Pai Gow poker is a deviation of the traditional poker game and has its roots in an ancient Chinese game.
The original chinese game uses a set of dominos, is mysterious, and very hard to learn.
Variations of Pai Gow poker began appearing in North America around the mid 1800's but the game became popular just recently.
Even though it is a simple game, Pai Gow poker offers many differnet playing options.
This gives you the option to play conventionally and maximize your playing time with a small budget, or to go fast for the win.

POKER RANK OF HANDS

1 pair
2 pair
3 of a kind
straight (5 cards in numerical sequence of any suit)
flush (5 cards of the same suit)
full house (3 of a kind & 1 pair)
4 of a kind
straight flush (5 cards in numerical order and of the same suit)
royal flush (10 J Q K A of the same suit)

PAI GOW LAYOUT

Pai Gow Poker is played with places for 6 players and a dealer.
Each player has a space for the highest and lowest hand plus a circle to place the wgaer in.
The six boxes (3 on each side of the dealer's chip rack) are for placing the commission owed by the player. Commissions are collected when the dealers change. This system is not used everywhere. Some casinos require commission payment when a winning bet is paid.
The placement of the hands to the players is detrmined either by dice or an automatic shuffling machine.
If using dice 3 dice are used.
The dealer is either number 1, 8, o 15.
The dealer distributes the cards around the table stating from his or herself and rotating around the tale beginning with the player on the dealer's right. (some casinos start with the player on the dealer's left)
If a 5 is roller the dealer is #1.
The player on his/her right is #2.
The next player is #3.
And so on until he/she reaches player #5.
Player #5 is the one who gets the first hand.
The dealer then distibutes the hands around the table until all are distributed.
If an automatic shuffling machine is used numbers for distribution are randomly selected and the dealer is #1 and the players starting on the dealer's right are numbers 2 to 7.

PLAYING PAI GOW POKER

Begin by placing a wager in the circle.
Wagers must be in $5 incriments ($5, $10, $15, etc.).
The game is played with a standard 52 card deck plus a joker.
The joker is wild, but has it's limitations.
It can only be used either as an ace, to make up a straight, to make up a flush, and a straight or royal flush.
Each player receives 7 cards.
A 5 card poker hand and 1 2 card poker hand is made from the 7 cards.
The 5 card hand is the high hand, and the 2 card hand is the low hand.
They are placed in the corresponding boxes (marked HIGH and LOW) in front of each player.
The 5 card high hand must always be higher than the 2 card low hand.
EXAMPLE---A pair of aces must be in the high hand and a pair of kings on the low hand.
If set wrong the hand is a faul and the player loses his/her bet.
To win the player must beat the dealer's high and low hand.
The dealer must beat the player's high and low hand to win.
Beating only the low or high hand by either the player or the dealer results in a push and the player does not lose his/her bet.
A 5% commission is charged the player on every winning bet.

SETTING HANDS

NO PAIR
The highest card in the hand goes in the high hand box.
The next 2 highest cards in your hand in the low hand box.
The remaining cards in your hand on top of the cards in the high hand box.

ONE PAIR
Place the pair in hihg hand.
Next 2 highes cards in low hand.
Remaining cards in high hand.

TWO PAIR
This hand can be played many different ways.
Here is the basic way.
See PLAYING STRATEGIES for additional ways to play 2 pair hands.
If both pair are 5 and below place both in high hand and the next 2 highest cards in the hand in low hand.
Remaing cards in high hand.
If both pair are 6 to 10 place both in the high hand if you have an ace to place in the low hand.
If you do not have an ace split the pairs placing the lowet pair in the low hand and the highest pair in the high hand.
For the sake of not repeating every time always place the remaining cards in the high hand.
If both pairs are J, O k split the pairs lowest in low hand highest in high hand.
f you have aces and another pair aces in high hand lower pair in low hand.

THREE PAIR
lace the highest of the 3 pair in the low hand, and the other 2 pair in thehigh hand.

THREE OF A KIND
Place the 3 of a kind in the high hand, and the next 2 highest cards in your hand in the low hand.
If you have 3 aces place a pair of aces in the high hand and the other ace an the highest card in your hand in the low hand.

STRAIGHT
Place the straight in the high hnd and the remaining 2 cards in thelow hand.

STRAIGHT PLUS 1 PAIR
Place the straight in the high hand and the pair in the low hand.

FLUSH
Pace the flush in the high hand and the 2 remaining cards in the low hand.

FLUSH PLUS 1 PAIR
Place the flush in the hig hand and the pair in the low hand.

FULL HOUSE
Place the 3 of a kind in the high hand and the pair in the low hand.

FULL HOUSE PLUS 1 PAIR
Place the 3 of a kind in he high hand.
Of the remaining 2 pair place the higher pair in the low hand, and the other pair in the high hand.

FOUR OF A KIND
If 10 or below split (one pair in low hand and one pair in high hand) if you do not have an ace.
If you have an ace pace the 4 of a kind in the high hand and the ace plus the next highest card in your hand in the low hand.
If J, Q, K, A always split.

FOUR OF A KIND PLUS 1 PAIR
If 10 or below place in high hand, and place the pair in the low hand.
If J, Q, K, A split and place the other pair in the high hand.

STRAIGHT FLUSH
Place in high hand and remaining 2 cards in low hand.

STRAIGHT FLUSH PLUS 1 PAIR
Place straight flush in high hand and the pair in the low hand.

ROYAL FLUSH
Place in high hand and remaining 2 cards in low hand.

ROYAL FLUSH PLUS 1 PAIR
Place oyal flush in high hand and the pair in the low hand.