Pai Gow Poker Practice
This is a casino gambling game based on the Chinese Domino game Pai Gow but played with playing-cards and poker combinations instead of with dominoes. It can be played by up to seven players. A pack of 52 cards plus one joker is used. The joker is a wild card which can be used only as an ace, or to complete a straight, a flush or a straight flush. Learning how to split two pair in Pai Gow Poker requires a little memorization and a lot of practice (we’ll tell you where to get the practice in a moment). It’s the one area of the game that is less than straightforward and is certainly one of the advanced pai gow poker strategies you can use to shave the edge as low as possible. Most Pai Gow Poker strategy sites seem to recommend that. CV Pai Gow Poker is designed to realistically emulate the various Pai Gow Poker games played in casinos around the world. Play for fun or for practice for serious casino play.
Pai Gow is based on an old Chinese dominos game that was later converted into poker for those who prefer cards. Today, you can find it in online and land-based casinos, and it is played with a traditional 52-card deck. Learning more about the Pai Gow card game can help you enjoy the time you spend playing, and it may even boost your winnings, too.
Free Pai Gow Poker Practice
The rules of Pai Gow Poker are relatively simple: each player receives seven cards and splits them into two separate hands - a hand of five cards, called 'the back', and a hand of two cards, called 'the front'. NB The five card hand must always rank higher than the two. The Pai Gow card game is different from other forms of poker namely because the player does not compete with other players at the table. You will only compete against the house. What's more, in almost every Pai Gow poker casino, there is a significant house edge of between 2.5% and 2.7% when using a simplified strategy.
Free Practice Pai Gow Poker
What is Pai Gow Poker and How Does It Compare to Other Poker
Pai Gow puts the player against the dealer with a 52-card deck plus the Joker. After betting, both you and the dealer receive seven cards; your cards are face-up while the dealer's cards are face-down. You must divide those seven cards into one hand with five cards and another hand with two cards, and the former must rank higher than the latter in order to win the bet. All wins are even money Pai Gow.
The Pai Gow card game is different from other forms of poker namely because the player does not compete with other players at the table. You will only compete against the house. What's more, in almost every Pai Gow poker casino, there is a significant house edge of between 2.5% and 2.7% when using a simplified strategy. Many other poker games have a much lower house edge, and rather than playing against the house, you will play against other people.
Tips When Playing the Pai Gow Card Game
When playing Pai Gow, there are a few tips to keep in mind to help you get the most out of your experience and win against the house more frequently.
- Study the hand ranks - Your goal is to separate your cards into hands that rank higher than the dealer's hand, so understanding the various ranks - starting with Straight, Flush, Straight Flush and Royal Flush - will help you make better choices.
- The larger hand must be the stronger one - When building your hand, remember that the five-card one must always rank higher than the smaller two-card one. Otherwise, you will lose that bet.
- Practice at home by yourself - Before you start playing for real money, get out a deck of cards or find a free game online and practice. This is the best way to familiarize yourself with the game and grow more comfortable with it.
Choosing the Right Casino that Offers Table Games
Most online casinos offer table games, but Pai Gow is not quite as popular as other forms of poker, which means not all casinos have it. After narrowing down your list to actual Pai Gow poker casinos, the next step is to look at the overall house edge. If this at or below 2.7%, take a look at the table limits to make sure they fit within your betting strategy. Finally, choose the Pai Gow poker casino that will give you the best bonus for table games, which can help you grow your bankroll a great deal as you play.
Types of Casino Poker Code Promos
When looking for codes that can help you increase your available funds, the codes available to you will depend on your status with the venue. If you are a new player, you may be given anywhere from $5 to $50 to play for free, though you won't be able to cash out any winnings until you've met the venue's wagering requirements. As an existing casino patron, check your emails for various table game promotions and take advantage of any loyalty codes that may be available to you, as well.
The Pai Gow card game is not nearly as popular as other options like Texas Hold'em, but it is a favorite among those who play it, and with the right strategy, you can easily walk away a winner. Be sure to take advantage of the best bonuses available to increase your winnings and remember that practice always makes perfect when it comes to games of strategy.
This is a casino gambling game based on the Chinese Domino game Pai Gow but played with playing-cards and poker combinations instead of with dominoes. It can be played by up to seven players.
A pack of 52 cards plus one joker is used. The joker is a wild card which can be used only as an ace, or to complete a straight, a flush or a straight flush.
On each deal the dealer plays against the other players. Before the deal, each of the other players puts up a stake.
Seven cards are dealt to each player. All players other than the dealer look at their cards and divide them to form two hands - a two card hand and a five card hand. The relative values of the five card hands are the same as in poker, with one exception: A-2-3-4-5 is the second highest type of straight or straight flush, ranking between A-K-Q-J-10 and K-Q-J-10-9. Five aces is the highest hand, beating a straight flush. For the two card hand, any pair beats any two unmatched cards, but no other combinations are possible.
The player must arrange the cards so that the five card hand is higher than the two card hand (so if the two cards were a pair of aces, the five card hand would have to contain two pairs or better). Players are not allowed to discuss their hands at any stage.
The players place their two hands face down, and when all are ready, the dealer's seven cards are exposed. The other players may not touch their cards from this point on. The dealer forms the seven exposed cards into a five and a two in the same way as the players.
Then all the players' cards are exposed. The result between the dealer and each player is determined by comparing the player's 5 card hand with the dealer's 5 card hand and the player's 2 card hand with the dealer's 2 card hand:
- If the player wins both hands the dealer pays out the amount staked by the player.
- If the dealer wins one hand and the player wins the other no money changes hands. This is called a 'push'.
- If the dealer wins both hands the dealer wins the player's stake.
If either hand is tied, the dealer wins that particular hand. So if the dealer wins one hand while the other is tied, or if both hands are tied, the dealer wins. If one hand is tied and the player wins the other it is a push (no money changes hands).
- Note on the deal
- When this game is played formally, a rather elaborate method of dealing is used. Seven hands of seven cards are dealt, one card at a time, and the remaining four cards are discarded unseen. The dealer then throws three dice and counts around the players at the table counter-clockwise, starting with himself, up to the dice total to determine who gets the first hand which was dealt. The following hands go to the other players, in counter-clockwise rotation.
- Dealer's advantage
- The dealer obviously has an advantage (winning tied hands), so if you want the game to be fair everyone has to deal an equal number of times during the session.
For another description, see the Pai Gow Poker FAQ of the newsgroup rec.gambling.misc
Practice Playing Pai Gow Poker
The Pai Gow Poker at The Pogg has rules, analysis and a strategy calculator.
The Casino-info.com site has a page of Pai Gow Poker rules and strategy.
Pai Gow Poker Free has information on Pai Gow Poker rules, strategy and odds and a selection of places where you carn play online for fun.
The Pai Gow Poker section of the Casino Advisor web site has Pai Gow Poker rules and advice.