Pai gow poker is a slow, social game that blends Western poker hands with the structure of pai gow, the Chinese domino game. Each player receives seven cards and must split them into a five-card “high” hand and a two-card “low” hand. The goal is to beat both of the dealer’s hands.
The game produces a large number of pushes, which makes it one of the slower ways to lose money in a casino. It is not a way to make money: the house edge is built in through the commission and the rule that the banker wins identical hands.
Setting the two hands
The five-card hand follows standard poker rankings. The two-card hand can only be a pair or high cards. The one rule that matters most: the five-card hand must outrank the two-card hand. If you set the hands incorrectly, the result is usually a “foul” and the bet loses.
Setting is a balance. Putting your strongest cards in the high hand protects it but leaves a weak low hand; splitting pairs can strengthen the low hand at the high hand’s expense. Most casinos offer a “house way” — the dealer will set your hand according to the house’s standard rules if you ask.
The joker
Pai gow poker uses a 52-card deck plus one joker. In most versions the joker is semi-wild: it can complete a straight, flush, straight flush or royal flush; otherwise it counts as an ace. Five aces (four aces plus the joker) is the highest hand in many casinos.
Rules on how A-2-3-4-5 ranks among straights vary by casino. Check the table’s rules if you are unsure.
A worked example
Suppose you are dealt K♠ K♦ 8♣ 8♥ Q♠ 5♦ 3♣. You hold two pair, kings and eights. One legal way to set the hand is to keep both pairs in the five-card hand and put the queen and five in front — a strong high hand behind a weak low hand. Another is to split the pairs: kings behind with three odd cards, eights in front as a two-card pair.
Both arrangements are legal because the five-card hand outranks the two-card hand either way. Casino house ways generally have fixed rules for when to split two pair, often depending on how high the pairs are and whether there is an ace to play in the low hand. Rules differ between casinos, so the dealer’s house way is the reference point at any given table.
What you cannot do is put the kings in front and leave the eights behind with nothing better, because the low hand would then outrank the high hand — a foul.
Winning, losing and pushing
If both of your hands beat the dealer’s corresponding hands, you win even money minus a commission, commonly 5%. If one wins and one loses, the bet is a push. If both lose, you lose the stake. Identical hands — “copies” — go to the banker, which is part of the house edge.
For a player setting hands by the house way, roughly four in ten hands end in a push, with wins and losses split almost evenly in the rest.
House edge and commission
The house edge on pai gow poker is roughly 2.5% to 3% per hand for a player using the house way, depending on commission, joker rules and how well hands are set. Because so many hands push, the edge per hour is lower than in faster games with a similar per-hand edge.
Some casinos allow players to act as the banker, which changes the edge; this is uncommon in Asia. Side bets for premium hands are often available and carry much higher edges.
Table etiquette
Keep your cards on the table and in view. Set your hands face down in the designated spaces, and do not touch your chips once cards are dealt. Ask the dealer for the house way if you are unsure — it is normal and quick. Avoid giving unsolicited advice to other players.
In Macau, pai gow poker is less common than tile-based pai gow and baccarat. If you cannot find a table, ask a floor supervisor.
Staying in control
The slow pace of pai gow poker is its main appeal for players who want a long session on a limited budget. It is still gambling, and the edge still works over time. Set limits, take breaks and treat the cost as entertainment.
At a glance: pai gow poker: typical outcomes for a player using house way
| Outcome | Approx. frequency | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Both hands win | About 29% | Win even money, minus 5% commission |
| One hand wins, one loses | About 41% | Push — stake returned |
| Both hands lose (incl. copies) | About 30% | Stake lost |
Approximate figures for play against the dealer using house way; rules, commission and joker use vary by casino. House edge is roughly 2.5% to 3% per hand.
The high push rate is what makes pai gow poker slow. The commission and the banker’s copy rule are what make it profitable for the house.