Basic Pai Gow Strategy

Pai-Gow poker strategy is usually based around the opportunity to be the banker. Statistically you have a greater chance of winning while being the banker. Your best pai gow poker strategy should be to be the banker as much as you can be.

Your next best pai gow strategy is to split your cards up right. The best way to go about this is to study and understand the house way (which does vary a very small amount from casino to casino) which as you might expect is about as good as it gets.

The following is an excerpt from thewizardofodds.com and refers specifically to the house way of the Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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The "front" refers to the two card hand and the "back" refers to the five card hand.

No pair: Place the second and third highest cards in the front.

One pair: Place the pair in back and the two highest singletons in the front.

Two pair: Split the two pair except for the following three situations
o Both pairs are 6's or less.
o Both pairs are 10's or less plus ace singleton.
o One pair of face cards, one pair of 5's or less, and an ace singleton.

Three pair: Play highest pair in front.

Three of a kind: Play three of a kind in back except break up three aces.

Three of a kind twice: Play higher pair in front.

Straights and flushes: Always play straight or flush in the high hand except play as a two pair if one of the following:
o Aces and any other pair.
o Both pairs 10's or over.
o Both pairs 10's or under with an ace singleton.
With a six or seven card straight or flush put the highest hand possible in front while maintaining the straight or flush in back.
If hand contains both a straight and a flush play put the hand in back with the highest hand in front, as long as the front hand is a king or better. Otherwise play flush in back.

Full house: Split except with pair of 2's and an ace/king can be played in front.

Full house with three of a kind and two pairs: Play the highest pair in front.

Four of a kind: Play according to the rank of the four of a kind:
o 2 through 6: Always keep together.
o 7 through 10: Split unless an ace and a face card or better can be played in front.
o Jack through king: Split unless hand also contains a pair of 10's or higher.
o Aces: Split unless a pair of 7's or higher can be played in front.

Straight Flush:
Play the straight flush in back except play as a two pair with:
o Aces and any other pair.
o Both pairs tens or higher.
o Both pairs tens or less and an ace singleton.
Play a straight or flush instead if an ace and a face card or a pair can be played in front.

Royal Flush:
Play the royal flush in back except play as a two pair with:
o Aces and any other pair.
o Both pairs tens or higher.
Break up royal flush if a straight or flush can be played in back and a king or better in front.

Five aces: Split unless pair of kings can be played in front.