Pai Gow Hand Rankings

Pai Gow Poker is a unique game because each hand gives a player two chances to win. The first hand is a two card hand and the second hand is a five card hand. The two card hand has to be won with either a pair or high cards. The five card hand follows normal poker hand rankings with the exception that in some casinos an A-2-3-4-5 straight would beat a K-Q-J-10-9 straight.

This rule does not apply very often, but check with the casino before you play. Another thing to keep in mind when making hands in this game is the Joker. It can only be used in completing a flush or straight otherwise it is an Ace. It also must be used as an Ace if it is used in the two card hand. Here are the normal poker hand rankings:

Royal Flush

A Royal Flush is the best possible hand and is achieved by having cards from A-10 all of the same suit. For example, A-K-Q-J-10 all in spades would be considered a royal flush. This makes four different possibilities of obtaining this hand. Many casinos offer great prizes to players who get this type of a hand.

Straight Flush

A straight flush is exactly the same as a royal flush only it can be ANY 5 cards in a row of the same suit. This is the second strongest hand in poker and it is very hard to complete. 4-5-6-7-8 all in hearts would be a straight flush, but it would lose to a 9-10-J-Q-K all clubs as the K is higher than the 8.

Four of a Kind

Four of a kind is just as it sounds. There are 13 different possibilities of getting four of a kind. A-A-A-A-K would be the strongest four of a kind while 2-2-2-2-3 would be the weakest.

Full House

A Full House can be a confusing hand to understand. They are made by having 3 pair and two pair together. For example, having A-A-A-8-8 would be a full house. The thing to always keep in mind is that the higher 3 pair always wins. So 9-9-9-K-K would beat 7-7-7-A-A. Even though the one player has two Aces he would still lose because the 3 nines are higher than the 3 sevens.

Flush

A flush is very simple to understand because all a player needs is 5 cards all of the same suit. For example, 5-6-J-K-A all clubs would be considered a flush. When saying your hand you always call it by the highest card so this hand would an "Ace high flush." Once again if someone had 4-5-7-10-J all spades and someone else had 5-6-9-Q-K all clubs then the 5-6-9-Q-K would win because the King is higher than the Jack.

Straight

A straight is a hand where 5 cards are in a consecutive order. A-2-3-4-5 is considered the smallest possible straight (this could change from one casino to another) and A-K-Q-J-10 is the highest. The straight with the higher card is the better straight.

Three of a kind

Three of a kind is having 3 of the same card. 8-8-8-J-K would be three of a kind. This term is also called "trips" or a "set." Once again the higher 3 of a kind will always win.

Two Pair

Two pair is simple having two separate pairs. A-A-8-8-7 would be two pair Aces and eights. Another example is K-K-J-J-A, now the Aces and eights would beat this hand because Aces are higher than Kings.

Pair

A pair is just having one combination of the same card. A-A-8-5-4 would be called a pair of Aces. Again the higher pair always beats the lower pair.

High Card

This is the worst possible hand and occurs when no possible hands can be formed. For example, 2-3-6-7-A would simple be "Ace High."