Pai Gow Poker:   

This game is a very relaxing, low pressure table game. Derived from Pai Gow, an ancient game originating in Asia that uses special dominos and dice, the Western version is relatively simple compared to the Oriental version. It's still a complex game, but the changes make it relatively easy to learn and the slower pace allows a player with a modest bankroll to enjoy a much longer gaming session than would be possible with most other games.

The Basics:

• Pai Gow Poker is played with a deck of 53 cards -- regular deck plus a Joker -- and uses poker-like hands for ranking.
  
• The house edge is the "commission" which a player is charged for each winning hand. This is typically 5% so a winning $5.00 bet would pay $4.75
  
• Pai Gow is often a multi-player game where the deal rotates around the table much like regular Poker. One of the traditional rules is that the dealer also acts as banker for that hand. In most cases, you will play against the "house".
  
• Pai Gow is one of the few games where the dealer can offer advice on how to play a hand so if your new to the game, don't be afraid to ask.

Objective

• Bets are placed and the player receives seven cards.
• From these seven cards the player forms two hands:
  • a two-card hand called the "low" or "front" hand;
  • a five-card hand called the "high" or "back" hand.

  The goal is to beat the dealer on both hands.