This game is known by different names and some call it double-hand poker while others simply call it Pai Gow poker. This is a contemporary card game present here at Love2Play.com and it is based on Chinese dominoes. The main difference is that there are no tiles like in dominoes, but a standard 52-card deck is used with one joker. The main goal is making 2 poker hands from the hand that has seven cards.
Rules of Pai Gow
In this game, it is the banker against the players. The main difference is that players get an option to serve as the bank. This, however, requires the player to have a huge bankroll if they happen to lose the bet. The hand begins by the players placing a bet after which each player is being dealt seven cards.
They need to make two poker hands out of these seven cards – via a hand of five cards and a hand of two. The hand with 5 cards is also named “behind”, “bottom”, “high” or “big” hand. The two-card hand is called “in front”, “on top”, “small”, “minor”, or “low” hand. One important rule is that the five-card hand must be higher than the hand with two cards.
Rules for The Joker
The Joker (also called the “bug” in this game) is not actually a wild and can replace only aces. The only time when it acts as a wild is to fill out a flush or a straight. The Joker also can act as a fifth card as the five of a kind is also an option in this game. The player has beat the banker only if they beat them in both of the hands. Beating the banker in one and losing in other is a tie and nobody has won. It follows that banker having both hands higher than you will result in you losing your bet.
Strategy for Playing Pai Gow
Here are some of the interesting strategies that will help you understand Pai Gow better:
- If you manage to get Five Aces, make sure to place Aces pair in front
- If you have no pairs, simply put the highest card in the back and 2nd and 3rd highest use in front
- When you manage to hit Four of a Kind and Three of a Kind, make sure to put the highest pair in front and this will make you have a full house in back
- When you manage to get a pair and a Four of a Kind, make sure to place the pair in front and Four of a Kind in back
- If you hit a Full House, it is wise to put a pair in front and Three of a Kind in back
- If you hit a Straight, a Flush, or even a Straight Flush, you want to place the two cards that are the highest in the front and a complete hand in back
There is a look at Pai Gow poker here at Love2Play.com — good luck!
