Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings

The hand rankings in poker are the same as traditional poker rankings.


Five Aces
A-A-A-A-Joker
Royal Flush
10-J-Q-K-A of the same suit
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All about Pai Gow poker

Pai Gow Poker is a combination of the typical American poker and the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow. It is played with a standard deck of 53 cards including a joker which is used as an Ace or to complete a Straight or a Flush. Pai Gow is a game that is played by the players against the banker in an effort to make the best possible hand. In this, however, any player can become the banker. When this occurs all players compare their hands to the bank player instead of the house dealer. In case of ties, it is the bank player who wins. Also, he will pay the winners from his pocket and will collect any losing wagers. The house will get its 5% commission on the winnings. The house and the player will take turns to be the bank. All in all, Pia Gow is not a very intense game as compared to other casino games and a small bank roll tends to last a long time.

Playing Pai Gow Poker

Players make individual bets and place them in the circle in front of them. The dealer then rolls the dice to decide which player is dealt the cards first, after which the players are given seven cards each to make two distinct poker hands. The cards are arranged into two hands: a 2-card and a 5-card hand. The five cards are the high scoring hands and must be placed in the Highest Cards section and the remaining two cards must be placed in the Low Cards section. If you place the highest-scoring cards in the Low Cards section, you lose instantly. The highest 5-card hand is a royal flush and the highest 2-card hand is Aces. With a Joker, the highest 5-card ranking hand is four Aces and a Joker. The 5-card hand must be higher than the 2-card hand. Learn to play and master Pai Gow.

The objective of the game is that the player should have both hands to rank higher than those of the banker. If the player wins on one hand but loses on the other, it's a push and no money changes hands. If one hand ranks the same as the banker's hand, it's a tie and the banker wins. Winning hands are paid even money, less a 5% commission. Losing hands lose the amount bet.

Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings

To receive a pay off you must win both hands outright. All winning wagers are paid out at even money less commission. The house wins if both of the dealer's hands are winners, or if one hand wins and the other hand is a draw. Any other combination will result in a 'push'. The house advantage is approximately 2.5%. However, when the player is the banker, the house advantage is close to even. There is a 5% commission on all player wins, which will be deducted from your payout. No commission is collected on losing hands or ties. Thus apart from the commission, the payoffs on all winning wagers are at even money.