We play for fun, that’s for sure, but also to win. One cannot be achieved without the other. That’s why it can be interesting to calculate some probabilities and memorize some strategies in order to maximize our chances of winning. Below, we are happy to provide you with some such information to help you optimize your next gaming session.
Good luck to all of you!
Which cards, when and how?
A good strategy to follow here is the casino strategy. If anyone is in a good position to have studied ways to win most often, it’s the casino itself. Also, analyzing and understanding how the casino uses its cards is a great way to progress in Pai Gow Poker.
But, of course, not all casinos are the same. Everyone has developed their own way of playing. It is therefore important to be aware of this before you begin a gaming session at a particular casino. If there are no statistics available for the casino you wish to play at, take the time to make these observations yourself before you begin.
Some probabilities
The following information does not need to be memorized, as it simply demonstrates facts that gamblers know intuitively.
However, it is a good idea to remember them here and especially to think about them when, caught up in the excitement of the gambling atmosphere and subjected to violent spikes of adrenaline, one is about to make mistakes.
Probability
Always remember that the probability of having a square is 0.00199472 and the chance of forming a full house is only 0.02717299.
On the other hand, having nothing at all is possible at 0.16076246. Let’s not get carried away with a hopeful draw.
The harder the fall, the harder the fall.
To separate the pairs or not to separate the pairs, such is the question
This is certainly the most common topic of discussion around Pai Gow poker tables.
When, why and how to separate pairs?
Here again, the specific method of play of the casino must be considered, but there are some guidelines that can be given that correspond to the majority of cases.
Therefore, if you have pairs, you should ALWAYS separate them except in two cases.
The first is the situation where the sum of the ranks is less than nine and you have an ace or a king on your own. Note here that the sum of the ranks mentioned above is actually the sum of the value of one card of each pair. Here’s an example: with a pair of 5’s and a pair of 3’s, the sum is 8 (not 16!).
\So in this situation you should look to see if you have an ace or a king.
The second case where pairs should not be separated is when the sum of the ranks is 15 or less and you have an ace all by yourself.
The rest of the time, you separate the pairs!
This is the end of our article. We wish you great Pai Gow poker games!