1. Pai Gow Poker Rules House Way
2. Pai Gow Poker House Ways Taj Mahal
3. Foxwoods Casino Pai Gow Poker House Way
4. Pie Gow Poker Betting Limit

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Pai Gow Poker Rules House Way

Introduction

This appendix presents my advice on when to split up a two pair. It first appeared in my newsletter dated March 2, 2001.

Probably the most frequent hand which necessitates a non-obvious decision is the two pair. I have always thought the house way for splitting pairs seemed rather arbitrary. For example at the Trump Plaza house way for splitting pairs is:

The House Way at the Flamingo Hilton for Pai Gow Poker. Both pairs tens or less and an ace singleton. Play a straight or flush instead if an ace and a face card or a pair can be played in front. Royal Flush: Play the royal flush in back except play as a two pair with: Aces and any other pair. Both pairs tens or higher. Fortune Pai Gow Poker adds a bonus bet element to the traditional game of Pai Gow Poker played in California Cardrooms. Each player competes against the player/dealer to make the best possible hand. In Fortune Pai Gow Poker, a player can place an optional Fortune Bonus Bet. Unlike most casino games, the player may bet against the dealer, and other players in pai gow poker. This is known as 'banking.' The turn to act as banker is supposed to rotate around the table, but at some casinos it zig-zags between the dealer and each player in turn.

• Low pair and low pair: Split unless holding a king or better.
• Low pair and medium pair: Split unless holding a king or better.
• Low pair and high pair: Split unless holding an ace.
• Medium pair and medium pair: Split unless holding an ace.
• Medium pair and high pair: Always split.
• High pair and high pair: Always split.
• Pair of aces and any other pair: Always split.

Where:
2 through 6: Low cards
7 through 10: Medium cards
Jack through king: High cards
This is very typical. Most other casinos use this exact rule or something similar.I ran my program to determine the best play under millions of two pair hands and recorded the results according to the value of each pair and the highest singleton. In some cases the best play also depended on the other singletons in which case my advice follows the correct play the majority of the time. Following is my advice on when to split two pairs when playing against the Trump Plaza house way.

Split the two pair unless:
1. The sum of the ranks is 9 or less and you have a king or ace singleton, or
2. The sum of the ranks is 15 or less and you have an ace singleton.

By the 'sum of the ranks' I mean adding the value of each pair. For example a two pair consisting of 4s and 8s would have a sum of ranks of 4+8=12. Face cards and aces have a value according to their poker value, for example an ace would be highest at 14.

Switching from the house way two pair rule to my two rules above will cut the house edge by 0.04%, plus I think my two rules are easier to remember than those of the house way.

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Introduction

The following is the house way for the MGM Grand. It was taken from a document on the procedures of the game, dated 2002.

NO PAIR

Use the highest card in the high hand, then use the second and third highest as the low hand.

ONE PAIR

Pai Gow Poker House Ways Taj Mahal

Always use the pair as the high hand and use the highest ranking cards for the low hand.

TWO PAIRS

Pairs will be broken into three groups (when splitting, always play the lowest pair in the front hand).

• 2's thru 6's — Low Pair
• 7's thru 10's — Medium Pair
• Jacks thru Aces — High Pair

Play the two pair as follows.

• NEVER SPLIT ANY TWO LOW PAIRS (6 OR UNDER).
• LOW PAIR — MEDIUM PAIR: Split unless holding an Ace, then play two pair in high hand.
• LOW PAIR — HIGH PAIR: Split unless holding an Ace, then play two pair in high hand.
• MEDIUM PAIR — MEDIUM PAIR: Split unless holding an Ace, then play two pair in high hand.
• MEDIUM PAIR — HIGH PAIR: Always split.
• HIGH PAIR — HIGH PAIR: Always split.
• PAIR OF ACES AND ANY OTHER PAIR: Always split.

THREE PAIRS

Always play the highest pair for the low hand.

THREE-OF-A-KIND

Always keep, unless Aces, then play one of the Aces for the low hand.

Foxwoods Casino Pai Gow Poker House Way

(TWO) THREE-OF-A-KIND

Play Pair of the highest Three-of-a-Kind for the low hand.

ALL STRAIGHTS, FLUSHES, STRAIGHT FLUSHES AND ROYAL FLUSHES

• WITH NO PAIR
  When given a choice to play either a straight, flush, straight flush or royal flush, play the category which will allow the highest two cards to be played on the low hand.
  
• WITH ONE PAIR
  
  • Play pair in front hand if a straight, flush, straight flush or royal flush can be preserved in high hand.
    
  • With Ace or Joker and pair of 10's, Jacks, Queens or Kings — play Ace or Joker in front hand and pair in high hand, unless a straight or flush can be maintained with an Ace in the low hand.
  
  
• WITH TWO PAIR
  Use two pair rule. (With two low pair, play straight or flush unless you can play two low pair in the high hand with at least an Ace in the low hand. )
  
• WITH THREE PAIR
  Use three pair rule.
  
• WITH THREE-OF-A-KIND
  Play pair in front hand.
  
• WITH FULL HOUSE
  Use full house rule. Example: (A Heart, Joker, J Heart, J Spade, J Club, K Heart, 2 Heart, play: Ace, Joker/J, J, J, K, 2)
  
  • Three-of-a-Kind and pair: Always split and play pair in front hand. Exception: When the hand contains a pair of 2's, an Ace, King and Three-Of-A-Kind, you will play A, K as low hand and the pair of 2's and three-of-a-kind (full house) in the high hand.
  • Three-of-a-Kind and two pair: Play highest of the pairs in front hand.
  • Three-of-a-Kind and Three-of-a-Kind: Play highest of Three-Of-A-Kind as a pair in front hand.
  
  

FOUR-OF-A-KIND

• 2's thru 6's: Never split, play in high hand.
• 7's thru 10's: Split unless an Ace can be played in the front hand, then keep four in high hand.
• Face Cards and Aces: Always split.

FOUR-OF-A-KIND WITH A PAIR (OR THREE-OF-A-KIND)

Always play Four-of-a- Kind in the high hand. (The only exception will be four Aces which will always be split.)
Four Aces and a pair: split four Aces, except if you have a pair of Kings and four Aces in back.

FIVE ACES

Always split and play two Aces in front hand. The only exception will be if you also have a pair of Kings in front and five Aces in back.

IMPORTANT NOTES

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• The bank cannot set an automatic loser!
• The 'A-2-3-4-5' is the second highest straight.
• The Joker will be used as an Ace or may be used to fill a straight, flush, straight flush or a royal flush.
  When the Joker is used to fill a Flush, the Joker will be used as the highest value card not already held in the hand.
  Example: Ace, Joker, King, 7, 5 will be played as Ace, King (Joker='Queen') 7, 5 in the flush.

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