How to Play Asian Casino Games

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Posted in: Online Games in CasinosVIPLounge's Blog

Of all the Asian casino games that are commonly played in the US, Pai Gow is probably the most popular. If you play Pai Gow in an Asian casino, games will be played with tiles that look very much like dominos. If you play in the United States, you will play with a standard deck of cards and the hands will be ranked after usual poker hands. This is the difference between the Asian casino games that are played and the games played in US casinos.

The American form of the Asian casino game of Pai Gow is played with a regular deck of cards, 52 cards and one Joker. In this version of the game, the Joker can be played as an Ace or it can be played as a wild card. If played as a wild card, the Joker must be used to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush only. Up to six people can play at one time, one player is the banker.

As with most Asian casino games the banker is played by the casino itself. However, players may choose to bank the game if they desire to play that strategy. When learning how to play Asian casino games, keep in mind that usually to bank the game requires you to have enough money to cover all of the other bets.

To begin a game of Pai Gow, players place their bet which must be at least as high as the minimum bet for the table. The dealer then deals out seven stacks of cards with seven cards in each stack. After the cards are on the table, the banker shakes a cup containing three dice to determine who gets the first hand.

Here is where this Asian casino game really becomes fun. Of the seven cards each player has, he now makes two poker hands. One hand is with five cards, the other with two cards. If both hands beat the banker’s two hands the player win. If one hand beats the banker's and one loses, it is a push and there are no winners. The banker wins all ties. And lastly, if the banker's two hands beat then he wins.

When learning how to play this Asian casino game, keep in mind your five card hand must be a higher value than your two card hand. If you mess up on this, you lose. Thankfully, if become confused, and chances are you will, you can ask the banker to set your cards for you.

Of the many different Asian casino games, Pai Gow is one of the slower paced games. Because the banker has an edge with the ties, there are usually many pushes. When it comes to player strategy, entire books have been written on the best plays for both the front hand and the back hand. But players should always remember when they are learning how to play Asian casino games that the house will often set the hand correctly if asked to do so if the player becomes confused.