Play Pai Gow Poker Online for Free

If you are not in a rush and just want to enjoy a slow-paced game, Pai Gow Poker can be the best possible solution. In the mid-1980s, it was created by Sam Torosian, an American casino owner. Today, it happens to be a popular table game in online casinos.

Pai Gow Poker needs you to make one 5-card hand and one 2-card hand. If you manage to beat the dealer’s two poker hands, you become a winner. Although it may seem quite simple, it has some nuances.

How to Play Pai Gow Poker?

Before the cards are dealt, each player has to make a minimum bet. Then, they can start playing PaiGow Poker.

Every player and the dealer receives seven cards from a standard deck of 52 cards. They have to make two poker hands – a five-card “high” hand and a two-card “low” hand. Once they are ready, they reveal their cards. To become a winner, player’s hands should be stronger than the dealer’s hands. If the player and dealer have the same hands, the dealer is considered to be a winner.

Generally, PaiGow Poker is known as a game of pushes. Because it ends up with a draw in 41% of rounds. To get a draw, the player needs to win one hand and the dealer wins another hand. As a result, no money is exchanged.

Setting the Hands

When you play Pai Gow, you should know how to arrange your cards into two poker hands. Ideally, you do it in such a way to get the strongest possible two-card hand (without outranking your five-card hand). Make sure to familiarize yourself with the primary 5-card poker hands.

Players are responsible for forming their own hands. They should do it with extra care as it determines the success of their bet. If you don’t know how to set your hand, the dealer may assist you. This service option is supported in some online casinos.

Pai Gow Poker Tips

Knowing how to play Pai Gow is not enough to become a winner. You should learn special tricks that would help you make the right decisions. Here are a few tips to follow:

• Put all possible variations of pairs apart. These include two high pairs and a high pair linked to a medium pair.
• Separate two medium pairs or a high pair and a low pair (22 through 66) unless you have an Ace. If there is an Ace, you can put a two-card pair in the back and an Ace in the front.
• Put your highest card in the back and two second highest-ranked cards in the front if you have no made hand (a pair or better).
• Separate two medium pairs or a medium and low pair combo unless you have an Ace or a King in your hand.
• Split Aces into pairs by putting one in the back and one in the front.
• Split five aces unless you have a pair of Kings to use in the front.
• Split quads (JJ+) into two pairs.
• Keep quads in the back and play your hand in the front if you have quad 6s or lower.

These tips can be used as part of your strategy. While playing Pai Gow Poker for free, you can master the rules. Once you get used to them, you will start demonstrating better results.