How to Play Face Up Pai Gow Poker

Face Up Pai Gow Poker is an exciting casino table game, derived from the traditional Chinese domino game Pai Gow, that has been growing rapidly in popularity over the past few years. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to play Face Up Pai Gow Poker, including the rules, optimal strategy, side bets, payouts, and more.

What is Face Up Pai Gow Poker?

Face Up Pai Gow Poker is a variation of traditional Pai Gow Poker, played with a standard 52-card deck plus one Joker, for a total of 53 cards. Unlike regular Pai Gow where players compete against other players at the table, in Face Up Pai Gow you go head-to-head against the dealer.

Key Differences Between Face Up Pai Gow Poker and Traditional Pai Gow Poker:

• Dealer’s Cards Visible: In Face Up Pai Gow Poker, the dealer’s cards are dealt face-up, allowing players to see the dealer’s hand from the start. In conventional Pai Gow Poker, the dealer’s cards remain hidden.
• No 5% Commission: Unlike traditional Pai Gow Poker, Face Up version eliminates the 5% commission on winning hands.
• Automatic Push for Dealer Ace-High Pai Gow: If the dealer’s hand is an ace-high pai gow, it results in an automatic push for all players, creating a unique push condition not found in the conventional game.
• No Player Banking Option: Face Up version  does not allow players to act as the banker, which is a feature available in standard Pai Gow Poker games.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Rules

The goal of the game is to make a 5-card and a 2-card poker hands that both outrank the dealer’s corresponding hands. If one or both of your hands beat the dealer’s, you win even money on your bet. If both of your hands rank lower, you lose your bet. If one hand wins and one loses, it is a push.

Here are the step-by-step Face Up Pai Gow rules:

1. Place your wager: The minimum/maximum bets are set by each casino. You can also place optional bonus side bets.
2. The dealer deals 7 cards to you and themselves face up: Both you and the dealer get 7 cards to arrange into a 5-card and a 2-card hands.
3. Assess the dealer’s hands: Look at the dealer’s 7 cards, which are exposed. Determine what the highest 5-card and 2-card poker hands are that the dealer can make.
4. Set your own hands: Using your 7 cards, set your best 5-card hand and 2-card hand by arranging them into two piles. Remember, your 5-card hand must outrank your 2-card hand.
5. Compare hands: The dealer will then compare their 5-card hand to your 5-card hand, and their 2-card hand to your 2-card hand, using standard poker hand rankings.
6. Settle bets: If both your hands outrank the dealer’s, you win even money. If both lose, you lose your bet. If you split, it’s a push. Bonus bets are settled too.

If bets are your favourite part of the whole process and you want to take betting seriously, then we recommend using our betting calculators.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings

The game uses standard 5-card poker hands rankings from high to low:

The Joker is semi-wild. It can be used as an Ace, or to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush or Royal Flush.

For 2-card hands, the highest possible hand is a Pair, followed by High Card based on the highest value card.

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Side Bets

Most Face Up Pai Gow Poker games offer optional bonus side bets to spice things up:

Fortune Bonus Bet

This bet allows players to bet on receiving a specific qualifying hand among the first seven cards dealt. Fortune Bonus bet, placed in a marked area on the table, provides an additional opportunity to win regardless of the main game outcome. To place this bet, players must first make a base game wager, and the bonus wager must be set before the initial deal.

• Eligibility: Any seated player who has placed a base bet can make a Fortune Bonus Bet.
• Bet Range: The bonus bet may be less than, equal to, or more than the base wager but cannot exceed the table limit.
• Qualifying Hands: The Fortune Bonus Bet wins if the first seven cards dealt to the player form a predetermined, qualifying hand as per the paytable.
• Payouts: Winning bonus bets receive payouts based on the qualifying hand, while losing bets are collected by the player-dealer.
• Dealer Coverage: If the player-dealer’s funds run out, uncovered wagers will be returned to players.

Ace-High Bonus Bet

The Ace-High Bonus Bet gives players the chance to win a payout if both they and the player-dealer are dealt a qualifying hand. To participate, players must place this bonus bet within a designated betting circle on the table, in addition to their base game wager, before the initial deal begins.

Here are the key rules for the Ace-High Bonus Bet:

• Bet Placement: Players must place a base game wager to make an Ace-High Bonus Bet, which can be less than, equal to, or greater than their base game wager, up to the table limit.
• Qualifying Hands: The bet considers the first seven cards dealt between the player and the player-dealer. If these cards form a designated qualifying hand, the player wins.
• Payouts: Winning bets yield payouts based on the following qualifying hands:

Qualifying Hands	Payout
Player and Player-Dealer Ace High Card Hand	40:1
Player-Dealer Ace High Card Hand (with Joker)	15:1
Player-Dealer Ace High Card Hand (No Joker)	5:1

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Strategy Tips

Although Face Up Pai Gow Poker involves some luck in the dealing of the cards, there is skill and strategy involved when it comes to arranging your hands. Follow these tips:

• Split Aces and Kings: With high pairs like Aces and Kings, splitting them into a pair in front and three of a kind behind is optimal.
• Play Complete Hands: With very strong 5-card hands like Flushes and Full Houses, you want to keep the entire hand together in your 5-card hand rather than splitting.
• Split 2-Pair Hands: Generally you want to split 2-pair hands, unless you have a high pair in front that could beat the dealer’s pairs.
• Don’t Split Low Pairs: Avoid splitting low pairs like 5s or below. Keep them together in your 5-card hand.
• Watch for Dealer Ace-High: If the dealer has Ace-high as their best 5-card hand, it’s an automatic push so you can play more aggressively.

Tips for Face Up Pai Gow Poker Success

Follow these tips to boost your success at Face Up Pai Gow Poker:

• Learn optimal hand-setting strategies and tips for different hand combinations
• Take advantage of the exposed dealer hand before setting your own hand
• Place side bets occasionally to spice things up and give yourself more winning chances
• Manage your bankroll properly and quit while you’re ahead
• Brush up on your 5-card poker hand rankings if needed
• Play at a relaxed pace, avoid rushing hand decisions
• Enjoy yourself! It’s an entertaining game.

Where to Play Face Up Pai Gow Poker

While not as ubiquitous as Blackjack or Baccarat, Face Up Pai Gow Poker tables can be found at casinos across the United States and Canada, as well as at many online casino sites. Some of the best places to play include:

• Las Vegas Strip casinos like Aria, Bellagio, MGM Grand
• Major regional casinos like Foxwoods CT and River Cree Edmonton
• Online at sites like BetMGM Casino, Borgata Casino, and Golden Nugget Casino

Wherever you play, knowing the ins and outs of Face Up Pai Gow Poker will help you play properly, enhance your enjoyment of the game, and boost your chances of leaving the table a winner. So read up on the rules and strategy, then put your skills to the test!

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