If you are a casino enthusiast, you will know that the game of poker has many variations. From standard 5 card draw to Texas Hold’em, Omaha stud to 3 card poker, players will find a wide range of poker games to suit all tastes. At many online and land based casinos one type of poker game is becoming increasingly popular. Pai gow is a type of poker game that originated from China where players used dominos to create high scoring hands. Today this exciting casino poker game adds another dimension to the classic poker game that many people are familiar with. It can be played at land based casinos and online for free or for real money.
The Setup for Pai Gow
Pai gow is similar to many poker games at https://ausvegas.xyz/poker in that it uses the standard set of poker card combinations. One of the biggest differences in this game is the number of cards dealt and the hands that are being used. The game uses a standard deck of 52 card with one joker to make a total of 53 cards. The joker can be used as a wild card and substitute for other cards to form a winning poker hand. In the land based version of the game, each player around the table has a turn at being the banker. With the online version, the player plays against the dealer at all times.
The Dealing of the Cards
In Pai gow, the game begins the each player placing their bet on the table. In the online version of the game, this can be done by placing the chips the betting area. The dealer then deals each player a total of 7 cards and the banker/dealer 7 cards facing down. The aim of Pai gow is to create two separate poker hands. One hand must contain five cards and the other hand must contain two cards. The rules state that the five card hand must rank higher than the two card hand. For example the five card hand could have a pair of aces and the two card hand a pair of kings.
Showing the Banker’s Hand
Once each player has set their cards into their respective hands, the banker/dealer will flip his cards over and set his cards into the highest possible hand combination according to the standard poker rules. A player wins their Pai gow bet if the both of the player’s five card hand and two card hand is higher than the banker’s hand. If the banker has one winning hand and one losing hand, the round is a push and the bets are kept on the table. In the event of a tie, the banker wins all ties.
Paying out the Bets
In the land based version of Pai gow, the player acting as the banker will win all ties and place his bet against all the others at the table. In the online version of the game, the player always plays against the computer/dealer. After the cards have been set and the dealer flips his cards, the computer will automatically determine if the player has a winning hand and will pay out according the bet placed.