When it comes to Pai Gow poker online, do you think that Hold’Em is a bit boring? Would you like to play something more exciting? Pai Gow poker online is just the right game for you. In this game, cards and hands are dished out as if they are no more fashionable. However, you should not be worried. We have got you covered with our comprehensive guide about how to play, win and where you can discover the best games.
Playing Pai Gow Poker Like a Professional
Have you been to a brick-and-mortar casino? If yes, you have seen the Pai Gow poker tables. And most likely you have dreamed of playing – if only you had an idea about how the game worked. The name is surely a little strange. You are probably familiar with Texas Hold’em but not with Pai Gow. So, what is this game like?
In fact, online casino Pai Gow poker for real money is much easier to play than you imagine. Unfortunately, many beginners mistakenly approach this game as if it was a standard online poker game. It is certainly not and considering it as such could cost you a lot.
So take a look at our page. We will show you the best real money Pai Gow sites, how to play the cards you have properly and the ways to win the highest amounts when playing Pai Gow poker online for real money. In addition, we will show you the reason why online casino Pai Gow poker is much better than this in the traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, including the following essential reasons:
- You can bet as little as five dollars per hand whenever you are playing for real cash online – this is a lot less than the twenty-five dollars required in many cases in Vegas.
- There is no need to wait for a table – there is always an available seat, and there are no other players bothering you.
- You can play for free if you would like to practice prior to making a deposit.
That is only the start of what makes Pai Gow poker one of the most widely played casino online games for real cash. Keep reading this page to see how this game can become your favorite online gambling game.
Quick Tips About Pai Gow Poker
- Have an idea what to do when you have a two pair. In case you are dealt two pairs, you should make sure that you slot the pair that is ranked highest into the larger hand.
- What if you are not dealt a pair? You should put the card that is ranked highest in your big hand and then drop the second and third ranked card into your two card hand.
- Always take advantage of the Pai Gow poker online casino bonuses. Before you begin playing, get acquainted with the offered bonuses for the particular game and this way secure substantial bankroll for yourself.
- You should bank as much as possible. You get the chance to play your cash against all players at the table and make more money whenever people make mistakes.
Getting Familiar With the Game
In online casino Pai Gow poker for real money, fifty-three card deck is used. It includes fifty-two cards and also a Joker that could be used as a wild card in particular situations. Unlike video poker games in which Jokers are entirely wild, in the game of Pai Gow poker online you can use the Joker as an Ace, or you can use it to finish a flush, straight, straight flush or royal flush.
To get started, you should place your bet. The sum you can bet depends on where you are playing at, but usually, you can wager as little as five dollars. Whenever you feel confident with your bet, just click on Deal to get your cards.
You will be dealt seven cards. You have to make two hands at this point – a hand with five cards and a hand with two cards. But bear in mind: the hand with five cards needs to be better than the hand with two cards.
You rank the hand with five cards using the regular ranking system for poker hands. You can ask to look at the dealer’s cards after you have created your hands. Then he will play his cards in the same way, using what is popular as the House way. This defines precisely how the dealer has to separate his cards. Every online casino Pai Gow poker site for real money you select to play at will inform you what is the exact house way, so you will know what you are diving into prior to starting the game.
Now after you both have got two hands, the software will make a comparison between the two hands and then pay you out for your wager. In case you have tied, you will push.
In traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, you have the chance to wager on or against other players that sit at the table for Pai Gow poker or the dealer. In most cases, this is not offered at the internet casinos since there are no other players at your table. Keep in mind that in reality, most players more often decline to the bank which means that it does not make a difference.
The Best Real Money Pai Gow Sites
To make sure that you have found the top Pai Gow poker online game available, it is advisable to follow the professional gamers when it comes to a sensible set of criteria to evaluate casino websites. Below we have included some common features and have given explanations how you can use them to enhance your gaming.
Percentage of payout: the more the better
This is the sum of winnings that the particular casino will pay out on the sum of money wagered. If the casino has, for example, ninety-nine percent payout rate it means it will pay out ninety-eight dollars on every hundred dollars wagered. The remaining two dollars are kept as a casino profit.
It is essential to keep in mind that the particular bets you make will not have the same percentage of payout. The reason is that this figure is an average across the entire website, based on several months of play and also on thousands of users. Despite this, it is always the best decision to choose the highest payout rate you can find, as it provides you with the best probability of winning higher amounts at your online casino games.
Play at the best real money Pai Gow sites
Pai Gow poker online has become extremely popular among many casino players, so logically a lot of online gambling websites have begun offering this game to new users. However, before you just dive into the game of online casino Pai Gow poker at any site, check the information on this page first.
We are huge fans of Pai Gow poker online for real money and we perfectly know what distinguishes the decent websites from the truly wonderful ones. And don’t even think about the bad sites. We have just removed them from our list by employing appropriate internet casino rating system.
Prior to recommending you any of the best real money Pai Gow sites, we put the particular casino through many tests. We act as new users and evaluate each step of the experience. That includes signing up for an account, making a deposit, testing out the different games on different connection speeds, checking the performance of the software on different kinds of operating systems, making withdrawals, interacting with customer support and more.
We give each casino an overall rating, and in case the rating is below an eight, the casino is not included in our shortlist. The final list of Pai Gow poker online sites consists only of the truly best ones, so you can be confident that you are selecting to play at a site that has a good reputation and is honest.
The Strategy of Pai Gow Poker
First you need to have an understanding of the best hand. In a usual poker game, you would think two times when it comes to playing the four Aces you hold. And in case you were playing a game of draw poker, you would not dare give those Aces up. On the other hand, in the game of Pai Gow poker, you have to create two hands and one of them has only two cards.
In some cases, making the top two hands includes separating apparently wonderful hand. For example, if you are dealt quad Aces along with a two, three and four, you could be willing to play the four Aces in just one hand. But in case you have just a two, three and four to work with, you are guaranteed to lose the hand with two cards to the dealer.
That is the reason why you have to make your strategy before dropping your cards anywhere. In this situation, it is better to play with three Aces in your hand with five cards and to throw an Ace and a four in the other hand. You will probably win the small hand since there are no other Aces left on the board and only a pair can crush you.
The rules of Pai Gow poker
Before you start playing online casino Pai Gow poker for real cash, you have to certainly know its rules. The essential thing here is the hand ranking system. The hands here are ranked in the same way as they are ranked in Texas Hold’em and stud games with just one exception. Technically, in Pai Gow poker you can hit a five of a kind. That is the top rated hand but keep in mind that in some cases it is worth to separate them and thus create a smaller hand. Take a look at the hand rating system, if you need to refresh your knowledge:
Get your reference chart for Pai Gow poker online
Would you like to start playing Pai Gow poker online quickly? The good news on our page is that we have put together a short guide explaining this game for the new players and we are offering it here. Of course, it is completely free of charge. Our short guide will get you familiar with the table’s layout, so you will know where everything goes and how to place your bets. We also give an explanation of the odds and the availability of wagering options so that you can make safer and smarter choices. Approach the table with a confidence that you know perfectly what is happening.
Short History of Pai Gow Poker
The creation of Fred Wolf transformed poker in the nineteen nineties, and since then poker players have been enjoying it at traditional land-based casinos and the best real money Pai Gow sites online. Take a look at this brief background, from the classic Chinese game to all internet innovation available nowadays.
- In the nineteen nineties, Fred Wolf created Pai Gow poker.
- Fred Wolf was a manager of the California’s Commerce casino and also a game inventor.
- Because of ever increasing competition from other casinos, Wolf invented new games so he could attract new players.
- Pai Gow, the classic Chinese game, is the base for Pai Gow poker.
- Pai Gow translates as “to make nine”, and the classic version of Pai Gow had tiles, similar to dominoes.
- When the game acquired popularity in America, the classic dominoes used were altered to playing cards.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pai Gow Poker
Holding a good hand is not the only thing. Our professional reviewers are perfectly aware of that because they have been playing Pai Gow poker online and testing the casino websites for many years. They know the expectations of the gamers and what they would like to ask. That is the reason why we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to answer anything you would like to ask about Pai Gow poker online.
What is Pai Gow?
The original Pai Gow Chinese game is played using a set of dominoes in a sophisticated order of layouts. On the other hand, the Pai Gow poker online is a game quite loosely connected with the ancient Chinese version. The modern variant is much simpler.
When you play Pai Gow poker, you will be dealt seven cards that need to be separated into two different hands (one five cards hand and one two cards hand). It is not possible the hand with two cards to have a higher value than this with five cards. Then you will bet on both hands separately according to whether or not you feel you can beat the respective hands of the dealer (the dealer is also known as the “banker”). Every hand is separately played against the dealer meaning you can win only one of the hands and not the other, or neither, or both.
Pai Gow poker online is so common since it offers two separate chances for winning money with every hand that is dealt. When a tie occurs in both or either of the separated hands, the dealer always wins. In Pai Gow poker, there is no push. And this is how the house gets its advantage.
What means a low hand and what means a front hand?
That is how the two Pai Gow split hands are called. Suggesting by the name, the hand with two cards is the low hand, and the hand with five cards is the front hand. The hand with five cards can also be called high hand, or back hand.
Is it possible to play Pai Gow poker for free?
There are a lot of internet casinos offering free versions of their games so you can test their software and get a genuine feeling about their website. Playing Pai Gow online for free allows you to hone your own strategies, get to know the game and feel confident about it prior to beginning to bet with real cash. Whenever you win a free Pai Gow online hand, your winnings will appear on the screen, and you will know how you are progressing, but this money cannot be withdrawn. If you would like to get real winnings you have to make a deposit first and play with real money.
How old do I need to be to play Pai Gow poker?
The answer to this question is the particular legal age in the country where your residence is. Of course, you can play Pai Gow poker online for free no matter how old you are, as it is not considered real gambling.
What do I have to have or do to play Pai Gow poker online?
Everything needed is to have a computer or other internet device. If you are a Mac, iPad or iPhone user, you will have to find online casino Pai Gow poker where a download is not required for the games to be played. Otherwise, for Android and PC users, when you select your casino, you will usually need to download the particular casino’s software. As you have probably guessed, the software programs are not interchangeable, so you will have to make a download every new casino’s software.
Where am I able to find Pai Gow poker online?
There are a lot of various kinds of weird casinos providing Pai Gow, but we can help you discover the casinos with the best reputation providing the top experience when it comes to gameplay. Our strict criteria for listing a Pai Gow poker online casino are that they provide superb graphics, excellent security, high bonuses and good payouts. These are the best real money Pai Gow sites having a history of honesty and fairness, stable reputation and taking care of all clients’ problems, so the players do not need to worry about anything.
Glossary of Pai Gow Poker Terms
- The banker – This is the individual who is betting against all the table’s players. The banker usually needs to rotate each turn or every other turn. A bigger bankroll may be required if you are to get more action (after all, you are playing against all players) but in case you can afford it, this is a wonderful way to play. The advantage goes to the banker because she or he wins all copies.
- The bug – This is slang word describing the joker – the (semi) wild card of the game.
- The copies – This is the technical word for either a high hand or a low hand that is exactly the same as the corresponding hand of the banker. In the case of a copy, the banker always wins.
- The commission – This is the five percent fee taken out by the casino of all winnings that are paid by the bank. This is the way of profiting from a game that does not come with a built-in house edge (keep in mind that players in general play as the bank on a rotating basis).
- The dragon hand – This is a term for the hand dealt to an empty seat. The banker always has to make seven cards stacks – to be enough for the banker and six players to each get one. Whenever there is an empty seat, the corresponding stack of cards according to the protocol is still dealt as a hand.
- The hand behind – This is a term used for the Pai Gow poker hand with five cards. It has this name because of the position it takes, physically staying behind the hand with two cards on the table.
- The hand in front – This is a term used for the Pai Gow poker hand with two cards. It has this name because it is positioned physically in front of the hand with five cards on the table.
- The high card – This is the highest card in the player’s hand. Usually, there is a reference to it only when the value of the player’s hand is less than a pair. Let us proceed with our guide to Pai Gow poker.
- The High hand – This is the Pai Gow hand with five cards. Named for staying higher on the table.
- The house way – This is the set of rules that should be followed by all dealers when creating their two Pai Gow poker hands. Technically, it may not be the best strategy, but it is close and it keeps the house positioned in the game in the case when the casino is acting as the bank. This is the advised system in the cases players ask them for help.
- The joker – This is the card that is almost in all cases used as the wild card in the game of Pai Gow. While in some cases it could be entirely wild, in most cases it can only be wild to complete a flush, a straight or a straight flush. In case it cannot produce one of these hands, it is then treated as an Ace.
- The low hand – This is the two card Pai Gow poker hand. It is placed lower on the table.
- The push – This is the technical term used for a tie. In Pai Gow poker, this happens in case one of the hands you have beats the dealer’s corresponding hand and then the other loses or ties. As a result, your bet is returned to you and there are not further changes. Take a look at “copies” for an explanation of what happens in case the corresponding hands are equal.
- The random number generator – This is the software allowing the internet casino to randomly and fairly pick cards from a digital deck. It has to be certified and audited as being fair by a third party.
- The wild card – At the end of our guide to Pai Gow poker, we should say that this is the card that can be used to represent any other card to create the best possible hand. It is usually represented by the Joker, and the addition of it makes the deck to consist of fifty-three cards.
Links for Informative Resources
- Casino Boss Can’t Cash-In on the Game he Created (Pai Gow Poker’s Originator Didn’t Secure a Patent)
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Pai Gow Poker Tips & Advice From an Expert (The 53-card game is one of the best ways to stretch a bankroll)
