Popular with Asian gamblers, pai gow Poker is sometimes referred to as two handed poker. The reason for this is that the ultimate goal of the game is to create two hands of the seven cards that a player holds. One deck should consist of five cars while the other deck is made of two cards. The smaller deck is referred to as the hand that is "in front" while the other is called the hand that is "behind".

Playing Pai Gow Poker

Pai gow poker is a challenging game. This is one game that is generally recommended for more advanced players. Playing online though the can provide you a greater learning curve than actually learning to play at the fast pace at which land based casinos generally move and operate these games. Keep in mind that there are penalties assessed for hands that are incorrectly put together in addition to the possibility of losing more often and greater amounts of money during the learning process. This is a game that you will want to study rather than just jumping right in.

Variations

Different casinos will hold differing hand values in higher regard. Some consider a combination of Ace, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to rank above even a straight that is king-high while other casinos do not. You need to be aware of the rules of the casino where you are playing before you play for the best results. Knowing the high cards and the values that are assigned to certain hands will help you develop a winning strategy for your game of pai gow poker.

You will not find countless variations, twists, and turns for pai gow poker like you will when playing blackjack. Most players find that this game is quite difficult enough to master without feeling a need to add yet another detail to remember or improve upon. The biggest thing you will need to worry about are the minor differences that work best with one casino over another or those changes that have been made in order to play effectively online.

Who Wins?

Once everything is sorted out and the hands are separated any hand that beats the bankers hand wins the bet. If only one hand managed to beat the banker then you will push. If both hands are lost to the banker than you lose the hand. Ties go to the banker for both the two and five card hands. There are also penalties assessed for hands that are improperly put together. When playing online this occurs less often but it can happen and the penalties will vary from one casino to the next. The ultimate goal is to have the highest two card hand. You will need to devise your own strategy before playing your hand.