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Pai Gow Tiles House Way for New Zealand

Interpretation

In this document, "Harmony 3" refers to the value of a hand consisting of two tiles where:

  • The hand as a point count of 3; and
  • The higher ranking individual tile in the hand has a ranking of High 4
 

Pairs

  • With two ranking pairs, play the two pairs as two hands.
  • Never split the following pairs:
    • Fours
    • Fives
    • Sixes
    • Tens
    • Elevens
  • Split
     
    • Gee Jun: split with
       
      • 6&6 (non-pairing)
      • 6 and 5
      • 6 and 4
    • Teen or Day: split with
       
      • 9 and 11
      • 9 and 8
      • 9 and 7
      • 9 and 6
      • 9 and 5
      • 9 and 4
         
      • 8 and 8 (non-pairing)
      • 8 and 7
      • 8 and 6
      • 8 and 5
      • 8 and 4
         
      • 7 and 7 (non-pairing)
      • 7 and 6
      • 7 and 5
      • 7 and 4
         
      • 6 and 6 (non-pairing)
      • 6 and 5
      • 6 and 4
    • Nines: split with
       
      • Teen and Day
      • Teen/Day and 10
      • 10 and 10 (non-pairing)
    • Eights: split with
       
      • Teen and Day
      • Teen/Day and 11
      • Teen/Day and 10
      • 11 and 10
      • 11 and 9
      • 10 and 10 (non-pairing)
    • Sevens: split with
       
      • Teen and Day
      • Teen/Day and 11
      • Teen/Day and 10
      • 11 and 10
      • 10 and 10 (non-pairing)
 

Wongs, Gongs, and High Nines

  • If no pair is possible, play Wong, Gong, or High Nine.
  • Play High Nine, Gong, or Wong in that order, providing Harmony 3 or better is achieved in the low hand.
  • Play Wong, Gong, or High Nine in that order if Harmony 3 or better is not achieved in the low hand.
 

General Rules

  • Maximize the point count of the low hand providing the low hand achieves Harmony 3 or better.
  • If it is not possible to set the low hand at Harmony 3 or better, then maximize the point count of the high hand providing a high and of 8 or better can be achieved.
  • If a high hand of 8 or better cannot be achieved, then maximize the point count of the low hand.
 

High Ranking Tiles

  • If possible, when the low hand is 7 or less, play the highest ranking tile in the low hand; however if there is a choice, do not play the 2 highest ranking tiles in the same hand.
  • If possible, when the low hand is 8 or better, play the highest ranking tile in the high hand; however, if there is a choice, do not play the 2 highest ranking tiles in the same hand.
  • However, if the house is seeking to maximize the point count of the high hand, strengthen the high hand by adding the highest ranking tile.
  • If there is a Teen in one hand and Day in the other, play the Teen in the high hand unless the two remaining tiles are:
    • 4/5 or
    • 10/11

    in which event, play the Teen in the low hand.
 

Exceptions to General Play

  • Where the four tiles are 6, 7, 11 and any non-pairing tile, maximize the low hand even if Harmony 3 or better is not achieved in the low hand.
  • Where a hand can be played as either 8/8 or 7/9 in the low and high hands (respectively), play it as 7/9 unless one of the tiles is Low 10.