Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker: What It Is and How to Play
What is Pai Gow Poker and how do you play it? Learn the rules for the high hand, low hand, joker, house way and commission.
PAI GOWPOKER
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Seven cards, two hands, one plan. Learn Pai Gow Poker: how to split seven cards into high and low hands, the joker, the house way and commission. 18+.
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Pai Gow Poker: What It Is and How to Play
What is Pai Gow Poker and how do you play it? Learn the rules for the high hand, low hand, joker, house way and commission.
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Start Here
Three steps before you sit at any table.
- 01
Learn the rules
Read our Pai Gow Poker guides until the basic terms feel clear.
Read the Guide → - 02
Check legality
Make sure it is legal where you live and that you are 18+.
- 03
Set your limits
Decide on time and money limits up front, then stick to them.
Responsible Gaming →
Glossary
Key Pai Gow Poker terms, explained in one line.
- High hand
- The five-card hand formed from the seven cards dealt, which must rank equal to or higher than the low hand.
- Low hand
- The two-card hand set aside from the seven cards dealt, where the best possible holding is a pair of aces.
- House way
- The casino's fixed rules for how the banker splits seven cards into high and low hands, which players may also use.
- Joker
- A semi-wild card that can only be used as an ace or to complete a straight, flush or straight flush.
- Copy
- A hand in which player and banker hold identical high or low hands; under standard rules such ties go to the banker.
- Commission
- A fee the casino takes from winning player bets, usually five percent, which is a main source of the house edge.
FAQ
Common questions about Pai Gow Poker.
How do you win at Pai Gow Poker?
Each player receives seven cards and splits them into a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand, and the high hand must outrank the low hand. If both hands beat the banker's, you win; if only one wins, the result is a push; if both lose, you lose.
What happens on a tie or copy hand?
A copy occurs when one of your hands exactly matches the banker's corresponding hand. Copies are won by the banker, which is one source of the house edge. So if one hand wins and the other is a copy, the round is a push; if one loses and the other copies, you lose.
How does the joker work in Pai Gow Poker?
The game uses a 53-card deck that includes one joker. The joker is semi-wild: it counts as an ace, or it can complete a straight, flush, straight flush or royal flush. In most rule sets it cannot be used as any other card, for example to make a pair of kings.
Why is there a 5% commission?
Because many rounds end in a push and players win only when both hands beat the banker, winning bets are paid even money minus a 5% commission. This commission, together with the banker winning copies, creates the house edge. Some variants use commission-free rules with other adjustments instead.
What is the house way?
The house way is the fixed set of rules the dealer uses to split the banker's seven cards into a high and a low hand. It varies slightly between casinos but generally aims to balance both hands. Players can often ask for their own hand to be set the house way, which is usually close to optimal.