Pai Gow Poker: Card Game History and Rules

Pai-Gow poker is an ancient Chinese game that first began being played in the US in the early 1800’s. The game was changed a bit, with cards being used to play rather than the traditional use of tiles. It didn’t make its way into casinos until the 1980’s.

The object of Pai-Gow poker is to make two winning poker hands to beat the banker's two hands. The player is dealt seven cards to be made into a five card hand, (which then becomes the high hand), and a two card hand (that becomes the low hand). These hands are then played and ranked as customary poker hands.

The only exceptions to this are: Ace, two, three, four, and five is the second highest straight, and the five card hand, which is the high hand, must be higher than the two card hand, which is the low hand. If the high hand and the low hand are better than the banker’s hands, you win. If you lose on both hands, you lose the game, otherwise it is a push. The banker always wins hands that are tied, such as king queen vs king queen.

This game uses all 52 cards, and one joker. The joker can be used as an Ace to make a flush or a straight. In Pai-Gow poker the only plan needed is how much to bet and how to set your hand. In the event you get stumped and don’t know what to do, you can show your hand to the dealer and they will tell you how the house would set the hand. Pairs usually win the two-card hands, and two pair usually wins the five-card hands, the only guesswork is when to split two pairs. This decision also depends on the house rules for splitting pairs. A hand that has no pairs is called a Pai-Gow.

This game is known as a relatively easy game to both learn and to play, making Pai-Gow suitable for both beginners as well as seasoned players. Pai-Gow poker is a slow moving game, which has the added advantage that a small bankroll can last a player long time. Pai –Gow is an interesting break from the usual game of poker, and is said to be an acquired taste. If you’re looking for a change in poker games or just a break from the usual, you might like to give it a try.