Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Pai Gow poker is a seven-card, two-hand poker game. Like fellow casino table games based on poker, Caribbean stud poker and let it ride poker, pai gow poker quickly won the approval of casino gamblers and poker players of longer-running games like Texas hold'em, 7-card stud, and Omaha poker.

Most major land-based and online casinos, especially Las Vegas casinos, have at least a few tables allotted for this casino game. Having an estimated 50 million players in the United States alone, poker itself is deemed America's most popular card game.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Pai Gow poker is arguably the most slow-paced poker game there is, and one of the slowest casino games as well. There is a far higher probability of a tie, compared to a win or loss, so you need time and patience to win this table game.

You can play for hours on end with no one winning or losing, which is not necessarily a disadvantage because you have as much a chance of winning as of losing. However, the house gains a slightly higher edge by charging a 5% commission on every winning bet. For example, the casino will take 25 cents off of a $5 wager that wins.

Card distribution is key to a good pai gow poker strategy. As a rule of thumb, you should distribute your cards such that at least one of your two hands is competitive, despite that it might leave your other hand weaker than it can be. This is because you would rather have a tie, in which case you neither win nor lose your bet, than two losing hands, in which case you lose your bet altogether.

Optimal Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Typically, you hold the two hands in two rows: the five-card hand in the back row and the two-card hand in the front row. Thus, "back" refers to your five-card hand and "front" refers to your two-card hand.

Non-pair
Play the highest card in the back. Play the second and third highest cards in the front.

Pair
Play the pair in the back. From the remaining five cards, play the two highest in the front.

Two Pair
The higher pair is known as the big pair, and the lower pair is known as the small pair.
If the big pair is A, K, Q, or J, play the big pair in the back. Play the small pair in the front.
If the big pair is 10, 9, 8, or 7, play both the big and small pairs in the back, provided you have an Ace. Play the Ace in the front. If there is no Ace, play the big pair in the back and the small pair in the front.
If the big pair is 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2, play both the big and small pairs in the back, provided you have a King. Play the King in the front. If there is no King, play the big pair in the back and the small pair in the front.

Three Pair
Play the big pair in the front. Play the two small pairs in the back.

Three of a Kind
If there are three Aces, form a pair of Aces and play it in the back. Play the third Ace and the next highest card in the front.
If there are three Kings or lower, play three of a kind in the back. From the remaining four cards, play the two highest in the front.

Two Sets
Play the pair from higher set in the front, leaving at least three of a kind to play in the back.

Straight Flush
If there is no pair, play the two highest possible cards in the front that still leave you a complete hand in the back.
If there is a pair, play the two highest possible cards in the front, whether a pair or non-pair, that still leave you a complete hand in the back.
If there is a two pair, follow the two pair strategy above.
If there is a three of a kind, play a complete hand in the back. Play a pair in the front.

Full House
Play a pair in the front, leaving at least three of a kind to play in the back.

Four of a Kind
If there are four Aces, Kings, Queens, or Jacks, always split into two pairs. Play one pair in the back, and the other pair in the front.
If there are four 10's, 9's, 8's, or 7's, play four of a kind in the back, provided you have an Ace or King to play in the front. If there is no Ace or King, split into two pairs. Play one pair in the back, and the other pair in the front.
If there are four 6's or lower, never split into two pairs. Play four of a kind in the back. From the remaining three cards, play the two highest in the front.
If there is a third pair, on top of your four of a kind, play four of a kind in the back. Play the other pair in the front.
If there is a three of a kind, on top of your four of a kind, play the highest possible pair in the front that leave you a full house in the back.

Five Aces
Play a pair of Aces in the front, leaving at least three of a kind Aces to play in the back.

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Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Optimal Pai Gow Poker Strategy