Pai Gow Casinos

The Chinese have been playing poker and betting games for thousands of years. Ironically, Pai Gow Poker, is a relatively recent arrival on the scene, having been invented in the 1980's in American land based casinos. Pai Gow Poker is a thoughtful game without being too complicated, which makes it perfect for extended play online. Once you get the gist, you'll quickly start beating the house. But don't count your golden eggs before they're hatched. It's important first to get a handle on the objectives, rules and strategies of the game before you jump in. For an excellent example of a Pai Gow Poker Casino, download Lincoln Casino today.

How To Play Pai Gow Poker

The dealer deals 7 cards to each player who then have to create 2 poker hands; a five card hand and a two card hand. The rules stipulate that the value of the five card hand must be higher than the value of the two card hand. The two card hand is referred to as the hand "in front" or "on top" or the low or minor hand. The five card hand can be called "behind" or "bottom" or "high" or big. This is also the way these hands are set up in front of the player after their seven cards are divided, with the two card hand on top, closer to the dealer and the 5 card behind, closer to the player. The dealer then does the same thing, dividing up 7 cards into two hands and you compare the low hand of the player to that of the dealer and the same for the high hand.

The dealer shuffles the deck and then deals 7 cards facedown to all six spots at the table regardless if there are players there or not. The remaining 4 cards remain facedown. Betting positions change every hand and are relative to the player acting as banker, which goes around the table counter-clockwise.

Once the hands are dealt and the hands made, you go around the table comparing your hands to the dealers. For classic Pai Gow Poker playing, download Lincoln Casino today for Play Money practice and Real Money Wins!

Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings

The two card hand can consist of only a pair or a high card and cannot exceed the value of the five card hand. The five card hands use the standard poker hand rankings. In Pai Gow Poker, the Joker is kept in the deck and acts as a "bug." That means that in the five card hand it can complete a straight or a flush hand, otherwise it is automatically an ace in both the five and two card hands. Get betting on Bovada Casino today for a VIP quality Pai Gow Poker casino.

Who Wins in Pai Gow Poker?

If both of the player's hands beat the banker, he wins the bet. If only one hand wins, the bet pushes. If both hands are lower than the banker's he loses. On each hand, ties go to the banker. If the player makes a mistake when dividing up his hand by having the two card hand higher than the five card, there is some kind of a penalty, oftentimes a complete loss of the hand.

The basic strategy says that players should try to set the highest two card hand that he can while still making sure the value of the five card is still higher. If a player has a question, he can always request that his hand gets played the house way.