How To Play

You receive seven cards and split them into two hands: a 5-card high hand and a 2-card low hand. The 5-card hand must outrank the 2-card hand. Both your hands must beat the dealer's corresponding hands to win. Win one and lose data-removed= push. The casino takes 5% commission on wins.

House Edge

With optimal house-way strategy as a player the edge is 2.84%. Banking the action against other players (where allowed) drops it to ~1.46% because you win all copies and earn a mathematical edge over the bettors. Approximately 41% of hands push, making Pai Gow the slowest-bankroll-burn game in the casino.

Basic Strategy

• No pair: put the highest card in the high hand, next two highest in the low hand.
• One pair: keep the pair in the high hand, two highest singletons in the low hand.
• Two pair: split them unless you have aces over or both pairs are very small with an ace kicker available.
• Three pair: always play the highest pair in the low hand.
• Full house: usually split - pair in the low hand, three of a kind in the high.
• When in doubt, follow the dealer's house way (most casinos let you ask).

Common Mistakes

Keeping a strong high hand at the cost of a weak low hand - you need both to win. Splitting trip aces (only split with an ace kicker available for the low hand). Refusing to bank when offered; banking is the single biggest edge reduction available.

Example Hand

Dealt: A♠ A♦ K♣ Q♥ J♦ 5♣ 2♠. Play A-A in the high hand, K-Q in the low. The K-Q low hand wins or pushes against most dealer two-card hands, and aces hold up well as the high hand.

Bottom Line

Pai Gow is the marathon of casino games - lots of pushes, slow drain, high entertainment per dollar. Bank when offered, follow the house way when stumped, and budget your session as a fixed entertainment expense.