If you’re looking for a slow-paced table game that will allow you to gamble for hous, then Pai Gow poker is it. But just becaues Pai Gow poker is a slower game does not mean that you’ll automatically be capable of playing all night. If you want to last a while on the Pai Gow tables while minimizing the house edge, you need to use correct strategy. Here is a look at how to do that.
Make Two Good Hands…..not One
Lots of Pai Gow players fall into the trap of forming one strong hand and leaving scraps for their two-card hand. The obvious problem with this is that you need to win both hands in order to take the money so only forming one strong hand is pointless. Be sure to do your best to form a solid five-card hand while still having something left over for the two-card hand.
Break up Hands in the Right Situation
Continuing on the last point about forming two good hands, it’s important that you know what hands are the best ones to break up. One example of a good hand to break up is 9-9-J-J-5. Now sometimes this will hurt you in regards to the five-card hand, but it’s more important to give yourself a shot at winning both hands by breaking up a two-pair. When breaking up a two-pair, use your lowest pair for the two-card hand. Also break up full houses and four-of-a-kinds when you’re fortunate enough to get them.
Avoid breaking up a Three-of-a-Kind
The one hand that you should avoid breaking up is a three-of-a-kind because having a single card for the two-card hand doesn’t provide any benefit for you. The one instance where you can break this rule is if you have no pairs for the two-card hand, and need a high card badly – i.e. breaking up 3 aces to have an ace in the two-card hand.
