Pai Gow Poker Rules and Strategy

Pai Gow Poker is a derivative of a Chinese dominoes game. It has evolved into a poker game played with a 53 card deck, with 1 joker added. Each player and the dealer get 7 cards with which to make a 5 card hand and a 2 card hand. The goal of the game is to beat the dealer with both hands.

Pai Gow Poker Rules

After placing a wager, each player receives 7 cards face down. Each player must then arrange his cards into two hands, a 5 card hand and a 2 card hand, with both hands based on the poker value of the hand. The 5 card hand must be superior to the 2 card hand as far as poker rank. For clarification, the highest 2 card hand is AA, while the worst 2 card hand is 2,3. The joker is a wild card, however it can only be used to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush, otherwise it is counted as an Ace.

After all players have arranged their cards into two hands, the dealer will flip over his cards and arrange them into two hands based on a predetermined set of rules known as the “house way”. The dealers 5 card hand is then compared with the players 5 card hand and the same for each of their 2 card hands. The highest hand wins for each. If the player beats the dealer with both hands, the player wins even money, minus a 5% house commission. If the player and dealer split the two hands, then the hand is a push and all bets are returned. If the dealer wins both hands the player losses his wager amount. If the player and dealer have exactly the same value hand in either the 2 card hand or the 5 card hand, then the tie goes to the dealer.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

By copying the “house way” method of arranging your cards, players can come very close to playing optimal Pai Gow strategy. I recommend that players just learn and follow this set of rules, as the changes that can be made to improve your odds can be very complex and only result in a very minor increase in the player’s odds. Also, please note that many online casinos offer players an option to automatically have their cards arranged in the house way. I recommend you use this option if available to avoid mistakes. The following is the proper play in all Pai Gow situations based on the “house way”.

If you are dealt:

• No Pair: Place the highest card in the 5 card hand and the next two highest cards in the 2 card hand.
• One pair: : Place the pair in the 5 card hand and the next two highest cards in the 2 card hand.

• Two pair: The proper strategy for two pair depends on the value of the pairs dealt to you. Use the key below for the different value of pairs dealt:

  Low Pair = 2’s - 6’s Medium Pair = 7’s - 10’s High Pair = J’s - A’s

  • Low Pair and Low Pair: Split the pairs with the highest pair in the 5 card hand, unless you also hold a King or an Ace unpaired, in which case you will play the 2 pair in the 5 card hand and the A or K in the 2 card hand along with the highest remaining unpaired card.
  • Low Pair and Medium Pair: Split the pairs with the highest pair in the 5 card hand, unless you also hold a King or an Ace unpaired, in which case you will play the 2 pair in the 5 card hand and the A or K in the 2 card hand along with the highest remaining unpaired card.
  • Low Pair and High Pair: Split the pairs with the highest pair in the 5 card hand, unless you also hold an Ace unpaired, in which case you will play the 2 pair in the 5 card hand and the Ace in the 2 card hand along with the highest remaining unpaired card.
  • Medium Pair and Medium Pair: Split the pairs with the highest pair in the 5 card hand, unless you also hold an Ace unpaired, in which case you will play the 2 pair in the 5 card hand and the Ace in the 2 card hand along with the highest remaining unpaired card.
  • Medium Pair and High Pair: Always split with the highest pair in the 5 card hand.
  • High Pair and High Pair: Always split with the highest pair in the 5 card hand.
• Three pair: Always play highest pair in the 2 card hand.
• Three of a kind: Always play three of a kind in the 5 card hand, unless they are aces, in which case you should play a pair of aces in the 5 card hand, and one ace in the 2 card hand with the highest remaining card.
• Two Three of a kind’s: Always play highest pair in the 2 card hand
• Straights, flushes, and straight flushes:
  • If you have no pair in the hand, play the straight, flush or straight flush in the 5 card hand which allows you to play the best hand in the 2 card hand.
  • With one pair also dealt, play the pair in the 2 card hand only if a straight, flush, or straight flush can still be made in the 5 card hand. Otherwise, play the straight, flush or straight flush in the 5 card hand and the remaining 2 cards in the 2 card hand.
  • With two pair also dealt, follow the two pair rules.
  • With three of a kind also dealt, play the pair in the 2 card hand and the straight, flush or straight flush in the 5 card hand.
• Full house: Always split and play the pair in the 2 card hand and the trips in the 5 card, unless the pair is 2’s and you also have a Ace and a King to play in the 2 card hand.
• Full house with three of a kind and two pairs: Play the highest of the two pair in the 2 card hand.
• Full house with three of a kind twice: Always play the highest pair in the 2 card hand..
• Four of a kind: Play according to the rank of the four of a kind:
  • Four 2’s through 6’s: Always play the 4 of a kind in the 5 card hand.
  • Four 7’s through 10’s: Split the 4 of a kind, unless you also have a King or and Ace, in which case you will play the 4 of a kind in the 5 card hand and the King or Ace in the 2 card hand with the next highest card.
  • Four J’s through K’s: Split the 4 of a kind, unless you also have an Ace, in which case you will play the 4 of a kind in the 5 card hand and the Ace in the 2 card hand with the next highest card.
  • Four A’s: Always split the 4 aces.
• Four of a kind and a pair: Always play the pair in the 2 card hand and the 4 of a kind in the 5 card hand.
• Four of a kind and three of a kind: Keep the 4 of a kind in the 5 card hand and play 2 of the 3 of a kind in the 2 card hand.
• Five aces: Play three aces in the 5 card hand and the other two aces in the two card hand, unless you also have a pair of kings, then play five aces in the 5 card hand and the two kings in the 2 card hand.

Pai Gow Poker House Advantage

By correctly following the “house way” to arrange your 7 cards into two hands, the house advantage of Pai Gow Poker is approximately 2.7%.