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Pai Gow poker is a westernised version of the Chinese dominoes game Pai Gow. Players must arrange seven cards into two poker hands – one five-card and one two-card hand, so that each hand beats the dealer's corresponding hand.
Let's Play! | Rules | Pai Gow Poker Hands | You Win! | Pai Gow Terms and Lingo
At the beginning of each game you are required to place a wager against the banker, who is represented by the dealer. This amount appears on the betting circle on the table top.
- Select a chip value of either $1, $5, $10, $25, or $100.
- Click the betting circle until the number of chips displayed equals the amount you wish to bet.
- To reduce your bet amount, right-click the betting circle to remove chips. Your bet will be reduced by the amount of the currently selected chip.
- Click Deal. You and the dealer will each be dealt a hand of seven cards. All of your cards will be face up, but none of the dealer's cards will be face up. No additional cards are dealt.
- Click Sort. Your hand will be displayed in ascending order.
- Click two of the seven cards in your hand. These cards make up your low hand, while the remaining five cards become your high hand. Click on a selected card at anytime prior to the split, you are able to make a new selection.
- Click Split to physically divide the cards into two separate hands. The dealer's cards will be turned face up to determine the winner.
Paigow poker uses a one deck shoe.
The deck includes one joker.
Each seven-card hand must be set into two hands, a five-card hand (high hand) and a two-card hand (low hand). The five-card hand must always rank higher than the two-card hand.
You must win both hands to receive a payout. If both of the dealer's hands are winners then the house wins.
If your hands are copies of the dealer's hands then you lose. All copies go to the dealer.
Any combination of win and loss across both hands results in a push. In this case your bet is returned to you.
Hand | Example |
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5 of a Kind |
The highest hand in the Pai Gow poker hierarchy includes 4 aces and a joker. |
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Royal Flush | Consists of the following cards: ten, jack, queen, king, and an ace all of the same suit. |
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Straight Flush | Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit. |
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Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same denomination, one in each suit. |
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Full House | Three cards of one denomination and two cards of another denomination. |
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Flush | Five cards all of the same suit. |
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Straight | Five cards in sequence of any suit. |
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Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same denomination and two unmatched cards. |
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Two Pairs | Two sets of two cards of the same denomination and any fifth card. |
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One Pair | Two cards of the same denomination and three unmatched cards. |
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No Pair | All five cards of different rank and a variety of suits. |
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A winning hand pays out according to the following odds:
Player's Hand |
Payout |
High hand wins, low hand loses | Push |
High hand loses, low hand wins | Push |
High hand wins, low hand wins | 1:1 less 5% house commission |
Term | Definition |
Banker | A player who books the action of the other players at the table. In this case the banker is the dealer. |
Identical hands received by the player and the dealer. This may include the two-card hand, the five-card hand, or both. Copies go to the dealer. | |
Foul hand |
A five-card hand (high hand) that has a lower ranking than the two-card hand (low hand). A player is prompted to choose a different two-card hand. |
High hand | A five-card hand. |
Joker | A wild card that can be used in straights, flushes and straight flushes or as an ace. |
Low hand | A two-card hand. |
A tie hand between you and the dealer where each party holds a combination of winning and losing hands. No money is won or lost. | |
Set | The act of separating the dealt hand into a five-card hand and a two-card hand. |
To set the dealt hand into two separate hands of five and two cards. |