Pai Gow Poker Strategy

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Online Pai Gow Poker Strategy

The only optimal strategy to expand your odds of winning in the game of Pai Gow Poker can be employed while splitting a seven card hand into five card and two card hands. You can use this splitting strategy to the best of your ability by following the basic Pai gow poker rules mentioned below:

1) No Pair: In case you don’t have any pair, just split the hand by placing the highest card in the five card hand and the second and third best cards in the two card hand. e.g. the hand K-Q-J-9-7-4-3 can be played as K-9-7-4-3 and Q-J.

2) One Pair: If you get a pair, make sure you play the pair in the five card hand and the next two highest cards in the two card hand. e.g. the hand A-Q-Q-9-6-5-3 can be split into Q-Q-6-5-3 and A-9.

3) Two Pair: The strategy to split the hand having two pairs depends upon the value of the pairs that have been dealt to you. So, before you use this two pair trick, assign “levels” to the different card values in the following pattern: 2s through 6s- Low Pair; 7s through 10s - Medium Pair; Jacks through Aces - High Pair. Then proceed as below:

• Two Low Pairs: In this hand always play the pair with highest value in the five card hand and the one with the lower value in the two card hand. e.g. the hand 4-4-6-6-4-9-7 can be played as 6-6-4-9-7 and 4-4.

• Two Low Pairs With Unpaired A or K: If however, you draw an unpaired Ace or King along with the two low pairs, play the two low pairs in the five-card hand and the unpaired A or K along with the next best unpaired card in the two card hand. E.g. 4-4-6-6-9-A-Q can be played as 4-4-6-6-9 and A-Q.
  

• A Low Pair and a Medium Pair: Play the medium one in the five card hand and the low pair in the two card hand. e.g. 4-4-8-8-2-10-7 can be played as 8-8-2-10-7 and 4- 4.
  

• A Low Pair and a Medium Pair with Unpaired A or K: Play the two pairs in the five card hand and the unpaired Ace or King along with the second best unpaired card in the two card hand. e.g. 4-4-8-8-2-K-Q can be played as 4-4-8-8-2 and K-Q.
  

• A Low Pair and a High Pair: Play the high pair in the five card hand and the lower one in the two card hand. e.g. 4-4-K-K-10-6-2 can be played as K-K-10-6-2 and 4-4.
  

• A Low Pair and High Pair With an Unpaired Ace: In this case play the two pairs in the five card hand and the unpaired Ace along with the next highest unpaired card in the two card hand. e.g. 4-4-K-K-10-A-2 can be played as 4-4-K-K-2 and A-10.
  

• Two Medium Pairs: Play the medium pair with the higher value in the five-card hand and the one with the lower value in the two card hand. e.g. 8-8-10-10-4-6-2 can be played as 10-10-4-6-2 and 8-8.
  

• Two Medium Pairs With an Unpaired Ace: Play the two medium pairs in the five card hand and an unpaired Ace along with the next highest unpaired card in the two card hand. e.g. 8-8-9-9-2-Q-A can be played as 8-8-9-9-2 and Q-A.
  

• A Medium Pair and a High Pair: Play the high pair in the five card hand and the medium pair in the two card hand. e.g. 9-9-J-J-2-6-K and be played as J-J-2-6-K and 9-9.
  

• Two High Pairs: Always play the high pair with the highest value in the five card hand and the one with lower value in the two card hand. e.g. Q-Q-A-A-10-7-4 can be played as A-A-10-7-4 and Q-Q.
  

4) Three Pairs: If you get three pairs, it’s always better to place the highest pair in the two card hand and the lower one in the five card hand. e.g. the hand K-K-7-7-4-4-A can be played as 7-7-4-4-A and K-K.

5) Three-of-a-Kind: Play the three-of-a-kind in the five-card hand. e.g. a hand with 8-8-8-6-J-5-10 can be split into 8-8-8-5-10 and 6-J. There are few exceptions in the three of a kind poker hand where you would need to alter this rule for better results:

• Three Aces: In case the three-of-a-kind are aces, play the pair of aces in the five card hand and the third Ace along with the next highest card in the two card hand. e.g. the hand like A-A-A-2-J-8-4 can be played as A-A-2-8-4 and A-J.
  

• Three Kings with a Queen or Higher: You can also split three kings if your remaining card is a Queen or higher. e.g. the hand K-K-K-J-9-7-6 can be split into K-K-9-7-6 and K-J.
  

6) Two Three-of-a-Kind: In the case where you are dealt with two three of a kinds, you must pull out a pair from the high three of a kind and play it in the two card hand. Play the three of a kind with the lower value in the five card hand. e.g. the hand like, Q-Q-Q-7-7-7-A can be split into 7-7-7-A-Q and Q-Q.

7) Straights, Flushes and Straight Flushes: The trick for these three types of Poker hands is simple to apply with few basic points that you must keep in mind.

• No Pair: Like if you have no pair in the hand, make sure you play the straight, flush or the straight flush in the five card hand. Play the other best cards in the two card hand. e.g. the hand like, 10-9-8-7-6-J-K can be played as 10-9-8-7-6 and J-K.
  

• One Pair: If you are dealt with a pair along with the straight, flush and straight flush in the five card hand play the pair in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, 10-9-8-7-6-K-K can be played as 10-9-8-7-6 and K-K.
  

• Three of a Kind: If you are dealt with a three of a kind along with the straight, flush and the straight flush in the five card hand, pull out the pair from the three of a kind and play it in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, 10-9-8-7-6-6-6 can be played as 10-9-8-7-6 and 6-6.
  

8) Flush with Two Pairs: If you are dealt with a Flush having two pairs play the hands as two pairs and discard the Flush as the objective of the game is to have the best possible two card hand as well. A Flush with 6-10 of spades with a 6 of clover and 8 of diamond can be split as 6-7-8-9-10 of spades and 6 clover and 8 diamond two card hand. But the better way would be 8-8-7-9-10 and 6-6.

9) Full House: If you get a full house, it is better to play the three-of-a-kind in the five card hand and the pair in the two card hand. e.g. J-J-J-10-10-7-8 can be played as J-J-J-7-8 and 10-10. But if the pair has a very small value and the rest of the cards are very high, it would be safe to play the full house in the five card hand and the rest of the high cards in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, 5-5-5-3-3-A-Q can be played as 5-5-5-3-3 and A-Q.

10) Full House with a Three-of-a-Kind and Two Pairs: In this case make sure you play the highest out of the two pairs in the two-card hand. e.g. The hand, Q-Q-Q-2-2-9-9 can be played as Q-Q-Q-2-2 and 9-9.

11) Full House with Two Three-of-a-Kind: In this kind of hand it is always sensible to pull out the pair from the highest three-of-a-kind and play it in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, Q-Q-Q-9-9-9-2 can be played as Q-9-9-9-2 and Q-Q.

12) Four-of-a-Kind: In this case, you need to play the hand wisely by employing the strategy based on the card value of a four-of-a-kind hand.

• Low Four-of-a-Kind: In the hand with four cards having values ranging from 2s to 6s, you must play the four of a kind in the five card hand. e.g. the hand, 4-4-4-4-7-9-2 can be played as 4-4-4-4-7 and 9-2.
  

• Medium Four-of-a-Kind: In the hand with four cards having values ranging from 7s to10s you must split the four-of-a-kind by playing a pair in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, 8-8-8-8-4-7-10 can be played as 8-8-4-7-10 and 8-8. But in case the side cards are Kings or Aces, you must play the four-of-a-kind in the five card hand and the King or an Ace in the two card hand with the next highest card. e.g. the hand, 8-8-8-8-K-10-4 can be played as 8-8-8-8-4 and K-10.
  

• High Four of a Kind: In the hand with four cards having values ranging from Js to Ks, you must split the four of a kind by playing a pair in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, Q-Q-Q-Q-4-9-2 can be played as Q-Q-4-9-2 and Q-Q. But if one side card is an Ace, you must play the four of a kind in the five card hand and the Ace along with the next highest card in the two card hand. E.g. the hand, Q-Q-Q-Q-A-9-2 can be played as Q-Q-Q-Q-2 and A-9.
  

• Four Aces: Always split the four of a kind with the four Aces without a Joker. e.g. the hand A-A-A-A-10-J-7 can be played as A-A-10-J-7 and A-A. Never split the four Aces with a Joker.
  

13) Four of a Kind with a Pair: In this case you must play the four-of- -kind in the five card hand and the pair in the two card hand. e.g. the hand, Q-Q-Q-Q-10-10-4 can be played as Q-Q-Q-Q-4 and 10-10.

14) Four of a Kind and a Three of a Kind: In this hand you must always pull out the pair from the three of a kind and play it in the two card hand. e.g.the hand, Q-Q-Q-Q-10-10-10 can be played as Q-Q-Q-Q-10 and 10-10.

15. Four Aces: If you are dealt four Aes with a Joker, you obviously hold it –it is the top-ranking hand in Pai Gow Poker, and is five-of-a-kind; A-A-A-A-J-8-10 should be played as A-A-A-A-J and 8-10.

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