How To Play Pai Gow Poker At The Casino

Pai Gow Poker is a fascinating and incredibly popular table game that blends ancient Chinese mechanics with modern American poker.


The game is famous for its incredibly high number of 'pushes' (ties), meaning your bankroll will last a very long time.

How to Set Your Hands in Pai Gow

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, plus one single Joker which acts as a semi-wild card.


You must arrange your cards into a five-card back hand and a two-card front hand, following traditional poker rankings.

The dealer must set their hand according to a strict set of casino rules called the 'House Way'If you are confused, you can always ask the dealer to set your hand according to the House Way for youBecause tying is so common, the casino takes a 5% commission on all winning bets to maintain their house edge
The Smartest Way to Play Pai Gow

Because you need to win both hands to make a profit, you cannot just stack all your best cards in the five-card hand.


When dealt a hand with no pairs (a 'Pai Gow'), you put your highest card in the back and your next two highest in the front.

Starting HandFive-Card Hand (High)Two-Card Hand (Low)Pair of Aces & Pair of 4sPair of AcesPair of 4sFull House (Three 8s, Two Kings)Three 8sPair of Kings

By learning how to balance your high and low hands perfectly, you can enjoy one of the best table games in the casino.