Pai Gow Poker is a variation of poker that offers a very unique gaming experience to those who are looking for something a bit different. This game has been developed from the Chinese game which is called Pai Gow. The words Pai Gow mean to make nine. The original form of Pai Gow uses tiles that are similar to dominoes and dice. The original game has a military style to it and is actually quite complicated.
A huge change was made in the game during the 20th century when the game made its way to the US. This is when the game started being played with cards and made a hit with many card playing enthusiasts. In the game there can be as many as 6 players at the table and the players will go up against the dealer which makes some players think of blackjack.
In Pai Gow Poker a 52 count pack of cards is used, as well as one of the joker cards. In this game the joker card is the wild card and it can be used as one more ace. This is done in order for the player to complete certain winning hands and this card can be a very helpful one. Before the dealing of the cards each player will put up a stake. Each player will be dealt 7 cards and all players will look at their cards, with the exception of the dealer.
The players will divide their cards in order to create two hands which will consist of a 2 card hand and a 5 card hand. The 5 card hand that the players create will mimic the hands played in poker with one important exception. Ace through 5 is the second highest straight and ranks right between ace through 10 and King through 9. The highest hand that a player can get is 5 aces. When it comes to the 2 card hand, a pair will beat unpaired cards.
When it comes to splitting their hands, the player must situate them so the 5 card hand comes out to be higher than the 2 card hand. At no stage of this game are players allowed to talk about the hands they have. The players will lay their hands down facing downwards. When all of the players are ready the dealer will expose their 7 cards.
From this point forward the players are not allowed to touch their cards. At this point the dealer will form two hands out of their exposed 7 cards. Once the dealer is done all of the player’s cards will be exposed. Each player’s hands will be compared to the dealer’s. In order for the player to win any money they must win both hands. Otherwise, it is a push, or the dealer wins. If a hand is tied then the dealer automatically wins that hand.
This game is an interesting one that many players return to play after giving it a try. It has all the elements of a great card game. A lot of players like the fact that the game has similarities to both poker and blackjack, both of which are two of the most popular casino games. This game is gaining more and more popularity as more players take note of what it offers. The online casinos give players a convenient environment they can turn to in order to learn the game and play it whenever they want. However, the Pai Gow Poker games in the land based casinos also draw in a good following of loyal players.
Top 5 recommended Pai Gow Poker casinos:
Pai Gow Poker freeplay
Pai Gow Poker free play is definitely an entertaining game with much to offer. It has really caught on and become popular with many players. If you are interested in learning how to play Pai Gow Poker then you want to make use of the resources that are available for free which will help you to start off with your best foot forward. You should participate in the Pai Gow free play games for a while so you won’t be risking any money while you learn the game. Before you make the transition to the real money games you want to make sure that you are very comfortable with the game.
When you are looking for a good online casino to play Pai Gow Poker at you want to pay particularly close attention to a couple of things. You want to make sure that you can play the Pai Gow Poker free play and real money games there. This way, you will be able to move to the real money games without needing to look for another casino. Plus, you will already be familiar with the interface of that casino and the games there.
Along with playing in the free play games, there are other ways that you can play Pai Gow Poker for free and without risking your own money. You can play the game for free when you take advantage of bonuses. Online casinos are known for offering players bonuses of all different sizes for many different reasons.
Some players have become very good at spotting and taking advantage of bonuses that help them play a lot of games without dipping into their own personal bankroll. As a new player you will have many casinos that will offer you a new player bonus you can use to play Pai Gow Poker once you meet the requirements necessary for clearing the bonus. Also, some casinos will give you free credits just for registering for a new player account.
Pai Gow Poker is one of those games you won’t truly appreciate until you try it for yourself. By making use of the Pai Gow free play games you will quickly see what it is about the game that has captured the attention of so many. Pai Gow Poker may be a simple game to learn and play, but it has big fun and many opportunities to offer those who decide to play it.
Pai Gow Poker strategy
One of the things some new Pai Gow Poker players have a problem with is they want to see the hands as if they were playing a game of straight poker. However, when you are playing Pai Gow Poker you will need to think about two hands. It can take a bit of time for a player to get this part of the game down and this is why it may be a good idea for new players to spend some time playing in the free play Pai Gow Poker games until they get the hang of things. Here are some pointers you should follow when you are playing Pai Gow Poker:
- If you don’t have a pair then you should play the highest ranking card in your 5 card hand and the two next highest cards in your other hand.
- If you have a pair then you should play it in your hand of 5 cards and then put your two next highest ranking cards in the 2 card hand.
- If you have a pair with a pair of aces then you should split.
- If you have 3 pairs then you want to play the highest of the pairs in your 2 card hand.
- If you get a 3 of a kind then play it in the hand with 5 cards unless you happen to be holding 3 aces. If you have 3 aces then you want to play the pair in your hand with 5 cards and use the ace high in the 2 card hand.
- Play a straight as your 5 card hand. If you have a 6 card straight then you should use the lower ranking part of the straight in your 5 card hand and put the higher ranking card in your 2 card hand.
- Play a flush as your 5 card hand. If you have a flush of 6 cards then you want to put the highest ranking card in to your 2 card hand.
- If you have a full house then you should split it.
- If you get a four of a kind that is created with 2’s through 6’s then you want to play it in the 5 card hand. 7’s through 10’s should be split unless you are going to be able to play a pair or an ace and a face card in your 2 card hand. Four aces should also be split unless there is also a pair of 7’s or higher that can be played in your 2 card hand.
- Play a straight flush in your 5 card hand.
- Play a royal flush in your 5 card hand.
- If you get 5 aces then you should split them unless there is a pair of kings that you can play in your 2 card hand.
