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Please feel free to try out our free online Pai Gow Poker game. If you are playing this game on a desktop or laptop computer, you should have no problem with compatibility. However, if you are playing on a mobile device you may notice compatibility problems. If you are looking to play mobile Pai Gow Poker, please visit the casinos above for mobile versions of the game.
With that being said, here is a basic breakdown on the rules of Pai Gow Poker:
Pai Gow is played with the Dealer dealing out seven cards to you as well as themselves. The goal of the game is to form a 5 card poker hand as well as a 2 card hand that is better than the dealer’s. Standard poker hands are used for ranking hands.
Pai Gow is unique in that it uses the 5 card and 2 card hands, and that the game is dealt out with Joker cards in the deck. The Joker serves as a connecting card in the 5 card hand, otherwise its an Ace. If the player opts to put the Joker in the 2 card hand, it serves as an Ace. This card is called a bug in Pai Gow.
Hand rankings in Pai Gow Poker are as follows, High to Low:
Royal Flush
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
One Pair
High Card
It should be noted that because of the low house edge and length of play, there is a 5% commission paid out on winnings. While this may seem like a high amount, players still have a good chance of coming out ahead if they play with proper strategy.
If you have no pairs or standard winning poker hand, use your highest card in the 5 card hand and the next two highest cards in the 2 card hand, maximizing your chances of a push.
If you have two pair with Aces as the high pair, split. If you have two pair with Kings as the top pair, split unless the other pair is twos.
If you have two pair that are 6 or below, split unless you have an Ace, in which case use the Ace and next highest card in the hand.
If you have three pair, split the lowest pair in the hand
If you have a full house, split the low pair unless you have another pair in waiting.
If you have a four of a kind, 6 or lower, keep them together. If you have 7-10’s , split unless you have an Ace to play in the low hand. If you have Face Cards, you always split the hands.
Don’t partake in the side-bets. They give a huge house edge to the casino and rarely pay out enough to make it worth your while.
