Pai Gow Poker Strategies
In order to know the right strategy to use when playing Pai Gow Poker, it is first very important to learn and understand the game. Without a good understanding of the game and what is necessary to win, it is not worth investing in a game.
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Pai Gow Poker is a mixture of an old Chinese domino game that involved seven pieces being dealt to the player and modern day Poker. The same winning hands of Poker that are used in every other Poker game apply also to Pai Gow Poker, Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Pairs, Full House and so on.
Pai Gow Poker is played with a full deck of cards and the Joker. In other words it is a 53 card game. It is a game of the player against the banker. The player can also choose to be the banker. Pai Gow Poker is a relatively sedate long lasting game, so even a small bet can go a long way. To commence play seven cards are dealt to each of the players; this is a trait from the Pai Gow domino game. The player then arranges these cards in two hands, a 2- card hand and a 5- card hand. In order for the player to win, both hands need to have a total higher than the other player's hands. If there is a draw i.e. there are two hands the same then it is considered a push and there is no payout but also no loss. There are different variations of the hands that can give better results. Mathematical tables have been devised to show the best winning hands and supposedly how to achieve them but at the end of the day as with any card game, a lot of it is down to luck and how the cards are dealt to you and how you decide to arrange them.
The idea is to try and arrange your seven cards in a way that you get the highest two card hand while still leaving your five card hand also high. An average hand should have a medium to high pair in the five card hand and an Ace in the two card hand. The Joker is used in Pai Gow Poker and therefore a great asset in the game if you get it as it can be a wildcard or Ace which helps to build a winning hand. Since it is near impossible to memorize all of the optimum hands that can give you the best combinations, use your common sense to decide how to layout the cards. Remember that both hands need to be high in order to win. If you have high cards but no Aces or pairs, then put the highest card in the five card hand and the next highest cards in the two card hand which should give you an overall lead as the sum of the cards will remain high.
When playing Pai Gow Poker it is important to work out the ratio of how much is bet when you as the player choose to be the banker versus when you are the player. More often than not, it is a big advantage to be the banker and better to opt for this when you have the chance. When you do have the chance to be the banker, make sure your bets are sensible and not totally disproportionate to your other bets. Try and balance your bets out over a period of a few games. The way you balance your bets should depend on the bankroll that you have set yourself.
It is very important to set yourself a bankroll at the beginning of play and do not alter from this. It can be very tempting to increase your money when you think you are on a winning streak but this can be a mistake as there is no end to how much you can increase your game by. You must learn to discipline yourself. The same applies if you are losing. You may think, well one more bet and maybe I will win. Don't be under pressure, which is the worst way to play and can often bring about bad decisions that can make your situation even worse. Use your common sense as you play. If you are winning, then don't reinvest your winnings into more games, set these aside from your bankroll so that you can save them for another game or just enjoy the fruits of your win. Make sure your are sure of how you will place your bets before you enter a game of Pai Gow Poker , in other words know what tactics you want to employ. The worst thing to do when playing any game is to be unsure of yourself and how you are betting; this can only bring on stupid mistakes.
| Most, if not all online casinos offer the chance to be able to practice the game before you start playing. This is highly recommended. You are able to practice how you play and arrange your hand of cards and how you bet at no extra cost. Once you are confident of the rules and what is involved in the game you can start betting real money. It is not advisable to jump in at the deep end, start betting small amounts and build it up as you go along. It would be unfortunate to lose all of your bankroll in one go. There are many books, articles and helpful websites written about what hands are needed in Pai Gow Poker and how to arrange you cards. Read up on them before you start a game but don't think of them as the Bible of Pai Gow Poker. |
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What is more important is your self confidence in your game and that can only be achieved by practice and common sense. Don't fall into a trap of playing at a casino that offers what you may think to be the best bonus entry scheme or free prizes. This may not necessarily be the best casino to play your Pai Gow Poker game at. Check out the comments and reviews that are given by independent inspectors on each casino and Pai Gow Poker game before you commit to one. If you are playing at an online casino, make sure the casino belongs to one of the regulatory bodies that constantly check the authenticity of the casinos and offers that they promote. Ask around amongst your friends if they also play Pai Gow Poker and where they recommend playing it. Sometimes the sign up bonuses are totally innocent but sometimes they are loaded and involve betting up to ten times what they are offering you before you can take advantage of it. That is not to say that some of them aren't beneficial, just make sure you read all of the small print that is related to the game of Pai Gow Poker you choose to play and the casino that you choose to play at.
It cannot be stressed enough that it is important to understand the game before you enter into a game of Pai Gow Poker, without a basic understanding you might as well be throwing your money into a coin tumble as you have no idea if it will come out or not and it what way. Play with a sensible head on your shoulders, don't make rash decisions just because you have the right feeling in your bones. Having said that common sense is often based on instinct and you need a lot of that and discipline to play a good game of Pai Gow Poker. Another important aspect when playing is to relax and not expect to win. If you are relaxed and enjoying your game then any win you get is a bonus and most welcome.
