Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is an American version of the ancient Chinese game Pai Gow, which in literal translation means "doing a nine", which is played not with cards, but with dominoes. Because of this, Pai Gow Poker is also sometimes called Asian poker, as well as Double Hand Poker, or High-Low Poker.
There are several versions of the history of this game. One of them goes to the middle of the last century during the construction of the first railways, when Chinese and American workers worked together. The combination of Chinese Pai Gow and American Poker gave rise to a new type of game. According to another version, the game arose in 1920 in the illegal gambling houses of San Francisco, where there were a significant number of emigrants from various Asian countries.
Pai Gow Poker comparatively recently appeared in American casinos and immediately gained special popularity. The first gambling tables were installed in 1987 in the Deset in-hotel, and a little later in many other casinos in Las Vegas. In European casinos, this game has not yet become widespread.
Pai Gow Poker assumes quick action and interesting tactical decisions and at the same time great winning opportunities for players using the optimal strategy. The usual advantage of the casino in Poy Gow Poker is about 1.46%.

How does the game. In Pai Gow Poker play at a semi-circular gambling table where you can see the inscription "Pai Gow Poker" and the image of the oriental dragon. All players are playing against the bank. At the beginning of the game, a dealer plays for the bank, then any of the players periodically becomes a banker. Once the players have placed their bets, the dealer gives out 7 cards to each player and himself. Players and the dealer divide their cards into two hands for 5 and 2 cards. Then the cards are opened and compared. Players win if their card combinations are older than banker card combinations.
Where to start if you are playing for the first time?
Find out all possible combinations of cards in Poker. Learn the rules and conservative strategy. When playing in a casino, you can always use the dealer's advice for the correct division of your cards.

Rules of the game. The game is played with an ordinary poker deck, in which there is one joker, only 53 cards in the deck. All the ranks of the cards and the seniority of their combinations are similar to standard poker, except for the value of the joker. In Pai Gow poker, a joker can only be used to compose a straight, a flush, a straight flush, and a flush, where it replaces any necessary card. In all other cases, the joker is considered an ace. In other words, you can not use a joker to compose a pair, free of head or side, with any other cards except the ace.
Example. 7, 8, Joker, 10, B - Straight; K, K joker, 7, 2 - a pair of kings; A, a joker, 10, 6, 4 - a pair of aces.
In the game, as many players can participate, as many betting areas are marked on the gambling table. In the first game, the duties of the banker are performed by the dealer, in the future, any player has a periodic opportunity to play for the bank.
The game begins with the fact that players set their bets in the areas highlighted by circles - boxes. The dealer, shuffling the deck, gives out to the table 7 kip on 7 cards in each bale - this is always done without taking into account the number of players participating in the game. After that, the dealer throws 3 dice and, depending on the result, distributes the piles of cards between the players. In some casinos, a special mechanical device is used to shuffle and distribute cards, and the distribution of the kip between players takes place sequentially.
Next, the players and the banker divide their cards into two parts, high - 5 cards and low hands - 2 cards. When dividing the cards, a strict rule must be observed - your high hand should always be better than the low one. For example, if you have one pair, you can not set this pair in a low hand, or by dividing pair 10 and pair 7, you have to set the sevens in the low hand, and dozens in the high. If you do not follow this rule, you automatically lose!
When all the players and the banker split their cards into two hands, the cards are opened and each player compares his card combinations to the banker's combinations. All wins and losses are determined as follows:
1. If a player wins one hand and one hand loses, then the result is a draw - push - bet is returned to the player.
2. If a player wins two hands, the banker pays him a 1 to 1 win.
3. If a player loses both hands, he loses his bet.
4. If any combination of player cards completely repeats a combination of banker cards, then the combination of the banker wins.
At the end of the game, the casino collects 5% of the commission from each player's winning bet.
We now analyze in more detail how the sequence of the game for the bank changes. The dealer representing the interests of the casino is the banker for the very first game. Further, this role passes to the player sitting at the right hand of the dealer. If he refuses to play for the bank, then the next person sitting can play for the banker. When any player plays once for the bank, the dealer becomes the banker again, and the situation repeats. Thus, the dealer is a banker in at least half of all games at the table. When the player is a banker, the dealer is another player. If a player plays for a bank, then he must have enough money to cover all the bets of other players. If his personal means for this is not enough, then the player can play a pair with the dealer, that is, the dealer covers half of the rates of other players. In this case, the final winnings and losses are divided equally between the dealer and the banker.
Playing for the bank and sharing their cards, the dealer uses the rules of the casino, which regulate all his actions. Each casino has its own set of such rules, drawn up on the basis of an aggressive or passive strategy.
Note. The casino collects its 5% commission regardless of whether the player plays as a player or as a banker. Transition of the order of the game for the bank occurs counter-clockwise. The dead hand is a dead hand, do not forget that by dividing your cards incorrectly, when the low hand combination is older than the combination high, you automatically lose!

Strategy Pai Gow Poker. The main strategic rule in Pai Gow Poker is that a low hand is not a trash can, where you must constantly throw the worst cards. By following this rule, you must often sacrifice a strong high hand to compose two strong combinations. So, having full house, you need to leave three cards in high hand and set two cards in low. Having two high pairs, they should be divided.
To achieve the greatest benefits in Pai Gow, two different strategies can be used: aggressive and conservative, which take into account all the controversial moments of the game and offer the best possible solutions. Using a conservative strategy, the player holds most of the strong combinations in the high hand and places low cards in the low, which increases the probability of a draw result - pushing and reduces the likelihood of losing, however, as well as winnings. Aggressive players, on the other hand, always try to increase the chances for a true win, even if for this they have to break an almost unbeatable high card combination, which reduces the probability of pushing and adds the possibility of losing. Most casinos use a conservative strategy that determines the actions of the dealer, regardless of whether he is a banker or an ordinary player.
For most initial card combinations, aggressive and conservative strategies are the same. Their main difference is shown in high combinations of cards (starting with two pairs) and in the presence of high (king, ace) unpaired - outside cards. Most often, the initial combination of cards is two pairs, almost 22 out of 100 points of the game. Therefore, the main question of any strategy is whether to divide the two pairs and thereby increase their chances of winning and losing two hands or keeping them together, increasing the chance of getting pushing through one strong and one weak combination.
All pairs are usually defined as low, medium and high. Pairs from 2 to 6 are considered low - low pea, pairs from 7 to 10 - medium - midium pea, pairs from jacks to kings - high - high paa.
It is these values ​​of the two pairs that become the criterion for making a strategic decision. Let us consider in more detail the ratio of the two strategies to the degree of precedence of the two pairs and to other possible states.

Conservative strategy. Lack of combinations. If your cards do not constitute any combination, then install the second and third highest cards in the low hand.

A pair. Always leave the pair in the high hand and place the two highest cards in the low hand.
Two pairs. Leave two pairs in the high hand, if both pairs consist of 6 or less; Otherwise, set the lower pair in the low hand. If you have an ace and both pairs - 7 or less, then leave the ace in the low hand and both pairs in high. In all other cases, separate the pairs and play the youngest in the low hand. If you have an ace, set it in the low hand and leave the two pairs high, if the top pair is 10 and better, and the younger pair is 6 or less. In all other cases, separate the pairs and play the youngest in the low hand.
To easily remember these 3 rules, define them as "rule 6", "rule 7" and "rule 10-6".
Three pairs. Play the oldest pair in the low hand.

Free of Kaind. Always keep 3 cards of the same rank in a high hand, unless they are aces, and in the low hand, take down the two highest cards. If you have 3 aces, set one with the highest card in the low hand and play a pair of aces in the high.
When you have two such combinations at once, divide the top three into pairs and play it in the low hand.
Straight. Always play straight in the high hand, if it does not contain other combinations. With additional straight cards, play the two highest cards in the low hand.
With two pairs and straight, hold the straight in the high hand, if two pairs - 9 or less. If 10 and better, divide straight and play the lower pair in the low hand, and the senior in the high.
FLASH. Always play the flush in the high hand, if it does not contain other combinations. With additional flush cards, play the two oldest in the low hand. With two pairs and a flush hold the flush in the high hand, if two pairs - 9 or less. If two pairs - 10 or more, divide the flush and play the younger pair in the low hand and the senior couple in the high.
For straight and flush the same rules work - "rule of precedence" and "rule 9", so take them as one general.
Having a flush and straight - play the flush.
Full house. Always separate the full house and play the pair in the low hand. With two pairs and three cards of the same rank, play the highest pair in the low hand.
Fo of Kaind. With four 8 or younger play them all in high hand and carry two high cards to low. With four 9 or older in the absence of an ace or another pair, separate and play pairs in different hands.
With four 9 and ace or another pair, play four 9 in high hand, and an ace or pair in low.
Always divide four aces.
Straight flush and roil a flush. Always play straight flush or roil in high hand, if they do not contain other card combinations. Keeping additional cards straight flush or roil flush, play the two highest cards in the low hand.
If a straight flush or a rooted flush contains pairs, then use "rule 9" for straight and flush.
Five aces. Always divide 5 aces and place 2 aces in a low hand.

Aggressive strategy. Aggressive strategy has other solutions for dividing two pairs, straight, flush, straight flush, roil flush and pho of kaind. Consider these discrepancies.

Two pairs. Hold the two pairs in the high hand, if these pairs are 5 or less, otherwise play the lower pair in the low hand.
When there is a king and one pair - 5 or less, and another - 10 or less, then keep both pairs in the high hand, and the king play in the low. In all other cases, divide the pairs into two hands.
When there is an ace and one pair - 5 or less, and the other pair of jacks and less, then keep both in the high hand, and play the ace in the low. In other cases, divide the pairs into two hands.

Straight, Flush, Straight Flush and Roof Flush. If you have a choice between straight, flush and straight flush, then choose one that allows the two highest cards in the low hand.
If you have a straight or a flush with an ace and an activated joker, then play two aces (ace and joker) in the high hand and the next two highest cards - at low. Do the same if you have a pair of 10 or better.
When you have a straight, flush or straight flush along with two pairs, three pairs, free of kaind or full house, then use the rules of two pairs, three pairs, free of kaind or full house.
Fo of Kaind. Four 7 or less - play all four cards in high hand. Four 8 or better - play one pair in the low hand, and the other in the high.
Four 8 or better with an ace or another pair - play all 4 cards in high hand, and an ace or pair in low.
You can choose between these two strategies. In the end, they give about the same percentage benefit. But, playing on the conservative strategy, you will conduct a smoother game with frequent push, and choosing an aggressive style - more dynamic.

The game for the bank. Playing for a bank, the player has the advantage that in the case of the same combination of cards, the banker wins. In addition, the additional advantage of a player familiar with the main strategies of the game is the lack of this knowledge among other players, as well as the possibility of their error when dividing cards and drawing up a dead hand - a ded hand. Therefore, whenever possible, always play for the bank - play when your turn came and when other players refused from the bank.

Advantages of the casino. When the player uses the optimal strategy in a one-on-one game with the dealer, the casino advantage is 1.46%. If there are several players at the table, this percentage may vary slightly in either direction, - mistakes of inexperienced players will bring you additional profit, and their impeccable game for the banker will add a hundredths of a percent to your losses.