POKER :: PAI GOW STRATEGY
Pai-Gow poker strategy is usually based around the opportunity to be the banker. Statistically you have a greater chance of winning while being the banker. Your best pai gow poker strategy should be to be the banker as much as you can be. If you bet more while you are the banker, statistically you will be playing an advantage. Make sure you're betting more than you usually do while you're not the banker. Logically you will make more with this strategy.
Your next best pai gow strategy is to split your cards up right. The best way to go about this is to study and understand the house way (which does vary a very small amount from casino to casino) which as you might expect is about as good as it gets. Here is how it is played in Trump Plaza (Atlantic City):
| NO PAIR |
Place the highest card in the 5-CARD-HAND and the next two highest cards in the 2-CARD-HAND. |
| ONE PAIR |
Place the pair in 5-CARD-HAND and the next two highest cards in the 2-CARD-HAND.
|
| TWO PAIR |
Use the following groups to determine how to play a two pair:
2 through 6: Low pair
7 through 10: Medium pairs
Jack through king: High pairs
- Low pair and low pair: Split unless holding a king or better, then play two pair in the 5-CARD-HAND.
- Low pair and medium pair: Split unless holding a king or better, then play two pair in the 5-CARD-HAND.
- Low pair and high pair: Split unless holding an ace, then play two pair in the 5-CARD-HAND.
- Medium pair and medium pair: Split unless holding an ace, then play two pair in the 5-CARD-HAND.
- Medium pair and high pair: Always split.
- High pair and high pair: Always split.
- Pair of aces and any other pair: Always split.
|
| THREE PAIR |
Always play highest pair in the 2-CARD-HAND. |
| THREE OF A KIND |
Always play three of a kind in 5-CARD-HAND unless they are aces, then play a pair of aces in 5-CARD-HAND and one ace in 2-CARD-HAND. |
| THREE OF A KIND TWICE |
Always play highest pair in 2-CARD-HAND. |
| STRAIGHTS, FLUSHES, STRAIGHT FLUSHES, AND ROYAL FLUSH |
- With no pair: When choosing whether to play a straight, flush, or straight flush play the category which will allow the highest two cards in front.
- With 6th or 7th card: Play the lower straight or flush in the back to place the highest cards in front.
- With one pair: Play pair in the front only if a straight, flush, or straight can be played in the back.
- With two pair: Use two pair rule.
- With three pair: Use three pair rule.
- With three of a kind: Play pair in front.
- With full house: Use full house rule.
|
| FULL HOUSE |
Always split unless the pair is twos and you have an ace and a king to play in the front. |
| FULL HOUSE WITH THREE OF A KIND AND TWO PAIRS |
Play the highest pair in front. |
| FOUR OF A KIND |
Play according to the rank of the four of a kind:
- 2 through 6: Always keep together.
- 7 through 10: Split unless a king or better can be played in front.
- Jack through king: Split unless an ace can be played in front.
- Aces: Always split.
|
| FOUR OF A KIND AND A PAIR |
Play pair in front. |
| FOUR OF A KIND AND THREE OF A KIND |
Play pair in front from the three of a kind. |
| FIVE ACES |
Split aces and play three aces in back and two aces in front unless you have a pair of kings, then play five aces in back and kings in front.
|
HOUSE EDGE
The house advantage in pai gow poker depends on partially on your skill setting hands but more on how much of the action you bank. An entire book could be written on this topic. For the sake of simplicity let's address only the head to head game against the dealer, assuming that both the player and dealer are following the Trump Plaza house way.
| PLAYER WINS BOTH |
28.61% |
| TIE |
41.48% |
| BANKER WINS BOTH |
29.91% |
Based on this table the following table shows the house edge for playing as the banker, player, and combined in a one on one game.
| PLAYER |
2.73% |
| BANKER |
0.20% |
| COMBINED |
1.46% |