Pai Gow Poker Rules

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Golden Palace Online Casino is happy to provide this page all about pai gow poker rules in our Pai Gow Poker section. The rules for this interesting card game owe a lot to its ancient Chinese ancestor, the domino game of pai gow. There are also many rules that are steeped in tradition, this being such an old game. And there are also a couple of pai gow poker rules that are a little different than regular poker. One thing that is different is that pai gow poker is played with a Joker in the deck. Below, you will see how this affects the two hands.

Pai gow poker rules state that the object is to divide your seven card hand into a five-card (“Highest” or “back”) and a two-card hand (“2nd Highest” or “front”). The five-card hand must always outrank the two-card hand; this is where the terms “Highest” and “2nd Highest” originate. The reasoning for talking about the front and back hands is immediately apparent when you start playing the game, as one hand is laid out in front of the other on the table. The five-card hand is ranked the same as you’d see in traditional Poker, except that with pai gow poker rules, an A-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight; which means that it outranks a King-high straight. The two-card hand can only consist of a pair or individual cards. The highest two-card hand is a pair of aces and the lowest is a 2-3. You can divide your hand yourself, or let the computer split it, using a method called the House Way. This is done automatically, by clicking the House Way button, and is useful for those just learning pai gow poker rules.

As stated above, there is a joker included in the deck when playing pai gow poker. Pai gow poker rules say that the joker can only be used to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush, otherwise it is treated as an ace. In fact, when included in the front hand, it is always considered an Ace. Below are the pai gow poker rules that are used by both the dealer and by the player if they choose to arrange their hands using the House Way.

If the player’s hand has:

No pair, House Way will put the highest card in the back and the next two highest cards in the front.
One pair, House Way will put the pair in back and the next two highest cards in the front.
Two pair, House Way will put two pair in back, but will split them if:
- One pair is 7's or greater and there is no ace.
- You have a pair of jacks or better and 6's or better and there is an ace.
- You have a pair of aces and any other pair.
Three pair, House Way will put the highest pair in front.
Three of a kind, House Way will put three of a kind in back, but will break up three aces.
A full house, House Way will split it except with a pair of 2's, and an ace/king can be played in front.
A full house with three of a kind and two pairs, House Way will put the highest pair in front.
Three of a kind twice, House Way will always put the highest pair in front.
Any straights, flushes, straight flushes, or royal flushes:
- House Way will always put the straight or flush in the back hand but will play as two pair if:
  - There is any two pair and an ace.
  - There is a pair of jacks and pair of 6's.
  - There is a pair of aces and any other pair.
- With a six or seven card straight or flush, House Way will put the highest possible hand in front while maintaining the straight or flush in back.
- House Way will always play a straight or a flush over straight flush to improve the front hand to jack or better.
- House Way will always play a straight or flush over royal flush to improve the front hand to king or better.
Four of a kind, House Way will play according to the rank of the four of a kind:
- 2 through 6: Always keep together.
- 7 through 10: Split unless an ace or better can be played in front.
- Jack through king: Split unless hand also contains a pair of 10's or higher.
- Aces: Split unless a pair of 7's or higher can be played in front.
- Five aces: Split unless pair of kings can be played in front.

Having said all of that about pai gow poker rules, there is only one thing remaining to say. How do you know if you won? This is a very simple matter to decide, especially since neither the player nor the dealer may draw any more cards after the initial deal. Once you have decided on the setup of your two hands, the dealer’s cards will be turned over, and if both of your hands beat the dealer’s, you are the winner at 1 to 1 odds, minus a 5% banker’s commission. The opposite also holds true with pai gow poker rules; if both of the dealer’s hands beat the player’s, the dealer wins. The only option remaining is that of a tie, or “push”. If one of the player’s hands beats the dealer’s and the other doesn’t, then it is considered a tie, or push, and you get your bet returned.

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