Pai Gow Poker is Invented

Pai Gow Poker combines elements of the Chinese tile game known as Pai Gow as well as classic poker elements. It is thus often considered a Westernized version of Pai Gow which is played with a regular deck of cards like the decks used for playing other card games. The game was invented by Sam Torosian and Fred Wolf and is known also as double hand poker. The game was invented in order to compete with the larger card games casinos of Los Angeles. The game was an instant success and attracted large crowds. The success brought about the card game's being copied by other casinos and the game has become very popular. Fred Wolf then subsequently invented and patented a variety of gaming devices for his new game.

The Deck and Hands of Pai Gow Poker

As previously stated, the playing deck used for Pai Gow Poker is the same classic card games deck of 52 cards. One joker is also used in the game for a total of 53 cards. The precise rules governing the deployment of the joker differ somewhat from casino to casino. Each player and the dealer all receive 7 cards. The object of the game is to construct the best Pai Gow Poker hand from the 7 cards obtained. There is no re-dealing. After everyone arranges his cards, the cards are exposed and the winners collect. The Pai Gow Poker hand consists of two sets of poker hands. The first set is constructed of two cards and is thus either a pair of a kind or high cards. This hand must be arranged so that it is of lower value than the second hand. The second set is a poker hand of five cards which is rated similar to how classic poker hands are rated. In order for a player to win the round, both his hands must defeat those of the dealer. There is often a penalty for players who have failed to arrange their hands properly (although this rather rarely happens nowadays that people are more familiar with the rules Pai Gow Poker). The dealer has an advantage since if the player wins with only one set, the bet is held for the next round and if the player ties, the bet goes to the dealer. Pai Gow Poker rounds take somewhat longer to play than those of other card games and so casinos often charge a commission on participation in order to boost their earnings.

Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Like most card games where strategy is involved, Pai Gow Poker also has a variety of strategies which can be deployed. Since the intention of the player is to win in both hands, the basic rule behind the strategy is to place any ace in the first set and place pairs in the second set. Nonetheless, the perfect strategy for Pai Gow Poker is a lot more complex than that of equivalent card games. Consequently, even the dealer himself will usually not play in accordance with perfect strategy and will rather have his cards arranged by some form of house rule. The house rules are usually fairly good basic strategy and players who are unsure how to arrange their cards can opt to have them arranged in accordance with the same arrangement plan. Nonetheless, these rules are not the most optimal strategy and it is possible to find a variety of basic strategy cards online with tips to improving strategy in various situations. This lack of optimal strategy is believed by some experts to leave an opening for better players to actually beat the house odds.