Many casinos are aware of the recognition of poker. Unfortunately, poker is a game played against other players and not the house, so the casinos have little involvement in regular poker, other than to charge a rake (a percentage of each pot) for the usage of the dealer as well as the table. To combine the elements of poker with those of typical table games played against the house, casinos have invented a range of poker variations that are played like traditional table games, player vs. the casino.
One such variation is Pai Gow. In Pai Gow Poker, after each player puts up a wager of their choosing they may be dealt seven cards. Your objective is to make your very best five-card and two-card poker hand. As a rule, your five card hand has to be stronger than your two card hand. In case you are dealt A, A, 9, 8, 7, 3, 3, you might not split your hands into 9, 8, 7, 3, 3 and AA. You may split them in to a, A, 9, 8, 7 and 3, 3, or a, A, 3, 3, 7 and 9, 8. As long as your five-card hand beats the two-card hand, you can arrange them however you like. If you’re not sure the optimal way to set your hand, you may ask the dealer to help you. There is one joker in the deck, which can be employed in your hand to complete a straight or perhaps a flush, or being an Ace. The joker isn’t wild, you cannot use it to pair any card in your hand other than the Ace.
Once you have set your hand, the dealer also sets his hand. If both of your hands beat both of the dealer hands, you win an amount equal to your initial bet. If both of the dealers’ hands beat both of yours, you lose your bet. If one hand wins and the other loses, it is a tie and no one wins. The home gets its edge by charging a five percent commission on winning bets.
In Pai Gow additionally you have the choice of being the “Banker”. If you choose to be the Banker, you put up a sum of money to cover (or “Bank”) all of the bets on the table (should the amount you put up is not enough, the home will pick up in which you left off). In the event that you are the Banker, you play against all Players. Your five percent commission is calculated after all wins and losses are tabulated. Being the Banker affords a really slight edge because if your hands “copy” (are exactly the same) a Player’s hand, you win.
Pai Gow is definitely an interesting variation of poker and one you might consider if you like poker but are seeking a far more traditional casino game than regular poker, or just one that provides an added dimension to the game. You can find Pai Gow at certain online gambling casino sites as well as in any live casino.
