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Pai Gow Poker Strategy 2023

Ruth | January 13, 2023 | Updated on: July 28th, 2023

Recently updated on January 13th, 2023

Pai Gow Poker StrategyPlaying using a Pai Gow poker strategy is one of the ways that you can beat the casino. Similarly, too many other casino games playing using a strategy is not as hard as it may seem. In fact, there are many other ways that you can use to improve your chances of winning. Read our guide to learn all about the best Pai Gow strategy. You will also find the top casino sites to play the casino game and try out the optimal strategy.

Best Pai Gow Poker Online Casinos

1

$800 Bonus

+100 Free Spins

99% Payout

Rating: 4/5

99% Payout

$800 Bonus + 100 Free Spins 99% Payout - Rating: 4/5
#2

$1000 Bonus

+150 Free Spins

99% Payout

Rating: 4/5

99% Payout

$1000 Bonus + 150 Free Spins 99% Payout - Rating: 4/5
#3

$600 Bonus

+150 Free Spins

99% Payout

Rating: 4/5

99% Payout

$600 Bonus + 150 Free Spins 99% Payout - Rating: 4/5
#4

$500 Bonus

+200 Free Spins

99% Payout

Rating: 3/5

99% Payout

$500 Bonus + 200 Free Spins 99% Payout - Rating: 3/5
5

$1600 Bonus

98.28% Payout

Rating: 4.6/5

98.28% Payout

$1600 Bonus 98.28% Payout - Rating: 4.6/5
6

$1500 Bonus

98.67% Payout

Rating: 4.1/5

98.67% Payout

$1500 Bonus 98.67% Payout - Rating: 4.1/5
7

$1000 Bonus

98.67% Payout

Rating: 4.1/5

98.67% Payout

$1000 Bonus 98.67% Payout - Rating: 4.1/5
8

$1200 Bonus

98.10% Payout

Rating: 4.4/5

98.10% Payout

$1200 Bonus 98.10% Payout - Rating: 4.4/5
9

$750 Bonus

98.21% Payout

Rating: 5/5

98.21% Payout

$750 Bonus 98.21% Payout - Rating: 5/5
#10

$1600 Bonus

97% Payout

Rating: 4.1/5

97% Payout

$1600 Bonus 97% Payout - Rating: 4.1/5

Pai Gow Poker Rules And Strategy

Before making use of any strategy, you need to learn how to play Pai Gow. We will go through how to play Pai Gow Poker. The casino game is played using a 52-card deck and the joker. The main point of the game is to beat the banker.  In this game, the banker can either be another player in the game or the dealer.

In this game, you have to create two ranking poker hands from seven cards. The first hand has to have five cards and is also known as the high, back, or big hand. The two-card hand is the low, front, or small hand.

Furthermore, your five-card hand has to beat your small hands. With is this in mind, the casino game has three possible outcomes.

  1. You can win both hands and win your bet
  2. You can win one hand as the dealer wins the other hands. This is known as push, and you will not win any money
  3. The dealer can win both hands, and again, you will lose your bet.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy Chart

Like with any other casino game, you should know the type of payouts to expect from the casino game. Here is the most used strategy chart.

Hand Payout
Straight 2 to 1
Three of a kind 3 to 1
Flush 4 to 1
Full House 5 to 1
Four of a Kind 25 to 1
Straight Flush 50 to 1
Royal Flush 150 to 1
5 Aces 400 to 1
7 Card straight flush with the Joker 1000 to 1
Royal Flush and Royal Match 2000 to 1
7 Card Straight flush 8000 to 1

 

Pai Gow Poker Strategy Chart

Optimal Pai Gow Poker Strategy

  • First, if you are dealt with cards with no pairs, put the highest card in your big hand. You will then place the next 2 highest cards in your small hand.
  • Secondly, should you only have one pair, place it in your small hand. The following highest cards will go in your big hand
  • Thirdly, if you have two pairs, place one pair in the small hand and the other in the big hand. The higher-ranking pair should be in your big hand.
  • You will want to keep both pairs in your big hand if you have a pair of 7s with no ace. Also, if you have a jack or better pair and a pair of 6s with no ace, keep both pairs in the big hand.
  • If you have of a pair of aces as well as any other pair, make sure it is on your big hand

The optimal strategy goes as pair as looking at a player with three pairs or three of a kind. Here is how you would implement the strategy

  • Similarly, when you have two pairs with three pairs, place the highest-ranking pairs in your big hand and the other pair in your small hand.
  • If you are dealt three of a kind, place the card in your big hand.
  • However, if you have three aces, you will place two aces in your big hand, and the ace will go into your small hand.
  • Should you get two 3 of a kind, you will place the highest-ranking cards in your big hand. Then, split the second three of a kind, so you have the pair in your big hand.

Pai Gow Poker Basic Strategy

Now that you have an idea of what the optimal strategy in Pai Gow entails, and what happens when you get a full house or five aces; here are some basic strategy tips to remember:

  • If you are dealt a full house, split it, so you have the three kind in your high hand and the pair in your low hand.
  • With a flush, straight, or straight flush, you will want to keep the five cards together in your high hand.
  • Should you not be dealt a single pair, place your highest card in your high hand, then place the next two high cards in the low hand.
  • With 4 of a kind, you will play the cards depending on the card rank. If the cards are six or lower, keep the 4 of a kind in your high hand.
  • If the cards consist of 10, 9, 8, or 7, split the card unless there is an ace. In that case, you will keep the cards together and put the ace in your low hand.
  • A 4 of a kind with face cards split them except if you have a pair of 10s or higher.
  • Should you get four aces, split them between both hands except if you have a pair of 7s or higher.
  • With five aces, split them amongst both hands unless you have a pair of kings which will go in your low hand.

Pai Gow Poker House Way

Pai Gow poker online has a house edge as low as 2.9%. Although, when you use an optimal strategy for Pai Gow poker, you can bring the house edge down to 2.57%. While you may not eliminate the Pai Gow poker house edge completely, you can reduce it. Remember that the house will usually take 5% commissions on all winning hands. Not all is lost when you play Pai Gow poker house way. The highest Pai Gow poker payouts is 8000 to 1

How to Deal Pai Gow Poker

The Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow poker is more complicated than the Pai Gow poker house way. In most cases, playing using the house way will see you play better than most players. The difference of the game is the players ability to play as the banker. This is not possible online. Well, unless you have the bankroll.

Also, remember that online Pai Gow is a digital variation of the game and will essentially be played differently from brick and mortar games.
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