Pai Gow Poker Guide 2026: Rules, Two-Hand Setting Strategy, and Best Casinos
Pai Gow Poker blends the ancient Chinese tile game Pai Gow with standard poker hand rankings. Each player receives seven cards and must create two separate hands: a five-card hand (the "high hand") and a two-card hand (the "low hand"). Both hands must beat the dealer's corresponding hands to win.
Pai Gow Poker Rules
- Seven cards are dealt to each player and the dealer
- Players split into a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand
- The five-card hand must outrank the two-card hand
- Both hands beat the dealer → Player wins (even money, minus 5% commission)
- One hand beats the dealer, one doesn't → Push (no money exchanged)
- Both hands lose to dealer → Player loses
- Ties go to the dealer (banker advantage)
The Joker in Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker uses a 53-card deck including one Joker. The Joker is semi-wild — it can complete straights, flushes, or straight flushes. Otherwise, it counts as an Ace.
Optimal Pai Gow Setting Strategy
Setting strategy follows "house way" — the dealer's method for splitting hands. House way rules vary by casino but generally:
- No pair — Second and third highest cards in the low hand
- One pair — Pair in high hand; two highest remaining in low
- Two pair — Split unless one pair is Aces; keep high pairs together if second pair is J or better
- Three pair — Highest pair in low hand
- Straight/Flush — Keep in high hand unless a pair can be put in low hand
Pai Gow Poker House Edge
Pai Gow Poker has a house edge of approximately 2.84% including the 5% banker commission on wins. The high frequency of pushes (roughly 40% of hands) makes Pai Gow one of the slowest games to lose money at in a casino.
FAQ
- What makes Pai Gow Poker unique?
- The two-hand setting requirement is unique — you must create the best possible combination with constraints (five-card must beat two-card). About 40% of hands result in a push, making it a low-risk, slow-paced game.
- What is the banker option in Pai Gow Poker?
- In some Pai Gow games, players can choose to act as the banker. The banker wins all ties — a mathematical advantage. If you choose to bank, other players' losses pay off their wins, and you collect the 5% commission from winners.
- What is "house way" in Pai Gow Poker?
- House way is the standardised method casinos use to set their hands. Players can ask the dealer to set their hand using house way — it is a valid, balanced strategy that approximately minimises house edge.