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Pai Gow Poker Strategy

Introduction

The Pai Gow Poker strategies on this page are designed to be used against the Foxwoods house way. They may or may not be as effective against other house ways.

Strategy Selection

Please choose the strategy you would like to see:

  • Dealer Banker: The best strategy to use when the dealer is banking
  • Player Banker: The best strategy to use when you are banking
  • Single Strategy: The best strategy to use when you are banking every other hand but don't want to use two strategies

Please choose the level of detail you would like to see:

  • Simple: Easy-to-memorize strategy advice
  • Intermediate: More detailed strategy advice
  • Advanced: Highly detailed, nearly-optimal strategy advice

The Simple Dealer-Banker Strategy has a house edge of 2.6892% when the dealer is banking. For comparison, the House Way has a house edge of 2.7212%, and optimal strategy has a house edge of 2.5122%.

Definitions

  • Straight/Flush means one or more Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, or Royal Flush
  • Natural means one or more cards which are not the Joker
  • Ace means a Natural Ace or the Joker, unless otherwise indicated
  • T in a rank sequence means a Ten
  • J in a rank sequence means a Jack
  • Q in a rank sequence means a Queen
  • K in a rank sequence means a King
  • A in a rank sequence means a Natural Ace or the Joker, unless otherwise indicated
  • W in a rank sequence means the Joker

Contents

Section 1: No Straight/Flush Possible

The rules in this section apply only to hands that cannot form a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, or Royal Flush.

  1. Five of a Kind + One Pair

    Play a pair of Aces in the low hand.

  2. Five of a Kind

    Play a pair of Aces in the low hand.

  3. Four of a Kind + Three of a Kind

    Split the Four of a Kind if it is at least two ranks higher than the Three of a Kind, otherwise split the Three of a Kind.

  4. Four of a Kind + One Pair

    Play the pair in the low hand.

  5. Four of a Kind

    • Never split 2s, 3s, or 4s
    • Keep 5s together with Ten-high or better, otherwise split
    • Keep 6s together with Queen-high or better, otherwise split
    • Keep 7s or 8s together with King-high or better, otherwise split
    • Keep 9s, 10s, or Jacks together with Ace-high, otherwise split
    • Always split Queens, Kings, or Aces
  6. Three of a Kind + Three of a Kind

    Play a pair from the higher set in the low hand.

  7. Three of a Kind + Two Pair

    Play the higher pair in the low hand.

  8. Three of a Kind + One Pair

    Play the pair in the low hand.

  9. Three of a Kind

    Play the the highest two kickers in the low hand, except with three Aces, play an Ace and the highest kicker in the low hand.

  10. Three Pair

    Play the highest pair in the low hand.

  11. Two Pair

    Determine the best low hand that can be made by playing both pairs in the high hand. Then determine the point total of the two pairs (for example, with Queens and 3s, the point total is 12 + 3 = 15). Then play as follows:

    • 6 points or less: play Two Pair with Queen-high or better, otherwise split the pairs
    • 7 to 11 points: play Two Pair with King-high or better, otherwise split the pairs
    • 12 to 16 points: play Two Pair with Ace-high, otherwise split the pairs
    • 17 or more points: split the pairs
  12. One Pair

    Play the highest two kickers in the low hand.

  13. No Pair

    Play the second and third highest cards in the low hand.

Section 2: Straights and Flushes

The rules in this section apply only to hands that can make one or more Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, and/or Royal Flush. The term "Straight/Flush" refers to any one or more of these four hand types.

Notes

  • Foxwoods treats A2345 as the lowest Straight or Straight Flush.
  • In a wild Flush, the Joker assumes the highest rank not present among the four natural cards.

 

  1. Four of a Kind

    Play the highest Straight/Flush which leaves a pair of Aces in the low hand.

  2. Three of a Kind + One Pair

    Play the Straight/Flush if the resulting low hand is a pair of 7s or better, otherwise play the Three of a Kind in the high hand and the pair in the low hand.

  3. Three of a Kind

    Play the best low hand that leaves a Straight/Flush in the high hand.

  4. Three Pair

    Play the pair of Aces in the low hand.

  5. Two Pair

    Determine the best low hand that can be made by playing both pairs in the high hand. Then determine the point total of the two pairs (for example, with Queens and 3s, the point total is 12 + 3 = 15). Then play as follows:

    • 6 points or less: play the Two Pair with Queen-high or better, otherwise play the best high hand
    • 7 to 11 points: play the Two Pair with King-high or better, otherwise split the pairs
    • 12 to 16 points: play the Two Pair with Ace-high, otherwise split the pairs
    • 17 or more points: split the pairs
  6. One Pair

    Play the best low hand that leaves a Straight/Flush in the high hand.

    Exception

    • With a pair of 9s, 10s, Jacks, or Queens, play Ace-King in the low hand whenever possible
  7. No Pair

    Play the best low hand that leaves a Straight/Flush in the high hand.

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