Even with the optimal playing strategy, the advantage always lies with the dealer since they receive a copy of every game. Veteran player Stanford Wong goes on to mention that becoming the dealer most of the time has the greatest influence on the strategy of the game.

Strategy

PaiGow may seem to be a complex game. And for simplicity in the below paragraphs the pairs through 2 to 6 may be called 'low pair', 7 to J may be called 'medium pair' and Q to A as 'high pair'. And in order to avoid confusion, the two-card hand may be called 'front' hand and five-card hand as 'back hand.

The following card combinations can help you understand the different strategies of the game.

No Pair

A 'No Pair' occurs when the back hand comes out to be the highest card and the next two highest being the front hand.

One Pair

A 'one pair' occurs when the back hand is a pair, along with the next two highest cards being the front hand.

Two Pair

A 'Two Pair' occurs in PaiGow in a number of cases:

• A' Pair and other Pair. A high pair for back hand and any other pair for front hand.
• Two High Pair with the best pair for back hand and any other pair for a front pair.
• A combination of High Pair on the Back Hand with a Medium Pair on the Front Hand.
• A combination of High and Low Pair involving A or K. The Back Hand having both the pairs and the Front Pair having either an A or K.
• A combination of both High and Low Pair excluding A or K. The Back Hand having the highest pair, while the Front Hand having a fairly low pair.
• A couple of Medium Pairs with A or K. The Back Hand having both the pairs and the Front Pair having either an A or a K.
• A combination of a couple of Medium Pair excluding A or K. The Back Hand having the best pair, while the Front Hand having any other pair.
• A combination of a Medium and Low Pair having either A or K. The Back Hand having both pairs, while the Front Pair having either A or K.
• A combination of a Medium and Low Pair excluding either A or K, with the Back Hand having a medium pair and the Front Hand having a low pair.
• A couple of low pair with either A or K, with the Back Hand having both the pairs and the Front Hand having an A or a K.
• A couple of low pairs excluding A or K, with the Back Hand having the best pair and the Front Hand having any other pair.

Three Pair

• A three pair occurs when the back hand has the 2nd and 3rd highest pair, with the front hand having the highest pair.

Three of a Kind

Three of a Kind occurs in two situations:

• When three 'A's occur. The back hand has a pair of 'A' and the front hand has an A and the next highest card.
• When the Back hand has three of a kind and the front hand has two of the next highest cards.

Full House

A full house occurs in PaiGow in the following situations:

• When with the 2nd three of a kind, highest pair is played to the front hand.
• When with the 2nd pair, the back hand has a full house of low pair and the front hand has the highest pair.
• Or it may occur when a 2's pair comes with either A or K. The back hand has a full house and the front hand having A or K.
• When the back hand has three of a kind and the front hand has a pair.