Often fun but a learning curve to those from a Western audience, games such as Pai gow can seem highly confusing at first. However, this 32-dominoes game is actually quite easy to play once you understand how the game actually works. As one of the most popular games in Asian casinos, though, Pai gow is very much worth learning the rules to.
The Rules of the Game
The rules of the game, then, is to bring up a pair of “ranking” hands. Playing with 32 dominoes and 11 of which are identical pairings, you will be expected to try and make two “ranking” hands with the use of four dominoes – two per hand. This is the “high” and “low” hand. To win, you must have a higher ranking in both hands than the bank is able to produce. The bank must have a higher ranking than the player for the player to lose. However, if both players win a hand each then you go to a “push” round that will then see each other play off against a third hand.
If the bank and player have the same ranking hand as one another again, though, and your highest ranking hand is used. If you both happen to have identical rankings in individual dominoes, though, then the banker will win. It’s quite confusing bat first but you will soon grow used to the games mannerisms.
Each hand offered by the bank must go counterclockwise, with the player to the right of the dealer acting first – in most other games, you start on the left. You don’t have to take the bank, though; you can refuse to play if you wish. A banking player, though, has to be able to cover all bets made by other players and must have played in the previous round that the dealer was acting as the banker.
It’s confusing, but a few quick rounds of Pai gow should help you soon understand the game.