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Pai Gow Poker
From gai gow to pai gow, this game is the poker variation of the Chinese domino game gai gow. Played with a 53-card deck, including a joker, the game is one on one, the player against the banker, each competing to get the best hand. Going at a rather slow speed and with a lot of ties, pai gow poker is much less intense than most casino games and a humble buy in can last a while.
The Rules
1. The game begins by the players making a wager.
2. Next everyone receives seven cards. A dice is rolled or a number is randomly generated to determine which player gets the first set of cards.
3. The players then arrange their seven cards into a five-card hand and a two-card hand. The five-card hand is ranked as in poker, with the exception that an A-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight. The two-card hand will either be a pair or two individual cards. The highest two-card hand is a pair of aces and the lowest hand is a 2-3.
4. After arranging all their hands the players wait for the banker to arrange theirs according to a set of fixed rules known as the "house way."
5. The player's five-card hand is compared to the dealer's five-card hand. Similarly, the player's two-card hand is compared to the dealer's two-card hand. The highest hand wins. In the event of an exact match between hands, called a copy, the tie goes to the banker. If the player wins the dealer with both hands, the player wins even money, less a 5% commission. If the player wins one and loses one the bet is a push. If the player loses both, the player loses the entire wager.
6. When setting the hands the two-card hand cannot be higher than the five-card hand. If it is, then both hands are believed "foul" and both lose. The joker can only be used to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush, otherwise it is treated as an ace. At some places if there is an empty seat, the dealer will also deal a "dragon" hand. Another player may assume the dragon hand if they wish, essentially playing two positions rather than one. The player may have to use the house way in setting the dragon hand.
7. Taking it in turns, any player can be the banker to play pai gow poker. If a player banks, the 5% commission is charged on the net win. When a player is the banker, the dealer will still play, betting an amount equal to the last bet the player made when the dealer was banking. It is strongly to the advantage of the player to be the banker as much as possible because the dealer wins on copies and the 5% commission is charged after losses are set against winnings.
8. The chance to bank usually circulates from person to person, including the house, but sometimes will crisscross between the players and the dealer. If the player wants to bank they must have enough money on the table to pay off all winning bets of the other players and dealer. The player must also have played a previous hand against the house banker to bank. Some casinos will allow the player to co-bank with the house. If this option is chosen, the casino will assume half the financial responsibility of the outcome. The player must set their hand according to the house way if co-banking.
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