Pai Gow Poker Online

What is Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker, also known as ‘Double Hand Poker’, is a version of the famous Chinese Pai Gow but played with playing cards rather than dominoes. The game is believed to have been invented in 1985 by Sam Torosian, the owner of BCC. Today, Pai Gow is a top name in the gambling industry and is available in most Aussie online casinos. Mr Torosian failed to patent following ill advice from his lawyer, and he lost all potential fortune despite the game gaining global popularity.

Today, Pai Gow is a top name in the gambling industry and is available in most Aussie online casinos.

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Unlike other classic poker games, Pai Gow Poker is played with 53 cards consisting of the standard 52 card deck plus one Joker. The primary goal of Pai Gow is to beat the banker by forming two poker hands with seven cards; one hand with five cards (high hand) and the other hand with two cards (low hand). The pace of the game is relatively slow with a lot of pushes, making it a low-risk game and ideal for conservative punters.

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How to play Pai Gow Poker

When playing Pai Gow online, you receive a set of seven cards after placing a bet. The objective is to split your cards into a five-card hand (high or backhand) and a two-card hand (low or front hand). The only rule is that your backhand should beat your front hand. If you are familiar with the traditional casino poker, understanding the fundamentals of playing Pai Gow Poker is easier as it applies traditional poker hand rankings. Once you set your two poker hands, there are four possible outcomes:

1. Your two hands beat the banker – you win.
2. The banker wins both hands – you lose.
3. You and the banker win either hand – it is a push (you neither win nor lose).
4. You tie with the banker – the banker wins.

How to find the best site for playing Pai Gow Poker online

Experts agree that while Pai Gow Poker is available in most casinos, Aussie players should consider other features when choosing the best site for online gambling.

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Posted on 2020-11-20

ExyCasinos

Finn Wilfred

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One of the criteria of choosing the best online casino for playing Pai Gow is the convenience to deposit and withdraw funds from your account.

Layla Rischbieth

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Consider a site with reliable customer support to ensure that you are never stuck if you encounter an issue at the casino.

Charlie Hogben

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When choosing a site for playing Pai Gow Poker online, you should opt for a casino that has a variety of other casino games.

Like in other casino games, your Pai Gow Poker bet should be within the casino’s betting limits. With the frequent pushes, your stake can last you for several game rounds. Some online casinos allow players to make bonus bets independent of the main bet, which pays out when the player makes a premium hand. To win a bet, you need to arrange your two poker hands while observing the house way which may vary among casinos.

House way

Predetermined sets of rules and procedures that the players must adhere to when playing at the casino.

Different casinos have a different house way for Pai Gow Poker. Therefore, it is recommended that you first understand the house way for your casino before you start playing. For instance, the use of Joker as a wild card may vary from one gambling site to the other. Moreover, some online casinos consider it a foul when, by mistake, your lower hand outranks your high hand, in which case you automatically lose your bet. The house way also determines the style of play which could be no pair, one pair, two pairs, flush, straight or any other specified rule.

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The strategy of playing Pai Gow

If you want to play Pai Gow Poker online, mastering the rules of the game is only half the battle. Playing with a strategy is what increases your chances of winning. In Pai Gow Poker, your luck mainly depends on how the cards are dealt, but you need some skills in splitting your seven cards to better your chance of beating the banker. Once you learn how to form the best hand combination, Pai Gow will be more enjoyable and profitable. One of the best techniques is to avoid losing; forming the strongest possible two hand but ensuring the five hand ranks higher.

Pai Gow Poker has a relatively low house edge ranging between 2.4 and 2.9%. Learning the art of Pai Gow Poker hand ranking and effectively building the best hand combination or using the ‘optimal button’ is an important part of the game. The safest strategy is to avoid losing by ensuring that at least one of your hands betters either hand of the banker.

No Pair

When you are dealt with no pair, the best strategy is to play the second and third highest-ranking cards in the two-card hand and retain the highest-ranking card with the rest in the five-card hand. This ensures that you have the strongest possible low hand without outranking your high hand.

One Pair

In the event you are dealt a pair in your hand, place the pair in your high hand and then the highest two of the unpaired cards in your low hand.

Two pairs

Two pairs can be grouped into low pairs (2 to 6), medium pairs (7 to 10), high Pairs (J to K) and a pair of Aces. If you have low-low or low-medium pairs, split the pairs; but if you are holding a King or better, place the two pairs in your high hand. In case you have high-low or two medium pairs, split the pairs unless you have an Ace in which case you should play both pairs in your high hand. Always split any other pairs.

Three of a kind

If you have three of a kind, always play the 3 equally ranked cards in your high hand. However, if the three cards are Aces, place one Ace with the next highest-ranking card in the low hand and the pair of Aces in your high hand.

Straight or Flushes

When dealt a flush, a straight, straight flush or a royal flush, always play straight or flush in the high hand unless you hold two pairs. In the event you have two pairs use the two-pair above.

Full House

Unless you have a second pair, always play the pair in your low hand and three of a kind in your high hand. If you have a second pair, place the stronger pair in your low hand.

Four of a kind

When you deal with four of a kind use the following instructions:

• keep the quads of 6 or lower together in your high hand;
• split quads of 7-10 unless you can play a pair or Ace in your low hand;
• split quads of J or higher unless you also hold a pair of 10s or higher to play in low hand;
• in case of Aces, split into pairs except when you hold a pair of 4s or better.

Five Aces

If you are lucky enough to hold five aces (four Aces and a Joker), always split between the separate hands unless you also hold a pair of Kings to play in your low hand.

Optimal Button

A button on a dashboard of the Pai Gow Poker in most online casinos which you can click to automatically split your hands following the casino's house way method.

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Conclusion

Inspired by the famous Chinese domino game, Pai Gow Poker is one of the poker variants which has gained considerable popularity among Australian gamblers. With its slow pace, low house edge and a lot of pushes, Pai Gow is a relatively conservative game compared to other poker variants. Owing to its simplicity, the game is fun and exciting for both novice and veteran gamblers. However, to play Pai Gow Poker online for profit, you need to master the basic rules and apply the best strategy when splitting your poker hands.

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