The House Way in Pai Gow Poker

The house way refers to the specific rules that govern how the dealer is obliged to set his hand based on the cards he’s holding. You don’t need to know the house way to play pai gow poker, especially since you’ll do better if you follow the strategies provided earlier in “How to Set Your Hands in Pai Gow Poker.” That said, knowing the house way will help you ensure that the dealer is playing properly. The guidelines listed below make up the house way in many U.S. casinos:

Five aces: Fivecard three aces unless you have a pair of kings, then twocard the pair of kings.
Straight flush: With two pair, ignore the straight flush and see the rule for two pair, below. With one pair, twocard the pair only if you can keep a straight or flush in the fivecard hand. With high card only, fivecard the straight flush.
Four of a kind: Twocard a pair and fivecard a pair unless there’s an additional pair, in which case keep the four of a kind. If the four of a kind is 6s or less, or if the four of a kind is 7s through 10s with an ace singleton, keep the four of a kind.
Full house: Always fivecard the three of a kind and twocard the pair.
Flush: Same as straight flush.
Straight: Same as straight flush.
Three of a kind: Fivecard the three of a kind unless you have three aces, in which case fivecard a pair of aces and twocard an ace.
Two pair: Fivecard one pair and twocard one pair unless neither pair is jacks or higher and you have an ace or joker, in which case fivecard two pair.
One pair: Always fivecard the pair and twocard the two remaining highest cards.
High card: Always fivecard the highest card and twocard the second- and third-highest cards.

Though some casinos may have their own subtle variations on these rules, they are all very close to the house way listed above.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer

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