Many casinos are aware of the recognition of poker. Unfortunately, poker is a game played against other players and not the house, so the casinos have little involvement in regular poker, other than to charge a rake (a percentage of each pot) for the utilization of the dealer as well as the table. To combine the elements of poker with those of typical table games played against the home, casinos have invented a number of poker variations that are played like traditional table games, player vs. the casino.
One particular variation is Pai Gow. In Pai Gow Poker, after each player puts up a wager of their choosing they can be dealt seven cards. Your objective is to make your very best five-card and two-card poker hand. As a rule, your five card hand has to be stronger than your two card hand. In case you are dealt A, A, 9, 8, 7, 3, 3, you might not split your hands into 9, 8, 7, 3, 3 and AA. You might split them in to a, A, 9, 8, 7 and 3, 3, or possibly a, A, 3, 3, 7 and 9, 8. As long as your five-card hand beats the two-card hand, you may arrange them however you like. In case you are not sure the optimal way to set your hand, you may ask the dealer to help you. There is one joker within the deck, which is often employed in your hand to complete a straight or perhaps a flush, or as being an Ace. The joker just isn’t wild, you can’t use it to pair any card within your hand other than the Ace.
When you have set your hand, the dealer also sets his hand. If both of your hands beat both of the dealer hands, you win an amount equal to your initial bet. If both of the dealers’ hands beat both of yours, you lose your bet. If one hand wins and the other loses, it’s a tie and no one wins. The home gets its edge by charging a five percent commission on winning bets.
In Pai Gow additionally you have the choice of being the “Banker”. If you decide to be the Banker, you put up a amount of cash to cover (or “Bank”) all of the bets on the table (in the event the amount you put up isn’t enough, the house will pick up where you left off). If you are the Banker, you play against all Players. Your five percent commission is calculated after all wins and losses are tabulated. Being the Banker affords a very slight edge because if your hands “copy” (are exactly the same) a Player’s hand, you win.
Pai Gow is definitely an interesting variation of poker and one you could consider if you like poker but are seeking a more traditional casino game than regular poker, or just one that provides an added dimension to the game. You may find Pai Gow at certain great online casino gambling site casino sites as well as in any live casino.
