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Many casinos are aware of the popularity of poker. Unfortunately, poker is a game played against other players and not the house, so the casinos have little involvement in regular poker, other than to charge a rake (a share of each pot) for the use of the dealer and also the table. To combine the elements of poker with those of typical table games played against the home, casinos have invented a range of poker variations that will be played like traditional table games, player vs. the casino.
One particular variation is Pai Gow. In Pai Gow Poker, after each player puts up a wager of their choosing they can be dealt seven cards. Your objective is to make your very best five-card and two-card poker hand. As a rule, your five card hand has to be stronger than your two card hand. If you are dealt A, A, 9, 8, 7, 3, 3, you might not split your hands into 9, 8, 7, 3, 3 and AA. You may split them in to a, A, 9, 8, 7 and 3, 3, or possibly a, A, 3, 3, 7 and 9, 8. As long as your five-card hand beats the two-card hand, you may arrange them however you like. If you are not sure the optimal way to set your hand, you can ask the dealer to help you. There is just one joker in the deck, which is often employed in your hand to complete a straight or possibly a flush, or as being an Ace. The joker isn't wild, you're not able to use it to pair any card within your hand other than the Ace.
As soon as you have set your hand, the dealer also sets his hand. If both of your hands beat both of the dealer hands, you win an amount equal to your initial bet. If both of the dealers' hands beat both of yours, you lose your bet. If one hand wins and the other loses, it's a tie and no one wins. The house gets its edge by charging a five percent commission on winning bets.
In Pai Gow you also have the choice of being the "Banker". If you choose to be the Banker, you put up a sum of money to cover (or "Bank") all of the bets on the table (if the amount you put up is not enough, the home will pick up where you left off). If you're the Banker, you play against all Players. Your five percent commission is calculated after all wins and losses are tabulated. Being the Banker affords a very slight edge because if your hands "copy" (are exactly the exact same) a Player's hand, you win.
Pai Gow is definitely an interesting variation of poker and one you could consider if you like poker but are searching for a far more traditional casino game than regular poker, or just one that provides an added dimension to the game. You may find Pai Gow at certain good online casino gambling agent casino sites and in any live casino.