Famous in the US, but almost completely unknown in Canada: Pai Gow Poker. How does it work and where can you play it?
Pai Gow Poker is a gambling game based on a Chinese domino game: Pai Gow.
In China, it’s called hopes you’re a bit in tune: 牌九
The name is Pai Gow means something like ‘make nine’. Initially, the game was played with domino tiles.
An American casino manager discovered Pai Gow in the 1980s and saw potential for his casino. He adapted the rules, replaced the domino tiles with playing cards, and renamed the game Pai Gow Poker. Because poker, the Americans already knew that, but not the strange Chinese game.
Like Poker, but Different
Pai Gow Poker is played with 53 playing cards: the 52 regular cards (13 diamonds, 13 clubs, 13 spades, and 13 hearts) plus a joker.
| Differences | Pai Gow Poker | Traditional Poker |
| Number of Cards | 7 cards (5-card High hand, 2-card Low hand) | 5 cards |
| Wild Card | Includes a Joker that can be used strategically | No Wild Card |
| Gameplay | Player vs. Dealer | Player vs. Player |
| Hand Rankings | Unique rankings combining poker and dominos | Traditional poker hand rankings |
| Objective | Beat dealer’s hands with both High and Low hands | Beat other players’ hands |
| Strategy | Focus on setting two hands to beat the dealer | Relies heavily on player skill and bluffing |
| Winning Conditions | Both hands must beat the dealer to win | One stronger hand wins the round |
The rules are fairly simple, and you’ll learn them faster than, for example, the rules of blackjack.
The winning combinations of cards are almost the same as in poker. Almost. The difference lies in the Ace. In poker, the Ace is both the highest and the lowest card in the game.
For example: if you have a ‘straight’ in poker with an Ace, your chances are as follows:
- You have a straight with the cards 10-J-Q-K-A. Congratulations, you have the highest possible straight.
- You have a straight with the cards A-2-3-4-5. Less congratulations, you have the lowest possible straight.
In Pai Gow Poker, it’s a bit different because for the Chinese, the Ace in a straight Ace through Five is the highest card. This straight, therefore, beats a straight 9-10-J-Q-K and lower. Can you follow?
Seven Cards
Okay, let’s play. Each player receives seven cards, and the bank also receives seven cards, but the bank’s cards remain hidden for now.
Each player then divides their cards into two ‘hands’. One hand with five cards and one hand with two.
Can you arbitrarily decide which hand gets five cards and which gets two? Not entirely. Your hand with five cards must be ‘higher’ than your hand with two cards. At the same time, it’s advisable – but not necessarily required – to split your seven cards in such a way that you get the highest possible combinations in each hand that you can make with your seven cards.
In the example below, we divide the cards so that the hand with five cards has a pair of Jacks, and the hand with two cards has a pair of Sixes.
Afraid you won’t make a good choice? No worries: if you play in an online casino, there’s always the option to let the computer make the best choice. You then click on the ‘House way’ box.
The Joker
Are you still with me? Good. If you’ve been paying attention, and you have, then you’re wondering: ‘Yes, yes, that’s all well and good, but if I’m not mistaken, there was also a joker in the game.’
Absolutely correct! Unlike in many other card games, the Joker doesn’t count as any card you want. Unfortunately. The Joker can only be used to complete a straight or a flush. If that’s not possible or you don’t want to, then the Joker counts as an Ace.
Showdown
Okay, we have seven cards, and we’ve divided them into two hands. It’s time for the truth — are we going to win, or are we not? The bank reveals its cards first. The dealer divides their cards into two hands according to a set ‘house way’.
Once that’s done, your two hands are compared to those of the bank. If both of your hands are higher than the bank’s, you win. You win one time your bet minus a 5 percent commission, which is for the bank. In the example below, you have two Jacks and two Sixes, while the bank has two Fours and an Ace-Jack. Both of your hands are therefore higher. You get your bet of €5 paid out plus €4.75 in winnings.
If you have one higher hand and one lower hand, nothing happens – you keep your bet. This is also the case if you have one higher hand and one hand that is equal to the bank’s.
You lose if your two hands are equal to the bank’s. If you have one lower hand and one hand equal to the bank’s, you also lose. Too bad.
The payout percentage (RTP) of Pai Gow Poker is 97.15%. Not as good as blackjack, but comparable to roulette, so not a bad bet.