after each round to keep the play interesting. Place your bet before you get your hand.

Every player at the table must place their bets before the dealer will deal out 7 cards to each player. There will be a minimum bet and a maximum bet and you need to place your bet between those amounts. Wait for the dealer to pass out 7 cards to each player.

After the initial bet, the dealer will deal 7 cards to each player at the table and each player will begin to form their 2 hands. Then the dealer will deal themselves 7 cards, face up and arrange their hands. You'll take a look through the 7 cards you were dealt and form them into 2 hands, which you will place face-up on the table.

Form your 5-card hand and your 2-card hand. Look through your cards and form your 5-card hand with your best cards and your 2-card hand with the best cards that you have left.

Remember, your 5-card hand must be better than your 2-card hand. Part 3. Compare your 2-card hand to the dealer's 2-card hand.

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