Rules and Strategy of How to Play Pai Gow Poker Online

Q: Will it be easy to learn Pai Gow poker if I am a beginner?

Yes, Pai Gow Poker is very beginner-friendly because the rules are simple, the game moves at a relaxed pace, and the high number of push results means you won’t lose quickly while learning.

Q: Which side bet in Pai Gow has the biggest odds?

Progressive Jackpot side bets typically offer the biggest odds and highest potential payouts. These bets can pay thousands (or even more) for rare hands like a seven-card straight flush or royal flush.

Q: Is Pai Gow only available at physical brick-and-mortar casinos?

No, Pai Gow Poker isn’t limited to brick-and-mortar casinos. It’s also widely available online, including in live dealer formats, allowing you to play from home while still enjoying the same rules and side bets found in physical casinos.

Q: What are the odds for playing the standard Pai Gow poker hands?

The standard Pai Gow poker game has relatively low odds compared to many casino table games. This has a house edge of around 2.5-3% when played using optimal strategy or the House Way.

Q: Is this poker variant a high-risk or low-risk game?

Pai Gow poker is widely regarded as a low-risk poker variant. The game produces a high number of push results. This means hands that end without a win or loss. This helps slow bankroll swings and makes it ideal for cautious or recreational players.

Want to learn how to play Pai Gow Poker? This page covers everything you need to get started, including key strategies and tips to help improve your chances of success. You’ll also discover the origins of this ancient game and explore the different variants available at online casinos.

What is Online Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker originated in China, evolving from the ancient Pai Gow game that was traditionally played with dominoes rather than cards. While classic Pai Gow uses a full set of Chinese dominoes, modern Pai Gow Poker adapts the concept to a standard 52-card deck plus a joker, making it more accessible to casino players as an online poker variant. Popular variants include Traditional Pai Gow (dominoes), Pai Gow Poker, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Progressive Pai Gow Poker, and Face Up Pai Gow Poker.

Face Up Pai Gow

In Face Up Pai Gow Poker, the dealer’s seven cards are dealt face up, allowing players to see the hand before setting their own. This adds an extra layer of strategy, as players can adjust their five-card big hand and two-card small hand based on the dealer’s layout. Face Up Pai Gow is slower than many casino games, but the transparency gives experienced players an advantage in making optimal hand decisions.

No Push Pai Gow

In No Push Pai Gow, ties between the player and dealer are removed. So, any hand that would normally push is counted as a loss for the player, making the game more volatile. Although this increases the risk, it also provides slightly higher payouts on winning hands compared to traditional Pai Gow Poker.

EZ Pai Gow

This is a streamlined version of online Pai Gow poker created to make the game quicker and more accessible. Some of the more complex hand-setting rules are relaxed, often allowing automatic or “house way” arrangements so players don’t have to make every decision manually. Because it lowers the risk of fouling a hand, it’s an ideal option for beginners or anyone seeking a simpler, faster-paced game.

How Do Pai Gow Hands Work?

In Pai Gow Poker, each player is dealt seven cards from which they must create two separate hands. These consist of a five-card “big” hand (top or back hand) and a two-card “small” hand (bottom or front hand), with the big hand always required to be stronger than the small hand. The terms “top” and “bottom” simply refer to the layout on the table, with the five-card hand placed behind the two-card hand.

Core Rules of How to Play Pai Gow

Knowing the rules of Pai Gow Poker is crucial for maximising your hand potential. A solid understanding helps you avoid fouling and allows for smarter, more strategic play. The five most important rules of this game found at offshore poker sites are:

Seven Cards Per Player – Each player is dealt seven cards to create two hands.
Five-Card Hand Must Be Stronger – Your five-card big hand must always rank higher than your two-card small hand.
Use of Joker – The Joker can act as an ace or complete a straight, flush, or straight flush.
Understand The House Way – The “House Way” refers to a predefined set of house rules that can vary from casino to casino. This is explained in more detail later in this guide.
No Fouling – If the small hand outranks the big hand, it will result in a loss. Always double-check your hands.

Pai Gow Poker Hands Ranked

Understanding hand rankings when learning how to play Pai Gow poker is crucial because you must correctly split your seven cards into the stronger five-card hand and the weaker two-card hand. Knowing the rankings helps you avoid fouling your hand and gives you the best chance of beating both of the dealer’s hands. With that in mind, the table below gives you a complete breakdown of the hands and how likely you are to hit them.

Pai Gow Poker Hand	Number of cards	% Probability of hitting this hand
Royal Flush	5	0.000154
Straight Flush	5	0.00139
Four of a Kind	4	0.024
Full House	5	0.14
Flush	5	0.2
Straight	5	0.39
Three of a Kind	3	2.11
Two Pair	4	4.75
One Pair	2	42.26
High Card	1	50.12

Understanding Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Understanding the general ranking of poker hands is essential in Pai Gow poker gambling, as it determines how you correctly split your cards into two valid hands. Without this knowledge, players risk setting weak or fouled hands that reduce their chances of winning.

One Pair Strategy

The One Pair Strategy applies when your seven cards include a single pair. Typically, the best approach is to place the pair in the five-card big hand and use the two highest remaining cards to create the two-card small hand, while keeping the big hand stronger overall. This balanced setup increases the likelihood of winning one hand instead of weakening the small hand completely.

Two Pair Strategy

One of the most important factors when learning how to play Pai Gow poker is that the strongest Two Pair Strategy play is to split them, placing the higher pair in the five-card big hand and the lower pair in the two-card small hand, while using the remaining three cards to complete the big hand. This setup balances both hands and maximises your chances of winning at least one hand rather than risking a weak small hand.

Ace Strategy

If your seven cards include one or more aces, then the Ace Strategy comes into play. Typically, a single ace can be placed in the two-card small hand to strengthen it, while the remaining cards are used to form the strongest possible five-card big hand. When you hold multiple aces, it’s generally best to keep them together in the big hand unless splitting them clearly improves both hands without breaking the required hand order.

Ace or King Strategy

If you have not been dealt any pairs, the Ace or King Strategy kicks in. In most cases, it’s best to place the ace or king in the two-card small hand to strengthen it, while using the remaining five cards to build the strongest possible big hand. This approach helps balance both hands and increases the chance of winning at least one hand rather than relying solely on the big hand.

3 Of A Kind Strategy

Generally, the optimal option when playing Pai Gow poker is to keep all three cards in the five-card big hand to maximise its strength, while using the two highest leftover cards to create the two-card small hand. Breaking up three of a kind is rarely advised, as it typically weakens the big hand without significantly improving the small hand.

Straight Strategy

If your seven cards allow you to form a straight, then you need to kick in the Straight Strategy. Typically, the strongest play is to keep the straight together in the five-card big hand and use the two highest remaining cards to create the small hand. Breaking up a straight is usually discouraged unless it clearly strengthens both hands while still maintaining the correct hand hierarchy.

Flush Strategy

In most situations, it’s best to keep the flush intact in the five-card big hand to maintain its strength, while using the two highest remaining cards to form the two-card small hand. Splitting a flush is generally avoided unless doing so clearly improves both hands.

4 Of A Kind Strategy

Generally, the strongest option is to keep all four cards together in the five-card big hand, using the two highest remaining cards to complete the small hand. Breaking up four of a kind is seldom advised, as it typically reduces the strength of the big hand without offering meaningful benefit to the small hand. Remember, your big hand must be bigger than your small hand. Having the same pair in both hands will create a foul hand.

Full House Strategy

In most online Pai Gow poker situations, it’s best to keep the full house intact in the five-card big hand to maximise its strength, while using the two highest remaining cards to form the small hand. However, if you have a full house aces over kings (three aces and two kings), then a split can work.

4 Aces + Joker Strategy

One of the strongest possible Pai Gow hands. In almost all cases, the optimal play is to keep all four aces together in the five-card big hand, using the joker as an ace to strengthen it, while placing the two highest remaining cards into the small hand. Splitting this powerful combination is rarely advisable, as it significantly weakens the big hand without meaningfully improving the small hand.

Pai Gow Card Game Side Bets Explained

Side bets in Pai Gow poker are completely separate from the standard hand betting. A side bet, which is placed before the cards are dealt, allows a player to bet that his/her hand will be of a specific rank.

Fortune Pai GowPai Gow ManiaEmperor’s ChallengeProgressive Fortune Pai Gow

This optional side bet pays out based solely on the strength of your seven-card hand, regardless of how the dealer’s hand is set. You are betting on having trips (3 of a kind) or better, with payouts increasing for premium hands such as straights, flushes, full houses, four of a kind, straight flushes, and royal flushes, with bonus payouts for hands involving the joker or multiple aces.

The Pai Gow Mania allows players to make two side bets, with payouts for trips or better and higher rewards for the really big hands, like full houses. While it adds big-win potential, Pai Gow Mania usually carries a higher house edge than the main game.

The Emperor’s Challenge side bet pays out for qualifying hands such as straights, flushes, full houses, and four of a kind, with higher rewards for premium hands like straight flushes and royal flushes. This side bet is based entirely on the strength of the seven-card hand, not on how you set your high and low hands or whether you beat the dealer.

Progressive Fortune Pai Gow is a progressive side bet that pays out based on the strength of your seven-card hand, with part of each wager contributing to a growing jackpot. You will need to hit a royal flush or other top-tier hand to trigger the progressive jackpot, which could lead to a big payout.

What Does the Term “House Way” Mean?

The term “House Way” describes the rules a casino follows to arrange the dealer’s seven cards into a five-card big hand and a two-card small hand. The most common variations between casinos include strict rules for splitting two pairs, handling three of a kind, and playing four of a kind with strong side cards. The process of learning how to play Pai Gow poker includes reading the House Way, as it can be a guide to hand-setting decisions.

What Role Does the Joker Card Play in Pai Gow Poker?

Pai Gow Poker uses a 53-card deck made up of the usual 52 cards plus a single joker. This joker can act as an ace or be used to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush, but it does NOT apply to most side bets.

Pros and Cons of Playing Pai Gow Poker Online

Pai Gow Poker has both positive and negative elements that players should be aware of before betting. On the plus side, the game offers a slower pace, frequent pushes, and lower volatility, which can help preserve your bankroll over longer sessions.

Overall, Pai Gow Poker is best suited to patient bettors, as it is not a short-term or fast-paced game. This is a game where steady play and good bankroll management can be rewarded with long-term profits.

What we like

Slower pace of play helps extend sessions and manage your bankroll more effectively.
Frequent pushes reduce losses and limit volatility compared to many other casino games.
One of the lowest house edges among table games when played with sound strategy.
Ideal for patient players who prefer steady, long-term play over quick wins.

What we dislike

Smaller and less frequent wins can feel unrewarding for players seeking fast action.
Learning a hand-setting strategy can take time, especially for beginners.

Pai Gow Poker Glossary

Pai Gow Poker has its own set of terms that differ from games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha. This is largely because of its two-hand format and distinct rules. Learning this terminology is essential, as ideas such as the high and low hand work differently than in other poker variants.

Pai Gow Poker – A casino card game based on the ancient Chinese domino game, played with a 52-card deck plus one joker.
Joker – A semi-wild card that can be used as an ace or other card to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush.
High Hand (Back Hand) – The stronger five-card hand, which must always rank higher than the low hand.
Low Hand (Front Hand) – The weaker two-card hand, which must be lower in value than the high hand.
House Way – The set of rules the casino follows when arranging its hand.
Player Way – When a player sets their own two hands instead of following the house way.
Push – Occurs when one hand wins and the other loses; the bet is returned.
Copy – When both the player’s hands exactly match the dealer’s hands, resulting in a push.
Commission – Typically, a 5% fee charged by the casino on winning bets.
Banker – A player option where you act as the dealer, often with slightly better odds.
Fortune Bonus – A side bet that pays based on the strength of the player’s hand, regardless of the dealer’s hand.
Face Up Pai Gow Poker – A variant where the dealer’s cards are dealt face up to help players set their hands.
Straight / Flush / Straight Flush – Standard poker hands, with the joker allowed to help complete them.

Final Thoughts

Pai Gow Poker is an excellent choice for both new players and seasoned, strategy-focused bettors. This is thanks to its relaxed pace, straightforward rules, and frequent pushes that help preserve your bankroll.

Although the main game is fairly low risk, there are more lucrative payouts to be found in side bets. These include side bets such as Progressive Jackpots and Emperor’s Challenge. If you’re looking to play Pai Gow online, we recommend BetUS for its attractive bonuses and range of live dealer tables.

Other Poker Guides

If you found our guide on how to play Pai Gow poker useful, then our range of poker pages might also enable you to play card games more effectively.

Responsible Gambling

Just like any card game, playing Pai Gow poker carries significant financial risk. You must always play with money that you can afford to lose. If you are struggling to manage losses, then take some time to check out the following responsible gambling resources.

References

To complete this page, we needed to consult external Pai Gow poker resources, like the ones below.

How Do You Play Pai Gow Poker?