Remember though, that Pai Gow Poker definitely plays different than regular poker, and you are playing against the casino with a house edge, not other players. So it's particularly important that you know the correct playing strategy to effectively lower that house edge. We've compiled a great list for you of all of the best online casinos that offer the fun, exciting game of Pai Gow Poker.
How to Play
The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, plus a single joker. It is played on a table set for six players, plus the dealer. Each player attempts to defeat the banker (who may be the casino dealer or one of the other players at the table). The object of Pai Gow poker is for a player to create two poker hands out of the seven-card hand he/she is dealt by the dealer: a five-card hand, and a two-card poker hand. The five-card hand's value must exceed the two-card hands. The two-card hand is often called the hand "in front" or "on top" and the five-card hand is called the hand "behind", or the "bottom."
Pai Gow Poker might look complicated to the newcomer, but it really isn't difficult to learn at all. In fact, if you know how to play poker and what hand beats what, you've pretty much got it understood. One interesting difference is that you're not playing against other players, only against the dealer, or the "house." So no need to bring your poker face along, as there's no bluffing in Pai Gow Poker. Really, the only thing you need to figure out is the difference between your "front" and "back" hands and how to play both; but that shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
Automatic Playing
One great thing about playing Pai Gow online is that you don't even have to know a thing about the game, because most online casinos will let you select an option that plays your hand automatically, or, "the house way." Basically, the software will combine your seven cards into the best possible front and back hands possible, so you don't have to do a thing. While this is not a bad way to go, it's certainly not a whole lot of fun – so we recommend you learn how to play your hands yourself if you want to play Pai Gow Poker online.
The game itself is not one with a lot of action, as a lot of the time you will tie with the dealer. This is a game to hang out with, waste a little time and play without really risking a whole lot, because the variance is low and the brain power needed not especially high. It's a game of leisure. It is fun and a little exotic, so that's why it's gaining in popularity.
If you're going to play Pai Gow Poker, we do recommend you check out the various online casinos' house edge and to choose the lowest one you can find, obviously. Or, just check back with us and we'll give you the skinny on all of the online casinos that feature this relatively new, fun game.