If you want to learn how to play Pai Gow Poker online, you’ve come to the right place. Our Pai Gow Poker tips are designed to be useful for beginners, amateurs, and even experts. If you’re looking for gambling secrets and insider tips on not just how to play Pai Gow Poker online but how to dominate the game, we’ll provide the insights you seek. The below Pai Gow Poker tips were compiled in order to address the most frequently asked game questions. Whether you're confused about where the Pai Gow ends or where the Poker begins, we set things straight. Read on for little known Pai Gow Poker secrets and the Gambling City guide to winning the game.
Pai Gow Poker is not Pai Gow – Gambling City Pai Gow Poker Tips
Many Pai Gow Poker players coming to the game from either a Pai Gow or Poker background are confused by how different Pai Gow Poker is from its combined namesakes. Pai Gow players should not expect dominoes at the table, and unsuspecting Poker players will be shocked when they receive a Joker in their hand.
Both Pai Gow and Poker are relatively old games, whose origins trace back hundreds of years. Pai Gow Poker, on the other hand, is hardly more than two decades old. Many new players are unaccustomed to its unique rules. The truth is that Pai Gow Poker has very little in common with its predecessor, Pai Gow. While poker fanatics argue that it hardly qualifies as a poker variation, Pai Gow Poker certainly leans more in that direction than towards dominoes or traditional casino games.
Pai Gow Poker does away not only with dominoes but with domino combinations. Instead, the value of players' hands is based on traditional Poker hand rankings. Borrowing from the hi-lo concept popular in community card games, Pai Gow Poker presents players with an opportunity to earn the pot in two different ways. Where Pai Gow Poker departs from other forms of traditional Poker is in the competition. Instead of competing with fellow players, your sole goal is to defeat the dealer's hand.
This change-up is likewise reflected in the betting format. Instead of several betting rounds, players front the initial ante and then have only one additional opportunity to bet after seeing their cards. Bets must be exactly twice the amount of each player's original ante. The result of these changes is that Pai Gow Poker eliminates the need for strategic staples like bluffing and semi-bluffing. The only tell that is useful to the players are those that come from the dealer, and even this advantage is offset when the dealer is a casino employee.
Play Bonus Pai Gow Poker – Gambling City Pai Gow Poker Tips
No list of Pai Gow Poker secrets would be complete without a mention of Bonus Pai Gow Poker. This game's altered name should give players a clear indication of what separates it from the original. Bonus Pai Gow Poker players have the option of making an additional bet at the beginning of each hand. This bet qualifies them for increased payouts on the highest combinations. It is important to note that players participating in the bonus feature are eligible for the bonus payouts regardless of whether they actually win the hand.
Build Solid Big and Little Hands – Gambling City Pai Gow Poker Tips
As mentioned above, the ability to build two hands may remind poker players of other hi-lo style games. Where Pai Gow Poker differs is in how the hands ultimately determine who wins.
In hi-lo style poker games, the pot is split between players holding the highest and lowest hands. In Pai Gow Poker, players must beat the dealer with both hands in order to win a return on their bets. A player who only beats one of the dealer's hands will push his bet, while a player who ties on one hand and loses the other loses his bet entirely. This is perhaps the most important lesson when learning how to play Pai Gow Poker online, as it will determine whether you bankroll builds or busts.
The strategies for building each hand are explored at greater length in our Pai Gow Poker strategy page. Still, there is one rule so central to building big and little hands that we felt it must be mentioned here, too. The big hand must always have a higher value than the little hand. A player that defaults on this rule will foul his hand and lose his bet altogether.
Play Pai Gow Games for Free – Gambling City Pai Gow Poker Tips
Now that the differences between Pai Gow Poker and its domino predecessor have been clarified, we’d like to point out that if you’ve never played Pai Gow Poker, you need not lose your life savings getting good at it. Gambling City provides you all the Pai Gow Poker secrets you need to master the game, as well as a free practice forum. Play risk-free Pai Gow Poker using our flash game technology before wagering a cent in the online casinos. Good luck!