Pai Gow Poker is a combination of poker and the Asian game Pai Gow. The game is invented by Sam Torosian in 2025. Pai Gow Poker can be played with up to seven players (six players and a casino dealer).

The Rules of Play

This game is played with 52- card deck plus a joker. The joker card is semi wild and can be used as an A or to complete flush, strait, strait flush or a royal flush. Like in other casino games, players play against the dealer (the house). When every player places his bet the dealer deals the hand. Every player and the dealer will receive seven cards. Every card on the table is face down. Players are allowed to examine their cards, but exchanging information between players is not allowed. Players have to make one 5 card poker hand and one 2 card poker hand with their seven cards. The 5 card poker hand must have higher poker value than the 2 card poker hand. The 5 card poker hand is ranked according to the standard poker rules with one variation. Second strongest strait is A-2-3-4-5 and beats K-Q-J-10-9 strait. The 2 card hand has only two values that are paired or not. Example, if the player is dealt K-K-9-7-J-2-5 with no possibility to make a flush, the player must include the two kings in the 5 card poker hand. With the joker as semi wild it is possible to make five of a kind poker hands. The five of kind poker hand, in this case only five aces are possible, beats the straight flush and loses from royal flush. When all the players arrange the two card hands, they put the cards on the table face down and from this point the players are not allowed to touch their cards. Then the dealer opens his seven cards and arranges them in two hands.

Who Wins

When the dealer makes his hands (the one comprised of 2 cards and the other of 5 cards), he begins to compare his hands with the players' hands. If a player beats the dealer with both hands, then he wins and he will receive payout 1 to 1 on his bet. If the dealer wins one hand and the players wins the other hand, then the player's bet is returned to him. If the dealer wins both hands, then the player loses his bet. If one hand ties and the player wins the other hand, it is a push.

House Edge and Basic Strategy

The dealer always has advantage because he wins all ties. The strategy for Pai Gow Poker is always to make the strongest possible 2 card hand, but to be less in value of the 5 card hand. Only when the player is able to create a very strong hand with 5 cards like flush or straight the player can play with weak 2 card hand.