I’m sure you’ve been walking through a casino or playing on absolutepoker download at some point or another wondering what the heck that particular game is? Well, you never know until you learn, which brings me to Pai Gow poker.
It’s one of the easiest games to learn and, for me, was one of the last poker games I ever learned. For those who might still be walking by one of the few Pai Gow poker tables in a casino and not know how to play, here’s a run-through for you.
Assuming you already know the basic rules of poker by playing on Pai Gow takes those and applies them to two different poker hands for each player, and the dealer.
Each player is dealt seven cards, from which you make your best five-card poker hand and, separately, your best two-card poker hand. Obviously in the two-card poker hand, something like a straight or flush doesn’t factor into the equation…you’re looking for high card or pairs.
Once you’ve set your hands, you play against the dealer’s two hands. The pkr poker.com player must have a better poker hand for both of his or her hands in order to win.
Betting is set before the cards come out. You make one bet, and can be any amount that falls within the minimum or maximum amount set by the table.
I’ll get into strategy in a future article, but there is a good amount of strategy you might not think about regarding how to set your hand.
So how does www.PartyPoker.com make its money on this game? In a word, commissions. If you lose, obviously, you forfeit your bet. However, even when you win, the dealer takes a 5% commission of your winnings.
Something else to note, Pai Gow poker can be a slow game, and it’s probably not one you want to play if you’re looking at a chance to score a quick buck to bankroll your alcohol for the evening. Most hands end in ties, and thus you can go for a few hours without taking in or losing much scratch, depending, of course, on how much you’re putting up.
One last tidbit for Pai Gow poker.com newbies, most games will incorporate a joker into the mix. Virtually unseen at casinos, the joker can only be used to complete a straight, flush or straight flush. If that won’t work for you, the joker automatically becomes an Ace. And since you can’t get a straight or flush in the two-card hand, a joker placed there is always counted as an Ace.