If you wander through the table games section of any major casino, you will eventually discover the slow, methodical game of Pai Gow Poker.
Because the game frequently results in a "push" (a tie), the variance is incredibly low, making it difficult to lose money quickly.
How to Set Your Hands in Pai Gow
After placing a bet, every player at the table, along with the dealer, receives exactly seven cards face down.
Once everyone has "set" their hands, they are compared directly against the dealer's two corresponding hands to determine the winner.
The casino always wins exact ties (e.g., your Ace-King ties the dealer's Ace-King)The house takes a mandatory 5% commission on all winning bets to maintain their edgeYou can ask the dealer to set your cards according to the "House Way" automatically
The Strategy of Setting the "House Way"
Because players must arrange their own cards, Pai Gow Poker introduces an element of strategic skill not found in baccarat or roulette.
Playing the House Way is mathematically sound and ensures you never make a terrible, highly unprofitable mistake when splitting a difficult hand.
The Most Relaxing Game in the Casino
The defining characteristic of Pai Gow Poker is its incredibly slow, relaxed, and highly sociable pace of play.
It is essentially the ultimate "hangout" game on the casino floor, requiring very little mental energy once you understand the basic mechanics.
Two-Card Hand RuleValid CombinationInvalid CombinationMust be weaker than 5-cardPair of 2s (if 5-card has Pair of Kings)Pair of Aces (if 5-card has no pair)Card Types AllowedHigh Cards or Pairs OnlyStraights/Flushes impossible with 2 cards
Pai Gow Poker beautifully combines the intricate hand rankings of traditional poker with a forgiving, highly social casino structure.
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A Guide to Playing Pai Gow Poker
Antony Craigie edited this page 2026-08-07 12:27:50 +02:00