Bank on Pai-Gow Poker
PART 2
To continue your pai-gow poker education for novices, following
are tips and strategies to gain that edge in this choice casino
card game.
Poker Rankings are as follows:
-
Five aces (4 aces plus joker);
-
royal flush; A, 2, 3, 4, 5, is the third highest straight
flush (note: not all casinos or card rooms follow this
rule-check before you play for 3rd highest hand ranking);
-
then all other straight flushes, 4 of a kind, full house,
flush, straight, 3 of a kind, two pair, one pair, and
high card.
Following are strategy tips for Pai-Gow:
-
No pairs: Play the second and third highest-ranked cards
as the low hand and the remaining five cards as high hand.
e.g., dealt -- K, Q, 10, 8, 6, 5, 2. Set the Q, 10 as
low hand and K, 8, 6, 5, 2 as high hand.
-
One Pair: The pair is set in the high hand and your next
two highest-ranked cards as low hand.
-
Two Pair: Depends on the rank of the pairs. If one of
your pairs is aces, kings or queens, then split the pairs
putting one of the A's, K's or Q's in high hand, and the
other pair as low hand. However, for all other pairs,
play them as two pair in the high hand, and a king or
ace in your low hand. If you were not dealt a king or
an ace for a low hand, then you are safer to split the
pairs with the high pair in high hand and low pair in
low hand.
-
Three Pair: Highest ranking pair should be your low hand.
-
Three of a Kind: Three aces or kings, split, placing
ace or king in low hand and the pair in high hand. All
other three of a kind should be played in high hand and
two highest cards as the low hand.
-
Straights and Flushes: This should be high hand, and
remaining two cards as low hand. These two rankings are
easy to overlook, so check for these two hands first before
developing a second-hand strategy.
-
Full House: Three of a kind in high hand, and high pair
as low hand--easy split and decision here.
-
Four of a Kind: Always split your four aces, kings and
queens-play one pair as low hand and the other in high
hand. With four J's-7's, play them as a four of a kind
in high hand only if you have at least a queen that you
can use in low hand. If you don't have the latter, then
split the four of a kind (two in low hand, two in high
hand). With four 2's-6's, never split, always play them
in high hand.
-
Five Aces: Split the aces and play a pair of aces in
low hand, and three aces in high hand.
-
The casino's advantage is about 2.8%, lowered to 2.5%
with perfect strategy. A skillful banker can play an even
game against the casino; therefore, try for the banker
position as often as the casino allows, placing larger
bets as your wager management plan will allow. However,
bet the minimum only when you have to be the player. For
novice players, you now have the basic tools to practice
intelligent gambling. Go get 'em!
Gayle
Mitchell is the author of Casino Gambling Made Easier books, Ebooks,
booklets & the Slots Trilogy.
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