Pai Gow Poker - Strategy

When playing online players can usually elect for the casino to arrange their hands for them, and this is usually done in a manner that is close to the optimal strategy.

Perfect strategy for Pai Gow Poker, determined by detailed and complex computer analysis, is generally too difficult for most players to implement, and involves memorising large amounts of data, but there are a few basic strategies that are not hard to grasp.

On the whole the first rule is to try and set the highest front hand possible, that still allows for a player’s five-card hand to be higher.

So a good example is when a player has no pairs, straights or flushes, such as with the following cards: Kc-Jc-Ts-9h-6h-4d-2s. Here the best way to arrange the two hands would be Jc-Ts for the front hand, and Kc-9h-6h-4d-2s for the back hand.

Similarly in a hand that contains one pair but no straights or flushes a player should arrange the pair in his front hand and the two highest remaining cards in his back hand. So K-Q-Q-T-6-4-2 would be arranged: K-T in the front hand and Q-Q-6-4-2 in the back hand.

With two-pairs the strategy is a little more difficult. The received wisdom is that if the pairs are low and there are remaining high cards it is best to play two-pair behind and the high cards in front. Eg: A-K-5-5-4-4-2 should be arranged A-K and 5-5-4-4-2. However with very high pairs such as aces, kings or queens it is often advisable to split. A-A-6-6-5-3-2 for example, should always be arranged 6-6 and A-A-5-3-2.

With three pairs the strategy is fairly simple. Always put the highest pair in front and play the lower pairs behind. So K-K-Q-Q-J-J-3 should be split K-K and Q-Q-J-J-3.

With three of a kind players should only split if the three cards are high and the remaining cards are low. So A-A-A-9-8-7-4 should always be split A-9 and A-A-8-7-4, while K-K-K-J-9-7-4 will often be split K-J and K-K-9-7-4, though not always.

When players have the choice to make a straight or a flush the correct decision is always to play whichever hand leaves the best hand in front. So if you hold: Qc-Jc-Td-9d-8c-7c-6c you should choose to play the low straight (Td-9d-8c-7c-6c) behind so you leave Qc-Jc (your two highest cards) in front.

By now you should be beginning to grasp how the front hand is the key to deciding how to split hands in Pai Gow Poker. Always ensure you have a high card at the very least in your front hand, otherwise you will be hoping for a split at best. Remember, to win in Pai Gow you must win both hands, so that’s is what your aiming to do when you set your hand. There is little point in having a formidable back hand if your front hand is six high!