Pai Gow Moments

As I promised in the last post, I will pick up exactly where I left off in the House Way description of Dicedealer.com:

Make the low hand as high as possible. This includes playing the high domino in the low hand when given the choice. Exceptions:
 
If the low hand does not have a value of at least long 3 (a total of 3 with the long domino or higher) and a 7 or higher is possible in the high hand then make the high hand as high as possible. This includes playing the high domino in the high hand when given the choice.

If the two hands total 8-9 or more then play the high domino in the high hand.
2, 5, 6, 12: play 7, high 8.
High 8, low 8, high 4, any 7: play 2, high 5.
High 10, low 10, high 6, any 7: play 6, high 7.
High 10, low 10, high 6, low 8: play 6, high 8.
High 10, low 10, high 6, any 9: play 6, high 9.
High 10, high 8, 11, low 7: play 7, high 9.
High 4, low 4, gee (mixed 6), 5: play high 7, 9.
2 or 12, any 6, 5, gee: play 7, 9.
High 6, low 6, 11, gee: play 7, high 9.
High 8, low 8, any 7, 9: play high 5, 7.

At first glance, these combinations may seem to be too many and too complicated for one to understand and remember.  Through practice and use, it is not impossible.

Here is the second installment of Fortune Palace’s Optimal Pai Gow strategy.  With this post, hopefully you will be able to complete and apply this optimal strategy for winning at pai gow poker.

2 pair:
Always split, unless:
1. Two pairs of 6s or below - don’t split.
2. The hand contains an ace - play the ace behind.

3 pair:
Always play the highest pair in front.

3 of a kind:
1. If three Aces, play a pair of Aces behind and Ace high in front.
2. Otherwise, play the three of a kind behind and the remaining high cards in front.

Straight, flush, straight flush:
Set the back as whichever hand gives the better front.

Full house:
Set the three of a kind behind and the pair in front.

2 sets of 3-of-a-kind:
Split the higher set into a pair and a single  - play the pair in front and play the smaller 3-of-a-kind behind. For example, with K,K,K,10,10,10,5 you should play K,K and 10,10,10,K,5.

Four of a kind:
1. If 2 to 6, play it behind.
2. If 7 to 10, split into pairs, unless a pair or an ace and a face card can be played in front.
3. If J to K, split into pairs, unless the hand also contains a pair of 10s or higher.
4. If Aces, split into pairs, unless a pair of 4s or higher can be played in front.

Royal flush:
1. Play behind.
2. If Royal flush with two pair, split as per two pair rule.
3. Split, if an A, K or a pair can be played in front and a straight or flush behind.

Five Aces:
1. Split, unless a pair of Ks can be played in front.

In the last post we had a quick look at pai gow poker, its background and some basics. If you are someone who likes playing poker and are into variations and new things, then you would most definitely get into pai gow poker.

To make it easier to understand, pai gow poker is simply a variation of 7 card stud. To add a twist, it also has elements of pai gow tiles. Perhaps one of the main differences of pai gow poker from conventional poker is that it makes use of 53 cards instead of the usual 52. The additional card is the joker. Having the joker makes it possible to get 5 of a kind. What are the implications of this hand? In conventional poker, the highest hand would be a royal flush (5 sequential cards in the same suit, ten to Ace). In pai gow poker, though, since we have the 5 of a kind, this beats the royal flush. Ask any poker player who has tried pai gow poker and he will tell you that the 5 of a kind hand ups the excitement another level.

With some poker variations, you know that not all the cards in the hand are used to determine who the winner will be. In pai gow poker, all 7 cards are utilized. The dealer deals 7 cards to all the players face down. Once this is done, the cards are split into two hand – the high hand (5 cards) and the low hand (2 cards). Once a player has split his cards he is not allowed to touch them.

On the outset, it may seem to a beginner that pai gow is merely like a game of dominoes.  Or maybe once one begins to grasp the basic rules, you would think of poker or similar card games.  In reality, though, pai gow is a unique game on its own.  Here are some tips to get you started.

Once you get your tiles, the first thing that you should look for is a pair.  In pai gow, pairs have the highest ranking.  It should be no problem spotting them as you should just look for tiles with the same markings.  If you do not have pairs among your 4 tiles, the next thing that you should look for is a Teen or a Day tile with a 7, an 8, or a 9.  One winning possibility with these tiles would be one Teen or Day tile with a 7 – this would form a High 9.  An 8 with a Teen or a Day would form a Gong.  A Teen or Day tile with a 9 would form a Wong.

Of course, not all hands that you get will yield a pair of any of the combinations above.  When this happens, just bear in mind that the dots on the tiles represent the numerical value of the tile.  In pai gow, when the dots are more than 10, the numerical value is the number when the 1 is dropped.  With no High 9s, Wongs, Gongs, or Pairs, the number which is closest to 9 wins.

Pai Gow, a tile-game similar to the card game Black Jack, is a betting game. What makes Pai Gow different from other gambling games is that you place a bet before you receive your tiles and, after you have seen your cards and created possible pairs or hands, you are not allowed to change, neither increase nor decrease your bet. In simplest terms, you place a bet, you are given four tiles, you play these tiles and, depending on how you arranged your pieces, you either win or lose the amount you have bet.

Everyone involved in Pai Gow, from the player to the dealer or bank, can win or lose money, and this is done two ways: through bets, and commissions.

Making money through bets is fairly simple. You place a bet and after all the tiles are received, you can win or lose your bet. If both your pairs beat the hands held by the dealer, you win back your bet, and also get the amount the bank / dealer has wagered. If both your pairs lose to the pairs of the dealer, it goes without saying that the money you wagered. In case only one of your pairs beat the tiles of the dealer, both of you are in a situation called “Push”. In this instance, the money does not remain on the table and added to the succeeding pot, but goes directly to the dealer.

Commissions of a players winnings, is another way money can be made by playing Pai Gow. Commissions, however, are only applied to games played in Casinos. The standard commission charged by casinos in the United States is 5% of your winnings. For example, you bet a hundred, and won, you do not receive double your hundred (200) but your bet and 95% from the house (195). The commission is only taken from winnings. For draws (push situations) and loses, the house / dealer will not take any additional 5% from you. If you’re playing at home with friends, there is no need to give 5% of the money you won from the bank as commission, not unless it is something everyone has agreed upon.

You also do not need to be a player to make money on Pai Gow. As a spectator, you and your friend can place bets on the tiles held by another player or on the dealer. However, instead of the money going to the player or the bank, the money just changes hands between you and your companion.

Although Pai Gow is generally about creating pairs, grouping two tiles with each other is not that easy to do. Remember that in Pai Gow, having tiles with identical markings does not necessarily constitute a strong hand.

To excel or win in Pai Gow, many players use “strategies”: some of which are new – developed only in recent years an example of which is the Denenberg Strategy, the others are more traditional. Most Pai Gow players and casinos offering this game prefer to use the “traditional strategy” or variations of this. Strategy playing in Pai Gow involves knowing how to create pairs and which pairs you, at all times, should strive to create. It is important to note, however, that before a Pai Gow player decides to focus on perfecting his strategy, he must first be very well acquainted with the pairings or divisions and the names of these.

Basically, there are two general PaiGow strategies (though with numerous variations, these players learn through experience and trial and error) and these depend on the tile that you have been dealt with. In the eventuality that you are given four tiles and you are unable to create any pair with them, then look for what are termed as “Only Acceptable” divisions. If you cannot see any pairings that fall under the Only Acceptable division then look for what are called “Best High Division” and “Best Low Division”.

If you have been lucky enough to receive tiles where you can create pairs, remember that you should never split pairs of tiles that have 4, 5, 6, 10 or 11 spots on the tile face. If you have a pair of 7 split these if you have a Teen and the value of your low hand after the split is 7 or higher. Split an 8 pair if the value of your low hand is 7 or higher. Split a pair of 9s if the total value of your low hand is equal to or higher than 9, and finally, split a Teen or Day set if after the split, your low hand will either have a value of at least six, or if you have tiles that has 9 or 11 spots.

Determining how and when to split your tiles is indeed quite tricky. Therefore, it is really recommended that a Pai Gow player fully understand the pairings and the names that go with each pair first, before he even attempts to master strategies: be it modern or traditional ones.

The game of Pai Gow is a little complex and may take some time before you become adept with the rules. Basically, it starts by placing bets and then the dealer or bank distributes four tiles to all of the players, including himself. When you get your tiles, you are to create two hands, one called a high hand and the other a low hand, by making combinations.

If you were dealt with a less than desirable set of tiles, you are, unfortunately, unable to replace the tiles or draw more tiles. You are constrained to make the most out of the tiles you have with you. Since the main purpose of the game is to have a pair of hands that are high in value. To increase your chances of winning the game, you should make both your high and low hands strong (high value).

While you (and everyone else involved in the game) are deciding on the best pairing for your set of four tiles, the faces of the tiles should not be shown to anyone. When everyone is content with the way they have arranged their tiles, it is only then that the tiles, including the tiles of the dealer, are turned up. Incidentally, if you are having trouble remembering the value of the hands, keep in mind that the names of the highest valued pairs are followed by either a “wong” or a “gong”. If none of your pairs have a wong or a gong in the name, then count the dots, tiles with a total of 9 are ranked as the highest.

When all the tiles are exposed, you then compare your high hand followed by your low hand with those of your opponent (who is basically just the dealer / banker) respectively. To win a game of Pai Gow, both your high and low hands should beat the high and low hands of the other players. If one hand loses to another, no money exchanges hands and the situation is called a “push”. If you lose in both hands, you naturally, lose the game (and your wagers).

Although the game can be played by several players, you should only concern yourself with your tiles and that of the dealer. Your aim (and the aim of the other players) is to have a combination that is strong enough to beat the hands of the dealer. In cases of ties, unfortunately, the bets go to the dealer.

PaiGow, which roughly translates to “make nine” or “nine card” in Cantonese, is a game that is quite similar to the popular dominoes. The game originated in China and is played using a set of Chinese dominoes. It is primarily a gambling game and surprisingly, even in predominantly Chinese communities, the game is mostly played in underground casinos. The game, however, is widely accepted and played openly in selected casinos in cities in Macau and China, as well as in casinos in the United States (Las Vegas, Nevada, Atlantic City and New Jersey). It is also played in some card rooms in California and even casinos found in Australia, the Land Down Under.

A complete Pai Gow set should have 32 “named” tiles which make up 16 pairs; and dice. The standard dimension of each tile is about 1 inch wide by 2 inches tall. These are usually black in color with the markings (seen only on one side of the tile) in either white or red.

There are between two to twelve spots on each Pai Gow tile and these are arranged in different patterns and come in different colors. Players of Pai Gow should, not only take note of the total spots in each tile, but the arrangement as this is critical in the game. The different colored spots, however, have no bearing on how the game is played.

A number or rank is assigned each pair of tiles. The rank of the pair of tiles does not depend on the number of spots on the tile face. In Pai Gow, a pair of tiles with more spots is ranked lower and is less valuable than a pair of tiles with lesser number of spots. The main object of a Pai Gow game is to have a hand (through the rankings of your tiles) that is higher than those of your opponents.

Pai Gow may be played by a minimum of two and a maximum of eight players and a dealer. It is a betting game thus, players put in their bets even before the tiles are dealt.

The game of PaiGow, however, should not be mistaken for the Americanized version which is called Pai Gow Poker. The game was created jointly by Sam Torosian and Fred Wolf. Unlike the authentic PaiGow, Pai Gow Poker (also known as Double Hand Poker) is played by six individuals, plus the dealer, with a regular deck of cards and a Joker.