How to play Pai Gow Poker online

Pai Gow Poker has ancient origins, coming from China where it was once played with dominoes. More recently it was introduced to the world of online casinos, and it's one of the more recent additions. It's different from the ancient version of the game since it's played with a deck of cards, and of course it's been modernized by making an appearance on the internet as well.

The object of Pai Gow Poker is to play against the dealer and make a better hand. Though more opponents may be at an online Pai Gow Poker table, all that counts is how each individual stands up against the hands that a dealer has. With Pai Gow Poker, each player receives 7 cards and they have to create one 5 card hand and one 2 card hand.

How a Game of Pai Gow Poker Works

1. Find an online casino or online Poker room that offers Pai Gow Poker, and that also has a good reputation
2. Look at the Pai Gow Poker tables, and fit one that's suitable to your bankroll. Specific stakes, like minimums and maximums will be listed
3. Before receiving their cards players must place their bets
4. Create two hands from 7 cards. The 5 card hand must be stronger than the 2 card hand
5. Once players have created their hands, the dealer separates theirs. In order to win, both of a player's hands must be better than the dealers; if only one hand is better than the result is a tie

Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings

1. 5 Aces – 5 Aces, 1 Joker and 1 other card
2. Royal Flush – Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 which are all in the same suit
3. Straight Flush – 5 cards in the same suit all in sequence
4. 4 of a kind – 4 cards of the same rank
5. Full house – 3 of a kind and a pair
6. Flush – 5 cards all of the same suit
7. Straight – 5 cards all in sequence
8. Three of a Kind – 3 cards all of the same rank
9. Two Pair – 2 cards that are one rank, and two cards of another
10. A Pair – 2 cards that are the same rank

For two card hands – the highest hands are pairs, and a pair of Aces is ranked highest

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

The best strategies that players can apply when playing Pai Gow Poker online is to know how to separate their hands depending upon the cards they're dealt. Of course, beyond that, the best method to improve skill and strategy like any game is to practice, so find an online casino that has all of the features you enjoy in a game of Pai Gow and start playing so you develop an intuition for the game that seems to increase your chances of winning!