Poker Players Thrive With Online Pai Gow Poker

When people speak of online poker, they are typically referring to head-to-head poker games such as 5-card Stud or Texas Hold'em. However, there are a lot of table poker options available where players get to play against the house. In this article, the discussion is going to focus on a poker variation called "Pai Gow Poker."

The History of Pai Gow Poker

For centuries, Pai Gow was a game associated with the use of Chinese Dominoes. In 1985, Bell Card Club (USA) owner Sam Torisian wanted to create a new poker game that would serve as a fun and exciting alternative to standard poker games. He felt like poker players were craving other options that would give them a reason to stray from the hours spent in a poker room. Pai Gow was the answer.

Note: Pai Gow Poker is often referred to as double-hand poker for reasons that will become clear in the following tutorial.

How to Play Pai Gow Poker Online

Online Pai Gow is played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards. The game is played between a dealer (the house) and the player. Some variations will include the Joker (53 cards now), which is then counted as a wild card, convertible to whatever is needed to make a better hand.

The game starts with both parties being dealt seven cards. The basic premise of the game for both parties is to create two hands: a five-card hand and a two-card hand. The ultimate object of the game is to create the two best hands from the seven cards.

Note: The standard poker 5-card hierarchy is used. As a reminder, here is that 5-card hierarchy, from best to worst:

• Royal Flush (10 through Ace of same suit)


• Straight Flush (5 consecutive cards of one suit)


• Four-of-a-Kind (4 cards of one denomination)


• Full House (3 cards of one denomination and 2 cards of another denomination)


• Straight (5 consecutive cards of any suit)


• Two Pair (2 cards of one denomination, plus 2 cards of another denomination)


• One Pair (2 cards of one denomination)


• High Card Hand (all other hands)

The two-card hand will be evaluated based solely on pairs or high card. Flushes and straights are not valid determinations.

The house is required to align its two hands based on a standard set of rules. This is referred to as aligning the cards the "house way." The player has the flexibility of creating their hands as they see fit. However, they would be well-advised to follow certain strategies when making their decisions.

After both parties have made their decisions, the two hands from each are compared. This will create one of the three following outcomes:

• Dealer wins if they win both hands


• Player wins if they win both hands


• Tie or push - each party wins one of the hands
  

It is important to remember that all ties will go to the dealer or house. That effectively creates the house's wagering advantage. That percentage works out to 2.84%. That means the house expects to win 2.84% of every dollar wagered.

Why Playing Online Pai Gow Poker is Advantageous

If sitting in a retail or online poker room for hours on end is what you want to do, that's fine. It's better if you can consistently beat the competition. There's the rub. Recreational poker players will always have to deal with sitting at tables with players who are better.

For poker enthusiasts who are looking for a better opportunity to make money, it's hard to beat what online Pai Gow has to offer. Here are four reasons why that's so:

1. Set Wagering Restrictions

When playing regular poker games, the amount you have to wager is influenced by the flow of the game. There are times when players have to wager more than they want simply because they refuse to give up on what they receive to be a good hand. Still, the average player is going to lose their fair share of perceived good hands.

This problem does not exist when playing online Pai Gow Poker. The initial amount wagered will stand as the total risk for the hand regardless of how the cards align. Note: Some variations might offer side bets that will effectively increase the risk.

2. The House Way Helps Players

The fact that the dealer always has to follow the house way restricts their ability to make decisions. Their decisions are made for them and set in stone. Prudent online Pai Gow players would be well-advised to read the House Ways rules before starting to play on a particular online casino site. The rules might vary slightly from one site to the next.

While the dealer faces restrictions, the player can deviate from standard card alignments if they believe doing so could create a win or a push. Still, it's recommended that the five-card hand be made as strong as possible as often as possible.

3. The Dealer Can Help Players

One of the things that is unique about Pai Gow poker is that the rules might dictate that the dealer has to help players create their best card alignments. In some retail casinos, that is done on request, while other retail casinos will require that dealers always help players make the right choices.

How does this work in an online environment? Most online Pai Gow Poker games offer a "house way" button that players can push to get the best possible card alignment based on the basic rules of poker.

4. The Action is Fast and Furious

Patience is required when playing head-to-head poker games because each player is afforded a certain amount of time to make decisions. Sometimes, a single hand can take 10 minutes to complete from start to finish.

Pai Gow is a fast and furious poker variation. Both the player and dealer will typically make their one-time card alignment decisions in less than a minute. It keeps the game flowing for action junkies.

Tips for Onine Pai Gow

As you might expect, there are best practices that can help recreational online Pai Gow poker players play like experts. Here are a few tips you might want to carry with you in your proverbial back pocket:

• If you have two pairs, put the highest pair in the 5-card hand


• If you have three pairs, put the highest pair in your two-card hand


• As much as possible, follow the house way. There is a reason why online casinos require such card alignments


• Pay close attention to how you use the Joker. Remember, it can be used to complete straights, full houses, flushes, straight flushes, and royal flushes


• Don't waste time and capital resources on side bets. The odds never justify the risk


• When risking money playing any online casino table game, you need to stay focused. It would be prudent to stay sober and avoid distractions
  

The Ultimate Tip - Gamble Responsibly

The truth is that you have no chance of getting rich by playing online Pai Gow Poker. The best you can realistically hope for is to win a little money and have fun in the process.

You owe it to yourself to always gamble responsibly. That means never wagering money that you cannot afford to lose. As a rule of thumb, you should never use more than your discretionary income. That would be defined as the money you have left over after you have satisfied your financial obligations and put some money away for savings. If you can follow this simple rule of thumb, there is an excellent chance you won't fall victim to problem gambling issues.

Our final suggestion: have fun and enjoy yourself.