Learn Some Basic Pai Gow Strategy and Beat the House

Despite its name, which is traditionally Pai Gow Poker, it is not a standard poker game. Rather, it is a game that is based on poker that was derived from a game that the ancient Chinese one played with dominos. You will be put up against the house and you will use a 53-card deck with a single Joker included as a wildcard.

Understanding the Objective

Before you can employ a Pai Gow strategy, you must first understand the goals. Everyone at the table receives seven cards with which they must build two separate hands - one must consist of five cards while the other consists of two. As far as ranking is concerned, everything is the same as in the traditional variant with the royal flush being at the top. However, there is one thing to keep in mind which is the smaller meld cannot be of greater value than the larger one. Simply put, a player cannot have two Aces in one and only a pair of 10s in the other as this would be considered a foul and any wager would automatically be lost.

Beating the Odds

The first thing you should know about Pai Gow strategy is that there is nothing you will ever be able to do to get a positive return since the house will always have the advantage over you. With that being said, there are some complicated guides you can read or study, but common sense is often just as helpful. Primarily, it means arranging things so that your smaller meld has the highest possible value without outranking the larger one. It makes sense because you have to be able to win both hands in order to receive any kind of payout at all.

Though it is a bit complicated at first, this is a game that can quickly become exciting. When provided with the opportunity to act as the banker, as is done in some establishments, always accept it as long as you have the bankroll to cover any winning wagers.