Origin | United States |
---|---|
Players | 2–7 |
Deck | French |
Play | Clockwise |
Card rank (highest first) | A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 |
Random chance | High |
Related games | |
Chinese poker |
Pai gow poker (also called double-hand poker) is a version of pai gow that is played with playing cards, instead of traditional pai gow's Chinese dominoes.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 Online Real Money. Play pai gow poker online to get the best odds and payouts. Find an easy, quick rules and strategy guide. Play Pai Gow Poker for Real Money or Free. Read More Read Less. Options: Bank whenever possible Warn if splitting different than the House Way. Loading, please wait. If you like challenges and enjoy a good game of poker, we believe you will enjoy Emperor’s Challenge Pai Gow Poker software by Galaxy Gaming. This online poker game takes bets between the range of 5 and 500 with side bets between 1 and 25. This offers the player a range of flexibility to get the payouts they would like to achieve. In Pai Gow Poker player online games receive 7 cards after the initial bet and should be divided into two poker hands, 5 and 2 cards. The 5-card hand must contain a higher overall than the 2-card hand when the player is dividing the 7 cards in total. When it comes to the hand rankings Pai Gow, the 2-card hand can be sorted by any pair or a high card.
Pai gow poker (also called double-hand poker) is a version of pai gow that is played with playing cards, instead of traditional pai gow's Chinese dominoes. The game of pai gow poker was created in 1985 in the United States by Sam Torosian, owner of the Bell Card Club.[1]
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. Each player attempts to defeat the banker (who may be the casino dealer, one of the other players at the table, or a player acting in tandem with the dealer as co-bankers).[2]
Winning condition[edit]
The object of pai gow poker is to create a five card poker hand and a two card poker hand from seven cards that beat both of the bank's hands. The five-card hand's rank must exceed that of the two-card hand, and it is for this reason that the two-card hand is often called the hand 'in front', 'on top', 'hair', or the 'small', 'minor', or 'low' hand. The five-card hand is called the hand 'behind', or the 'bottom', 'high', or 'big', as they are placed that way in front of the player, when the player is done setting them.
Deals[edit]
The cards are shuffled, and then dealt to the table in seven face-down piles of seven cards per pile. Four cards are unused regardless of the number of people playing.
Betting positions are assigned a number from 1 to 7, starting with whichever player is acting as banker that hand, and counting counter-clockwise around the table. A number from 1 to 7 is randomly chosen (either electronically or manually with dice), then the deal begins with the corresponding position and proceeds counter-clockwise. One common way of using dice to determine the dealer starting number is to roll three six-sided dice, and then count betting spots clockwise from the first position until the number on the dice is reached.
If a player is not sitting on a particular spot, the hand is still assigned, but then placed on the discard pile with the four unused cards. In some casinos, such as the Golden Nugget and Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada, an extra 'dragon hand' is dealt if a seat is vacant. After all players have set their original hand they are asked in turn if they would like to place another bet to play the dragon hand. Generally the bet on the dragon hand can be the table minimum up to the amount the player bet on their original hand. The first player to accept the dragon hand receives it; this player is effectively playing two separate hands. Rules vary from casino to casino, but generally the dealer turns over the dragon hand and sets it using the house way. This is because the player has already seen the seven cards of their original hand, which could affect the way they would set the dragon hand.
Hand rankings[edit]
The only two-card hands are one pair and high cards.
Five-card hands use standard poker hand rankings with one exception: in most casinos, the 'wheel' (the hand A-2-3-4-5) is the second-highest straight. At most casinos in California and Michigan this rule doesn't apply, and A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible straight.
The joker plays as a bug, that is, in the five-card hand it can be used to complete a straight or flush if possible; otherwise it is an ace. In the two-card hand it always plays as an ace, except in several southern Californian casinos where the joker is wild.
Win reckoning[edit]
If each of the player's hands beats each of the banker's corresponding hands, then he wins the bet. If only one of his hands beats the banker then he pushes (ties) in which case neither he nor the banker wins the bet. If both of his hands lose to the banker then he loses.
On each hand, ties go to the banker (for example, if a player's five-card hand loses to the banker and his two-card hand ties the banker then the player loses); this gives the banker a small advantage. If the player fouls his hand, meaning that his two-card hand outranks his five-card hand, or that there are an incorrect number of cards in each hand, there will usually be a penalty: either re-arrangement of the hand according to house rules or forfeiture of the hand.
In casino-banked games, the banker is generally required to set his hand in a pre-specified manner, called the 'house way', so that the dealer does not have to implement any strategy in order to beat the players. When a player is banking, he is free to set the hand however he chooses; however, players have the option of 'co-banking' with the house, and if this option is chosen then the player's hand must also be set in the house way.
California casinos typically charge a flat fee per hand (such as 5 cents or one dollar) to play, win or lose. Other casinos take a 5% commission out of the winnings, which is usually known as the rake.[3]
Variants[edit]
There are a number of variations of Pai Gow poker that are popular in casinos today. These variations were mainly formulated in 2004 through 2009. Pai Gow Mania was the first variation to be created which allows for two side bets instead of the traditional one side bet per hand. Fortune Pai Gow is another variation which allows players to make a side bet on a poker hand ranking of three-of-a-kind or better, one of the most popular variations. Similar is Emperors Challenge, which also allows a side bet on a seven-card pai gow (no hand). Shuffle Master introduced a variation of the game in 2006, adding a progressive jackpot side bet, named Progressive Fortune Pai Gow. Part or all of the jackpot may be won by placing a side bet and landing one of the hands specified on the payout table; a combined seven-card straight flush wins the entire jackpot.[4]
Advantage play[edit]
Advantage play refers to legal methods used to gain an advantage while gambling. In pai gow poker, a player may be able to gain an advantage in certain circumstances by banking as often as possible, taking advantage of unskilled players while banking, and dealer errors when not banking.[3]
History[edit]
Sam Torosian, owner of the Bell Card Club in Los Angeles, invented the game of Pai Gow Poker in 1985. The idea for the game came to Torosian after being told about the game Pusoy by an elderly Filipino customer. He figured that the 13-card game with players arranging three hands would be too slow, but a simplified two-hand version with only seven cards would be faster and easier for players to learn. The game quickly became popular and by the late 1980s was being played on the Las Vegas Strip, and eventually worldwide. Torosian famously failed to patent the game he invented after being given bad advice by an attorney he consulted, and noted poker author Mike Caro, both of whom told him that the game was not patentable.[1]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abRichard Marosi (3 November 2002). 'Casino Boss Can't Cash In on Game He Developed'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ^Michael Shackleford. 'Pai Gow Poker'. The Wizard of Odds. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ^ abWong, Stanford (1993). Optimal strategy for Pai Gow Poker. La Jolla, CA.: Pie Yee Press. ISBN978-0935926170.
- ^'Pai Gow Poker Variants'. Play Pai Gow Now. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pai_gow_poker&oldid=987753456'
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How to Play Pai Gow Poker
The reason Pai Gow poker continues to be a casino staple, both online and off, is because it’s a fun, rewarding game that’s very easy to pick up. The object of the game is to make two poker hands: one 5-card hand and one 2-card hand. If your two hands beat the dealer’s hands, you win! If only one of your two hands beats the dealer’s, it’s a push (a tie) and the bet is neither won nor lost.
To play most version of Pai Gow poker, all you need is a standard 52-card deck with one Joker, which can be used only as an Ace or to complete any straight or flush. The game begins with individual wagers getting placed and the dealer rolling dice in a cup to determine who receives the first hand. Once the order is determined, the cards are dealt in a clockwise rotation as indicated by the dice.
Each player receives seven cards to make their two hands of five and two. The hand containing five cards is known as the high hand while the one with just two cards is known as the low hand. The five-card high hand uses the same ranking system you may already know from standard poker games. The two-card low hand can only be two high cards or a pair, with a pair of Aces being the best possible outcome players can hope for.
It’s important to note that your 5-card hand MUST be higher than your low hand. For example, if you’re dealt an Ace, a Queen, a Jack, two 8s, a four and a six of different suits, your pair of 8s can’t make up the low hand. Because the high hand must outrank the low hand, the pair you’ve been dealt in this example must be the high hand and the Ace, Queen-high would be the low hand.
Failing to make your high hand outrank your low hand is called “fouling your hand” and can cost players their bets. Luckily, when you play Pai Gow poker online at our casino, our games have mechanics built-in to them to prevent players from making this costly mistake. This is a tip reserved for those of you who may venture to a Pai Gow poker table at land casino, but it’s still worth knowing even if you’re playing exclusively online as it’ll help you get accustomed to the flow of the game.
Another important thing to note about playing Pai Gow poker online is to leave everything you know about regular poker at the door--besides what makes a winning hand, of course. Whether you’ve come up playing 5-card stud or Texas Hold ‘Em, if you have any experience with poker then you know that the key to the game is not to play the cards but the players at the table. Real money Pai Gow poker doesn’t work this way. Pai Gow poker is all about beating the dealer. Forget about what cards the person next to you is holding. Just focus on beating both the dealer’s high and low hands.
Online Pai Gow Poker Strategy
Something all players need to remember about real money Pai Gow poker is that you can’t lose your money if just one of your hands beats the dealer. With this in mind, the most common strategy for playing Pai Gow poker is for players to split their hand, giving them the strongest possible two-card hands.
Of course, there are exceptions to every strategy. Include this one. If you’re able to make a strong five-card hand like a straight or better, then splitting your hand could be counterproductive.
When playing hands with no pairs, the best thing for new players to do is to leave the highest-ranked card in the big hand and put the second two highest-ranking cards in the front hand. This way your front hand is as strong as possible without outranking the back hand.
Some basic online Pai Gow poker strategies new players can lean on include:
If you have one pair in your hand: play the pair in your high hand and leave the other two highest cards in your low hand.
If you have two pairs, you should split them up if: you’ve been dealt a pair of Aces, two high pairs (i.e. a pair of any face cards or Aces), one high pair and one medium (pairs of sevens through tens).
If you are dealt two pairs, you should split them up unless you have an Ace. So, two medium pairs or one high pair and one low pair.
You should always play a 3-of-a-kind in your high hand unless you have an Ace. If you’re dealt three Aces, it’s certainly tempting to leave them all in your high hand, but a pair of Aces is typically enough to beat the dealer’s high hand, and an Ace-high in your low hand may be the edge you need to beat their other hand.
You should always play straights and flushes in your high hand unless you also have two pairs. Spreading the wealth across both of your hands can be the difference between winning and settling for a push.
How To Play Pai Gow
It’s counter-intuitive, but split-up four-of-a-kinds. This is a great strategy particularly if you are dealt a four-of-a-kind of Jacks or higher. Juegos de maquinitas gratis tragamonedas. In virtually any form of poker, players are over the moon to be dealt a four-of-a-kind because their odds of winning are high from the beginning. However, in Pai Gow poker, you have to beat two hands, so while it may seem counter-intuitive to break up a four-of-a-kind, it increases your chances of avoiding a push.
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Break up the Full House. Another counter-intuitive tip for anyone who has ever played a poker game that wasn’t influenced by Pai Gow, but it really comes in handy. If you’re dealt a Full House, place the pair in your 2-card hand and the three-of-a-kind in your 3-card hand. The only exception is if you’re dealt a second pair. In the event that you’re lucky enough to have a Full House with a pair to spare, it’s ideal to put the high pair in your 2-card hand while construction the Full House with the lower pair.
If you have a hand with five Aces..Some card players are probably looking at this with mouths agape, ready to laugh at the egregious error included in this Pai Gow poker strategy guide. However, it is possible for players to be dealt five aces because remember the Jokers are in play and can be counted as an Ace. With this in mind, it is possible for players to be dealt five Aces--even though it’s not common. However, if you ever find yourself with a hand that has five Aces, it’s certainly jarring to see.
Once you get over the initial shock of seeing five Aces in your hand, make sure to split them up so that you have three-of-a-kind and a pair of Aces. The odds of the dealer having a better high hand or low hand are minuscule. The only exception is when you have a pair of Kings with your five Aces. Make your low hand out of the pair of Kings and keep your five Aces together and you’re almost guaranteed to win.
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