Pai Gow Poker: How to Play, Rules, and Strategy

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Pai Gow Poker: How to Play and Win

Pai Gow Poker is a modern casino game that combines elements of the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow and the American game of poker. It is a slow-paced, low-risk game that is perfect for players who are looking for a more relaxed and social gaming experience. This guide will teach you the rules of Pai Gow Poker and provide you with a basic strategy to help you get started.

1. The Basics of Pai Gow Poker

The Objective

The objective of Pai Gow Poker is to create two poker hands out of the seven cards you are dealt: a five-card hand and a two-card hand. Your five-card hand must be higher in rank than your two-card hand. To win, both of your hands must be higher than the dealer's corresponding hands.

Hand Rankings

Pai Gow Poker uses the standard poker hand rankings, with one exception: the A-2-3-4-5 straight is the second-highest straight, after the 10-J-Q-K-A straight.

The Gameplay

A game of Pai Gow Poker is played as follows:

  1. Placing Your Bet: You start by placing your bet in the designated area on the table.
  2. The Deal: You and the dealer are each dealt seven cards.
  3. Setting Your Hands: You must then arrange your seven cards into two hands: a five-card hand (the "high hand") and a two-card hand (the "low hand"). Remember, your high hand must be higher than your low hand.
  4. The Showdown: Once you have set your hands, you place them face down in the designated areas on the table. The dealer then reveals their hands and compares them to yours.
  5. The Result:
  6. If both of your hands are higher than the dealer's, you win.
  7. If both of the dealer's hands are higher than yours, you lose.
  8. If you win one hand and lose the other, it's a push (a tie), and your bet is returned.
  9. If there is a tie on one of the hands (e.g., you and the dealer have the same pair), the dealer wins that hand.

2. How to Set Your Hands

The most important skill in Pai Gow Poker is learning how to set your hands correctly. Here is a basic strategy for setting your hands:

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