Play/Download Pai-Gow Poker Now

Pai Gow Poker is a game that has its roots in the ancient Chinese game, Pai Gow. However, it combined with American Poker and has evolved into the modern game of Pai Gow Poker. The interesting thing about Pai Gow Poker is that you can play the game for a long time without losing substantial amounts of money, that is if you keep your wits about you.

Pai Gow is played with a 53-card deck consisting of a standard 52-card deck with 1 wild card. The object of the game is to split your hand into a five-card hand and a two-card hand with both hands beating the dealer's two hands to win. The wild card is not a true wild card and has specific rules. The card only acts as an Ace or the fifth card in either a flush or a straight. It cannot be used to make a pair of 10's or Queens.

After you receive your seven cards you must split them into two hands, a five-card hand and a two-card hand. The five-card hand must always rank higher than the two-card hand.

Now, if you are playing a computer type game, most of the time here is how you work the game. You move the mouse pointer over the cards you want to make your two-card hand. Click on the two cards one at a time and they will split out of the deck. Notice that once you have chosen an eligible two-card hand the split button becomes available. If you are happy with your choice click on this split button and you will have your two playing hands. If you are not satisfied with your choices click on the card or cards which you want to change and they will go back into your seven-card hand. Now choose the new cards you wish to play with. You may do this until you press the split button at which point your hands are locked-in. The dealer will then split his hand and the game will play itself out.

If this is your first time playing Pai Gow Poker, here is a tip: Make sure your five card hand is your STRONGER hand... IE, don't create a pair in your two card hand and leave your five card hand with nothing, or, put two aces in your two card hand and leave two 3's in your five card hand. If you don't win the five card hand, the two card hand won't matter.