Pai Gow Poker

The slow, social casino game where you split seven cards into two hands and both must beat the dealer. Here’s how it works — the joker, the commission, the house way, and how to set your hands well.

By Yoda Games Studio·Updated

What Is Pai Gow Poker?

Pai Gow Poker is a casino banking game played with a 53-card deck (a standard deck plus one joker) in which each player splits seven cards into a five-card “high” hand and a two-card “low” hand, and must beat bothof the dealer’s two hands to win. Winning only one of the two comparisons results in a push — no money changes hands — which makes it one of the most push-heavy, slow-burn table games in the casino.

Your 7 cardsA♠A♥K♦Q♣9♠7♥3♦High Hand · 5 cardsA♠A♥9♠7♥3♦beats dealer’s 5-card handLow Hand · 2K♦Q♣beats dealer’s 2-cardWin BOTH → you win the handRule: the high hand must outrank the low hand.
Each player splits their seven cards into a 5-card high hand and a 2-card low hand — both must beat the dealer's to win.

How to Play

  1. 1. Place your betYou play against the dealer, not other players. One bet per hand.
  2. 2. Receive seven cardsThe deck is 53 cards — a standard 52 plus one joker (semi-wild: it completes straights and flushes, otherwise counts as an ace).
  3. 3. Set two handsSplit your seven cards into a five-card "high" (back) hand and a two-card "low" (front) hand. The high hand must outrank the low hand.
  4. 4. Compare vs the dealerYour high hand vs the dealer's high hand, your low vs their low. Win both to win; split (win one, lose one) is a push; lose both to lose.

Outcomes

ResultPayout
Win both handsWin even money, minus 5% commission
Win one, lose onePush (no win, no loss)
Lose both handsLose your bet
Tie a hand (copy)Dealer wins that hand

Setting Your Hands

The whole skill of Pai Gow Poker is in how you split your seven cards. The five-card back hand must always outrank the two-card front hand, so you can’t simply load all your strength into one. The goal is to make both hands as strong as possible relative to the dealer — a slightly weaker back hand with a much stronger front hand often wins more pushes-into-wins than going all-in on the back.

The standard poker hand rankings decide each hand, so if you know what beats what you already know most of the game. Prefer the familiar player-vs-player format? Compare the types of poker, or play free Texas Hold’em against AI opponents — no signup, no download.

FAQ

How do you play Pai Gow Poker?
You're dealt seven cards and split them into a five-card 'high' hand and a two-card 'low' hand, where the five-card hand must rank higher than the two-card hand. You then compare both hands against the dealer's two hands. Beat both to win, win one and lose one to push, lose both to lose.
What is the joker in Pai Gow Poker?
Pai Gow Poker uses a 53-card deck — 52 cards plus one joker. The joker is semi-wild: it can complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush, and in any other case it counts as an ace.
What is the house way?
The house way is the fixed set of rules the dealer must follow to arrange their own two hands. You can usually ask the dealer to set your hand 'the house way' if you're unsure how to split it optimally.
Why is there a 5% commission?
The house collects a 5% commission on every winning bet. Combined with the dealer winning all tied (copy) hands, this is the casino's edge — which is low (around 2.5%) and, with frequent pushes, makes Pai Gow Poker one of the slowest-bankroll-burning table games.
What is a good Pai Gow strategy?
Balance your two hands rather than stacking all your strength in the back. The classic rule: with two pair, split them into the two hands unless the pairs are small and you also hold an ace for the front. With a full house, put the pair in front and the three of a kind in back. When in doubt, set it the house way.

Sources & Methodology

Pai Gow Poker rules and hand-setting guidelines follow standard casino house rules and widely used reference texts on table games; hand rankings follow standard poker conventions cross-checked against casino industry references.

Sources

Written and maintained by Yoda Games Studio — an independent game studio with years of experience building free-to-play games including Pachinko Rush and Crash or Cash. We review and update our poker guides regularly for accuracy.