A quick overview of Pai Gow Poker…
Yet another game with an Oriental origin is pai gow. The game is played almost strictly by Asians,
and the rules and strategy are rather difficult to learn. The game is played on a blackjack-sized
table, and is played with dominos, not cards. (Pai gow means "heavenly dominos.") The 32-specially
designed dominos are "shuffled" by sliding them around the table face down. The dealer then throws
three dice to determine which player will start the deal. All players, including the casino, take
turns at being the dealer. Each player, including the dealer, gets four dominos, which he studies,
and then forms into two separate hands; the front, or high hand, and the back, or low hand. The strategy
is complicated, but to win, both of the player's high hand must beat the dealer's high hand, and his low
hand must be lower than the dealer's low hand. If one wins and the other loses, no money changes hands; it's a push.
Since pai gow is a game of skill, it's difficult to estimate a house edge. The difficulty is confounded
by the fact that the dealer banks the game, rather than the casino. Few Occidentals have taken the time
to learn the complicated procedures that govern how to set the hands, but there is an American cousin
that has taken the casino world by storm.
The Western Version
The introduction of pai gow into the U.S. spurred the development of a similar game, pai gow poker,
uses cards rather than dominos. It is similar to pai gow in that it is a game of skill, with a front
(high) and a back (low) hand. As with pai gow, the player must win both hands to be paid. The hands
are easy for non-Asians to understand because they are based on poker hands.
Pai gow poker is the only casino game introduced in the past five years that offers the players a
reasonable chance to win. Since it is a game of skill, players with a complete understanding of
the game have a definite advantage over novice or even intermediate players. Such skillful players
can actually gain a long-term theoretical edge over the casino, just like an expert blackjack player can.
The game starts when one player is designated as the dealer/banker, who is responsible for banking the
bets at the table. If no one wants to be the banker, the house will act as the banker. The game is played
with a standard 52-card deck, with on Joker added that can be used as an Ace. The Joker can also be used
to complete a straight, flush or straight flush.
Before the deal begins, the casino dealer shakes three dice, which determines the order of the deal.
Each player is then dealt seven cards. The player then must "set" two hands: the back hand, which is
composed of five cards, and the front hand, which consists of two. The back hand should always be the
stronger hand. If a player accidentally sets a stronger front hand, he automatically loses his bet.
If the banker/dealer makes this mistake, however, the casino dealer will re-set the hands according
to the casino's policy.
To win, the player's two hands must beat the two hands of the dealer/banker. If only one hand wins,
the bet is a push. If both hands lose, the dealer/banker collects the bet. If the player and the
dealer/banker have exact hands, it is called a "copy." All copies go to the dealer/banker, and if
he wins the other hand, the player loses the bet. A "double copy," where both hands are exactly the
same, is awarded to the dealer/banker. This, thankfully, is a very rare occurrence.
This is the rule that gives the dealer/banker the advantage, and is the reason why, if you decide
to play pai gow poker, you should take the opportunity to be the dealer/banker whenever possible.
Even though the house takes a five percent commission on all winning bets, acting as the dealer/banker
and playing with expert strategy can actually turn the casino advantage toward individual, skillful
players. If you don't take advantage of the opportunity to play the dealer/banker role, winning over
the long term is impossible. This means that if you play pai gow poker, you will need a bankroll to
cover all the bets at the table.
Play Pai Gow Poker Now!!
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