Pai Gow Poker (pronounced "Pie-Gow") is an interesting form of poker combining skill and luck, in which the player must manage two hands of cards instead of only one, and bets on whether those hands are better than those of the dealer.
Like in other forms of poker, players begin a game of Pai Gow Poker by placing a bet. The dealer then deals each player seven cards, which must be arranged into one hand of five and one hand of two. The dealer, likewise, receives seven cards and will arrange these cards into one hand of five and one hand of two.
The five-card hand is called a "High Hand" and the two-card hand is called a "Low Hand." Your High Hand must have a higher value than your Low Hand in order to qualify.
The idea of Pai Gow Poker, as mentioned above, is for both of your hands to be better than both of the dealer's hands. When arranging your cards, it's important to note than online casinos usually offer the chance for your cards to be arranged automatically. If you prefer this method, click on "House Way" and your cards will be arranged for you.
Pai Gow Poker has slightly different winning hand combinations than other forms of poker. For starters, Pai Gow uses a deck of 53 cards. The 53rd card is a joker, or Wild Card. The joker can only be used as an ace, or to complete three hand combinations: a Straight, a Flush, or a Straight Flush. Another important difference in Pai Gow, one that you should remember, is that if a player's hand and the dealer's hand produce the same value, the result is NOT a push. The dealer wins the bet. Sorry guys, but that's just the way it is!
