Pai Gow Moments

I am sure some of you can relate to this guy.  He is a self confessed “snob” when it comes to card games.  Well, it would be better to say he WAS a snob.  In one of his articles, author and card game lover Frank Scobelete tells his readers of how he used to ignore table games that he considered new.  Among these games, he mentioned 3 card poker,  Caribbean Stud, and the like.  The main reason he ignored these is the fact that the house edge is quite high for these games – not at all a bad reason, isn’t it?

Yet today, he finds himself laughing – not at others, not at card games, but at himself.  Why?  Simply because he is now “addicted” to a card game he used to scoff at – Pai Gow Poker.  So what does he love about this game?

First he says that he loves it because of the slow-ness of the game.  With the pace of the game, any player can take his time to make decisions.  More than this, if a player suddenly does not know what to do, he can opt for the house way, which the dealer will show to him.

Another good thing for Scoblete is the fact that when plays, other players rarely bank.  That makes it great for him because he loves doing that.  Though the house edge may be a bit high, banking cuts that a bit.

These are only a few reasons that this guy fell for pai gow poker.  If you are anything like him, you just might find it a surprise as well!

Who hasn’t heard of the name Trump?  Probably a statistically insignificant percentage of Americans.  Yet did you know that the Trump Plaza Atlantic City Hotel and Casino is one of the several places in the continental US where you can play the “exotic” game of pai gow tiles?

Since you are reading this blog, I am assuming that you are interested in pai gow tiles and you have a basic working knowledge of the game so we are not going to dwell on the rules and features of the game itself.  Instead, what can you find at the Trump Plaza?

Aside from the usual array of slot machines and table games, this casino offers some games they dub exotic, pai gow being one of them.  As a matter of fact, they also offer the other type of pai gow which is quite popular today, pai gow poker.  If you are new to the games, they offer extensive information regarding the rules of the games on the web site.  You only have to browse the different pages to get a basic grasp of the games.

The Trump Plaza prides itself in having new machines on their casino floor.  They aim to give the best gambling experience to their customers.  On top of that, they boast excellent customer service, which they claim is unparalleled.  Of course, that remains to be seen by you yourself.  So if you are in the area, I suggest that you go pay this casino a visit.  While you are at it, why not give their pai gow tiles tables a try?  Online pai gow tiles is very similar to playing for real, with slight differences of course.  Yet I am sure that you will enjoy the atmosphere that the casino has when playing “for real.”

Pai Gow is fast becoming one of the favorite gambling activities in the US, both online and offline. In fact, derivatives such as Pai Gow Poker have been created due to this popularity. With other card games and gambling activities, one of the reasons for their popularity and widespread acceptance is the existence of a number of professional players.

These professional players add glitz and glamour to the game. Take for example Texas Hold ‘em Poker and Blackjack. The prolific names in these card games add to the excitement of the whole thing. Legends have been created and continue to influence the worlds of these card games.

As Pai Gow is not as established or widely known as Texas Hold ‘em Poker and Blackjack, it comes as no surprise that there aren’t too many professional Pai Gow players as of yet. Try doing a search on Google or Yahoo for “professional Pai Gow players” and the chances are that you would come up with almost nothing.

However, there are some professional gamblers who do dabble in Pai Gow. Take for example Bill Zender, one of the most notable figures in the world of blackjack. He is also involved in the business of casinos and has authored several books as well. In addition to all these, he is also considered a professional Pai Gow player. More so, he also plays Pai Gow Poker.

He claims that he prefers playing Pai Gow gives you a great game where the money is good and steady. More so, he says that in Pai Gow, there is no heat. What does he mean by that? He was probably referring to the fact that in Pai Gow, you play against each other and not the house.

In any case, it is quite a pity that there aren’t more professional Pai Gow players out there. This is a very interesting and exciting game, comparable to poker and al its variants. Perhaps one reason for this is the fact that there is a lack of publicity. Then again, it could be the lack of professional players that is causing the lack in publicity. It’s something like the chicken or the egg – which came first?

Anyway, the fact remains that despite the lack of people who play Pai Gow professionally, the game still deserves attention, which, I believe, a lot of people are realizing right now. Who knows, there might be more emerging Pai Gow players in the near future?

Despite having slightly complicated rules and same-sounding names of pairs and divisions, the game of Pai Gow is becoming more and more popular in western societies, not just in predominantly Chinese communities. This is evidenced by the growing number of casinos that include Pai Gow in their accepted events, and the increasing number of Pai Gow information or gaming sites on the internet.

Apart from being a favorite past-time among the Chinese (young and old alike), Pai Gow is attracting followers of other nationalities as well. The reason for the increased interest in Pai Gow could be the intricacy of the game itself.

Many find the game of Pai Gow very challenging. Figuring out the mathematical possibilities and chances of creating pairs are innumerable; and this may probably be one of its drawing powers. For others, trying to find a way to “beat the system” and discovering new techniques is the reason why they are inexplicably drawn to this game. Still others play the game of Pai Gow because of its novelty. It’s a new game using a different kind of playing tiles and rules. For those familiar with the betting process and playing procedures of black jack, Pai Gow serves as an exciting alternative. In most casinos, the game of Pai Gaw is played on Black Jack tables.

Pai Gow enthusiasts may play the game at major casinos and, if they can purchase a Pai Gow set, from the comforts of their own home. If a Pai Gow tile set is difficult to secure, there are websites that permit on line gaming. These on line games may or may not accept actual bets.

Although there is a growing number of Pai Gow players and enthusiasts in western societies, it may take some time before Pai Gow rises in rank and can be likened to more traditional games such as cards, dominoes and the highly popular Oriental betting game that also involves tiles, mah jong. However, as more people take an interest in Pai Gow, and with more information on how to play the game, the rules, strategies and betting procedures being made easily available to interested parties, the popularity of Pai Gow will most definitely increase.

No matter how you look at it, Pai Gow is definitely not just a passing fancy. It is slowly getting itself recognized as one of many mainstream gambling activities, and from the looks of things, Pai Gow will be here to stay.