Pai Gow poker

[PokerEveryDay]

What do you guys think of this game? Seems OK but I have no idea what the house advantage is.

[MCS]

It's my second favorite gambling game behind poker. I think it's a great drinking game because it's communal, slow-moving, and low-variance. It's my preferred "getting hammered off free drinks" game in Vegas.

House edge is 2.6% if you never bank. (Banking reduces the house edge, as YOU have an advantage when you are the banker, but you're only allowed to do it half of the time).

http://wizardofodds.com/paigowpoker has info on it. If you decide to play, it's useful to know how to play the commonly dealt hands (0-3 pairs). Strategy is pretty simple to learn; use the two pair rule from the above link. The dealer can set tricky hands for you according to the house way.

Try it out next time you're at a casino.

[SamIAm]

I honestly thought to myself "Hey, there´s a thread on PaiGow. I should make sure MCS sees it. ... Oh, he responded half an hour after the OP. Nevermind." [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I will agree that PaiGow is a great drinking game. The fact that you all want the dealer to get a bad hand makes it very social. If you´re looking for a-social gambling games, go play slots. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
-Sám

[SheetWise]

I think traditional Pai Gow is more fun -- and you generally get a lot more action as the bank. It is harder to find though.

[MCS]

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I think traditional Pai Gow is more fun -- and you generally get a lot more action as the bank. It is harder to find though.

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Man, I was gonna learn to play traditional pai gow with the tiles, but it looks like a lot of work to remember the hands. I want to be able still to play well when drunk.

[SheetWise]

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I want to be able still to play well when drunk.

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You're only playing four cards -- you can pick it up in a couple hours. The ranking can be a little confusing at first, but once you learn the pairs, it becomes as natural as J-Q-K-A. It does help to learn the names of the hands, and to be able to count to at least ten in chinese. You will frequently find players who make all but the most obvious decisions based on hunches -- particularly the orientals (and most particularly, women). The oriental players prefer to play against an outside bank, and will often cover whatever you put on the table.

[PokerEveryDay]

I have been playing this game for play money at Bodog just to get a grip and I like it. I'm still making some mistakes but it won't be long before I can play it perfectly. I still won't be able to win in the long run without seeing how the dealer arranges his or her cards first, which I know will never happen. Anyhow it should be a great game to just get the free drinks like you guys are saying and not worry about the money.

[cgwahl]

What I don't get is what is the deal with the dice? Granted, maybe I am confusing it with a different game, but I am sure I recall seeing Pai Gow at a casino using dice.

[SheetWise]

The dice perfect the game. The tiles are shuffled before the deal, the wagering is completed, the dice are rolled, and the dealing is perfected.

[Terry]

The dice are used to determine who gets the first hand.