1. How To Play Pai Gow Cards
2. Pai Gow Poker Odds

In nearly every casino in the country you can find a few tables surrounded by frantic players calling out and celebrating in a foreign language. The game they’re playing uses tiles that resemble dominoes, and almost always the player base will be of predominantly Asian descent.

Pai Gow is an ancient Chinese gambling game that serves as an ancestor for both modern dominoes and baccarat. In fact, pai gow is loosely translated to make nine, as the object in both Pai Gow and baccarat is to approach a total closest to nine.

Play and Download Pai Gow Poker Now Available on PC & Mac FREE! Sam Torosian, the owner of the Bell Card Club in Los Angeles, invented Pai Gow Poker in 1985. Despite having a name similar to the Chinese domino game, the concept of Pai Gow Poker was acquired by its. Play Pai Gow Poker. Them’s the rules: the standard hand rankings for poker apply, except for one twist. The second-best Straight you can make in Pai Gow Poker is the wheel (Five-Four-Three-Deuce-Ace), which is the lowest Straight possible in regular poker.

• How to Play Pai Gow Poker. Pai gow poker is the American version of pai gow – a Chinese dominoes game. Pai gow was introduced to the US market by Sam Torosian, who invented it based on the Asian model. Sadly for him, he didn’t patent it and ended up losing a potential fortune. The game quickly gained popularity and nowadays is considered a.
• Pai Gow tiles look very much like traditional dominoes, but the 32 tiles are arranged into various matching pairs, with different arrangements of the numbers (or pips) signifying different values. The pips on a Pai Gow tile can be either red or white, and these colorations do matter when.

Because of the game’s status as a cultural pursuit, non-Asians can often be intimidated by the prospect of playing Pai Gow. And indeed, there are many unfortunate superstitions in place which brand non-Asian players as unlucky. Nonetheless, playing Pai Gow represents a gaming experience unlike any other, and from an odds standpoint, the low house edge makes the game a tremendous value.

In order to enjoy Pai Gow, you must prepare yourself to absorb a ton of knowledge regarding the traditional scoring system, optimal strategy for setting your hand, and the unique vernacular used by players and dealers.

It’s no understatement to declare Pai Gow as one of the most difficult casino games for new players to get a handle on. But for the most part, those who persevere and learn how to play Pai Gow end up adopting a new favorite game, one that offers a slow pace of play, a high likelihood of chopped pots (and thus a preserved bankroll), and a very favorable house edge when compared to other table games.

• BONUS 100% up to £250 Bonus

Unshrouding the Mysteries of Pai Gow

A game of Pai Gow begins with 32 wooden tiles randomly stacked into eight stacks of four tiles each. This is known as the woodpile, and to further achieve true randomization, a series of ritual shuffles are performed to rearrange the woodpile.

Pai Gow tiles look very much like traditional dominoes, but the 32 tiles are arranged into various matching pairs, with different arrangements of the numbers (or pips) signifying different values. The pips on a Pai Gow tile can be either red or white, and these colorations do matter when applying an often complex scoring system.

Players place their wager after these shuffles are completed, and each player is dealt four tiles, along with the house dealer. Using these four tiles, players can set their front and back hands using any two tiles. The objective is to set your front and back hands in such a way that both approach as close to nine as possible (although, there are a few special hands in Pai Gow that make 10s and still win, but these will be explored later).

For example, if you receive a tile containing one pip in one half and three pips in the other, this tile is valued at four. With another tile containing two and three pips, valued at five, you can pair both to form a front hand of nine. However, if doing so leaves you with a very low back hand, rearranging your placement to achieve two medium strength hands might be the optimal play.

One thing about Pai Gow to keep in mind is that it plays similarly to baccarat in a sense, so when your total exceeds 10, the left hand digit is always dropped to render a new total. This means two tiles valued at nine can be paired to form an eight, because the 18 is reduced by dropping the left hand digit.

You’re competing against the dealer’s front and back hands in Pai Gow, so one of three results will occur on every hand:

Your front and back hands both beat the dealer’s hands, in which case your bet is paid out.

One of your hands beats one of the dealer’s hands, while the other loses, in which case your bet is pushed.

Both of your hands lose to both of the dealer’s hands, in which case your bet is lost.

Over the long haul, 41 percent of Pai Gow hands wind up as a push, which makes the game a favorite for players looking to enjoy themselves for a while without blowing through their bankroll.

The Traditions and Intricacies of Pai Gow

Part of what makes Pai Gow so difficult to grasp for many new players is that the game seems to be operating under a different language altogether. Indeed, what you see is not always what you get in Pai Gow, and that’s because rather than basic numerical ranks, a specialized hierarchy of pairs is used in the game. The 32 tiles in Pai Gow can be formed into 16 pairs, but while 11 of these are represented by the typical matched pair variety (i.e. a six and a six), five Pai Gow pairs can be formed using unmatched tiles.

Matching pairs are always worth more than nonmatching pairs, but all pairs are valued higher than basic non paired hands. Finally, the system used to score matching and unmatched pairs is not based on numerical rank, but instead on a traditional Chinese order. This order can be seen below:

Confused at this point? Just wait, it only gets better.

The tiles with 12 and 24 pips are called Gee Joon tiles, and these serve as proverbial wild cards for the game. Each of these Gee Joon tiles can be used as either a 3 or 6 depending on which will score higher.

Finally, the double one and double six tiles (1Red/1Red and 3Red3White/3Red3White) are called the day and teen tiles, respectively. These tiles can be used along with eight value tiles to form scores higher than 9 that can still qualify to win. In other words, if you have the day tile for a two, you can pair it with an eight to reach a score of 10 rather than zero. These hands are known as gongs. The day and teen tiles can also be combined with nine value tiles to reach a score of 11, and this is known as a wong.

Because of this long litany of Pai Gow rules, the casino allows players an out in the form of the house way. This is simply a standard way to set any four tiles, so if you find yourself stuck in an uncertain spot, you can always ask the dealer to set your hand according to the house way.

That’s how the dealer will be setting their hand as well, so the strategy can’t be all that bad, but the house edge on the house way is 2.44 percent, while optimal strategy can lower than number to 1.66 percent.

Pai Gow is an extremely intricate game involving several aspects that will be unfamiliar to the uninitiated. But just like craps and other games that seem complicated at first, understanding Pai Gow is really all about understanding the terminology and gameplay.

Once you’ve committed the unusual system for ranking pairs to memory, a few rounds of play will give you a better mastery of the concepts, and soon enough the system will become second nature.

How To Play Pai Gow Cards

Pai Gow Strategy

Playing correctly in Pai Gow is all about knowing how to set your front and back hands in the most effective manner. With four tiles to choose from, there’ll always be three possible combinations to form two pairs, and knowing which of these three options to choose from is the key the game.

Experienced players know when to sacrifice a potential winning hand for a sure chop, and how to set their front and back hands perfectly in relation to the dealer’s four tiles.

Just like blackjack and video poker, you can easily find optimal strategy charts for Pai Gow that neatly breaks the game down into every possibility along with the most profitable play. Studying these charts and memorizing them as much as possible will help you make the best decisions you can.

Sam Torosian, the owner of the Bell Card Club in Los Angeles, invented Pai Gow Poker in 1985. Despite having a name similar to the Chinese domino game, the concept of Pai Gow Poker was acquired by its inventor from a Filipino card game called “Pusoy.” Thus, it is important to remember that Pai Gow Poker and the classic Chinese Poker game (except for the name) are not related.

Pai Gow Poker is a simplified version of “Pusoy”. This card game is designed for fast-play. Evidently, by the reduction of the number of cards from 13 to 7 for each player. In addition, the number of hands has also been reduced from 3 to 2. These alterations made Pai Gow Poker one of the easiest and fastest card games in casinos.

With that said, Pai Gow Poker quickly evolved to become a popular Vegas casino game in the 80s. Which, over time, has spread to the rest of the world. Today, Pai Gow Poker is still one of the most popular games in casinos worldwide. Nevertheless, if you want to learn or have a hands-on experience with the game without going to the casino, then, Pai Gow Poker online is the perfect game for you. Learn the basic rules of the game along with other features and tips in the game overview below.

Pai Gow Poker How To Play

Unlike most casino games, Donutman Software’s Pai Gow Poker does not have extra features. This means that players can jump into action instantly with just a click of a button. Moreover, the modesty of the game’s design allows the player to focus on the main game itself, which is best for novice players.

High Definition Graphics

Pai Gow Poker online may not have the glitz and glam of other casino games but it does not mean that the game has poor quality. In fact, Pai Gow Poker comes with a high definition graphics engine that results in a seamless gameplay experience. Right off the bat, a full table setup will unfold that comes complete with all the necessary details. It includes the total money, total bet, and bonus bet. In addition, there are two buttons for changing bets and the start button, which in this case is the “deal” button.

Moreover, situated on the upper right-hand corner is the main menu, which houses the player’s statistics and the bonus paytable. Plus, also the detailed instruction on how-to-play manual, and the main options menu. To sum up everything, Donutman Software’s Pai Gow Poker is a modest and highly immersive minimalist version of the iconic card game.

Winning Tips

Pai Gow Poker online may be easy to learn, but it is definitely quite challenging to master. Like most casino games, beating the banker or the house requires a strategic approach and focus. With that said, check out some of the tips from some of the best Pai Gow Poker players and experts around the world.

When in Rome…

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. It is the perfect saying that describes the first strategy. For those, however, who are not familiar with the quote, it simply states the importance of adapting thyself to the customs and behavior of the populace. In the case of Pai Gow Poker, it is important to observe strategies of the dealer and adapt it as your own. In other words, always think like the dealer in handling your cards.

Splitting the Two Pairs

Another strategy is to know when to split your two-pairs. Having the basic knowledge on when to separate this hand will give you a much-needed edge in the game. With that said, here are some instances where you must not split your two pairs;

1. When your hand includes a pair of seven (or greater) and does not have an Ace.

2. When your hand includes a pair of jacks (or better) and six or pairs that are better than an ace.

3. A pair of Aces along with any pair of cards is included in your deck.

Other than that, it is important to spit your two pairs with the highest-ranking card on the back and the lower ranking card upfront.

The Power of Three

Knowing how to handle your three-of-a-kind is also important in Pai Gow Poker. It is important to take note that you must always keep all three cards together. Unless, you need to deal with the three aces, to which it is advisable that you should put two aces at the back and one at the front.

In some cases, players receive two three-of-a-kind in a single round. When this happens, it is highly recommended to play the lowest three-of-a-kind in the five-card slots. The higher three-of-a-kind, on the other hand, requires splitting to play a pair in the front hand and the other on the backhand.

Pai Gow Poker Odds

Pai Gow Poker is a fast-paced game that is easy to learn and challenging to master. For the most part, the game requires a little bit of luck paired with a solid strategic approach. Check out the game today by simply clicking on the “Play Now” button on your screen.

Game Features

Download and Play Pai Gow Poker on PC, MAC FREE now!

Check out these game screenshots.

Play and Download Pai Gow Poker Now Available on PC & Mac FREE!