Introduction
Before sitting down at a poker table, it is important to find out about
the optimal strategies related to that specific form of poker. When
playing Pai Gow poker, there are a number of things to look out for and
consider before placing a bet. Taking time to read about these
strategies and putting them to practice should give you an excellent
advantage when you next play Pai Gow poker.
A Run Down on the Rules of Pai Gow Poker
In Pai Gow poker, the dealer deals 7 card hands in front of the chip
tray. A RNG (or dice) determines which player gets which hand.
Players then arrange their card hands into one high hand and one low
hand. Thereafter, the dealer also arranges his or her hand according
to specific house rules. Each player’s five-card hand is compared to
the dealers and then the two-card hands are compared. If both of these
hands outrank the dealer’s hand, the player wins. If the dealer’s hand
wins one of the two, he wins all. If there is a tie, the dealer also
wins.
So What is
the Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow Poker?
Be the Dealer
Statistics show that if a player is a dealer in Pai Gow poker, he or she
has a greater chance of winning. Therefore, players should aim to be
the dealer as much as possible. If players bet more while being
dealer, they will be playing an advantage. Look out for Pai Gow poker
tables that do not have many players at them. This will ensure that
players get to be the dealer more often than at a table with many
players.
Split Cards Up Right
It is particularly important to know just how to split cards in Pai Gow
poker. Much information has been written about just how to split your
cards in a game, but the following table should give you a fair
indication of what to aim for:
|
Hand Dealt |
Two-Card Hand |
Five-Card Hand |
No
pair
|
Place second and third highest cards here. |
|
One
pair
|
Place pair here. |
Place two highest singleton cards here. |
Two
pair
Should be split except:
-
Both pairs are 6 or less than that.
-
Both pairs are 10 or less (plus 1
Ace singleton)
-
A pair of face cards, a pair of 5 or
less (plus 1 Ace singleton)
|
|
|
Three
Pair
|
Place highest pair here. |
|
|
Three of a Kind |
|
Place here (although three Aces should be split) |
|
Twice Three of a Kind |
|
Place higher pair here. |
|
Straights and Flushes
The exception for playing in the high hand (and instead play as a
two pair) if:
You have Aces plus any other pair
Or both pairs are 10 or over.
Or both pairs are 10 or under with an Ace singleton. |
|
Place in this hand. |
|
Full House
Should be usually split. |
Pair of 2s and Ace/King can be placed here. |
|
|
Full House with Three of a Kind and Two Pairs |
Place the highest pair here. |
|
Four
of a Kind
2-6 – kept together
7-10 – split unless Ace or face card can be played in two-card
hand.
Jack-King – split unless hand contains pair of 10s or higher.
Aces – split unless pair of 7’s (or higher) can be played in
two-card hand. |
|
|
|
Straight Flush
This should be played as a two-pair when you have:
Aces and any pair.
Two pairs of tens or higher.
Ten pairs of tens or less plus 1 Ace singleton. |
|
Place here. |
Royal
Flush
This should be played as a two-pair when you have:
Aces and any pair.
Two pairs of tens or higher.
Also note:
A royal flush should be broken up if a straight or flush can be
played in a five-card hand and the king (or better) in the
two-card hand. |
|
Place here. |
|
Five Aces
These should be split unless a pair of kings can played in the
two-card hand. |
|
|
Other Strategies to Improve your Pai Gow Game:
Sound Money Management
No amount of studying and implementing optimal strategies will help if
gamblers don’t learn to manage their money properly at the casinos.
This entails more than simply sticking to a vague budget. Players need
to have an exact idea of how much they intend spending at the Pai
Gow table and how much they can really afford to lose. It is also a
good idea to keep a running list of just how much was spent and how much
was won to give players an overall picture of how they did at their Pai
Gow session. This also helps for tax purposes.
Practice Online
While it is certainly exciting to play live Pai Gow poker around a
casino table, there are still major advantages to playing online. One
of them is the fact that you can practice for free, without really
needing to put down a single dollar. By playing at your own pace, you
will be able to implement all that you have learned and read up about
Pai Gow strategies. You will certainly feel less stressed (and
therefore make less mistakes) if you know that you are not risking your
precious bankroll on a practice round.
Increase your Knowledge
There are lots of great books and articles out there that give players
some real insight into optimal Pai Gow strategies. Learn to ask
questions from the experts and professionals – after all, they weren’t
born with the knowledge of being great poker players.
Conclusion
Unlike certain casino games that are based on pure luck, Pai Gow players
have the definite option of determining their own fate during a gambling
session. Learning about optimal strategy and putting it to practice
will certainly increase your bankroll and your player satisfaction!
|
