Pai Gow is a popular poker game that originated in China and is now played in casinos all over the world. The name “Pai Gow” means “make nine” in Chinese, which refers to the objective of the game – to create two hands that add up to nine.
The game is played with a set of 32 dominoes, also known as tiles. In addition to the tiles, a Pai Gow table also has a dealer and up to six players. The goal of the game is for each player to beat the dealer by creating two hands that rank higher than the dealer’s two hands.
The first step in playing Pai Gow is for each player to place their bet on the table. Once bets have been placed, each player receives four tiles from the dealer. The players must then arrange their tiles into two hands – a high hand and a low hand.
The high hand consists of two tiles, while the low hand consists of three tiles. The ranking of the hands follows traditional poker rankings, with one exception: in Pai Gow, the highest possible hand is not a royal flush but rather a three-tile combination called “Supreme Pair”.
After all players have arranged their tiles into two hands, they reveal them to the dealer. The dealer then compares their own two hands with those of each player, starting with Player 1 and moving clockwise around the table.
If both of a player’s hands are higher than both of the dealer’s hands, then that player wins even money on their bet. If only one of a player’s hands is higher than one of the dealer’s hands, it’s called a push and no money changes hands. If both of a player’s hands are lower than both of the dealer’s hands or if there is an exact tie between any two sets of tiles, then that player loses their bet.
In Pai Gow poker, there are also some additional rules regarding how players can arrange their tiles. For example, the high hand must always be of higher rank than the low hand. Additionally, certain tile combinations are considered stronger than others, such as pairs or tiles that add up to a multiple of five.
Overall, Pai Gow is a fun and exciting game that combines elements of poker and traditional Chinese dominoes. If you’re looking for a new poker game to try out at your local casino, give Pai Gow a shot – you might just find that it’s your new favorite!
