After considerable thought and analysis, online casino operators merged Pai Gow with some poker strategies to create Pai Gow Poker. But that’s not the end of it. A side bet was included since there was still a need to differentiate the game from standard Pai Gow. The title of the game was Fortune Pai Gow Poker. If you are familiar with how poker is played, you won’t have a problem with Fortune Pai Gow Poker.
Fortune Pai Gow Poker and Pai Gow Poker: A Small Difference
Playing Technique
In Fortune Pai Gow Poker, the ultimate goal is to establish the two best poker hands from the 53-card deck. The cards add up to 53 because of the additional joker card. The joker plays like an ace when it can complete a straight or a flush. If you know how to play Face Up Pai Gow Poker you’ll notice that the dealer’s cards are face-up and not hidden. In Fortune Pai Gow Poker the dealer deals seven cards with their face down to each participant (including his). The player who is dealt the first seven cards are chosen randomly by a computer.
Each player examines and sets their hand once all the cards have been dealt. The best hands they aim at are a five-card hand and a two-card hand. The word ‘fortune’ in this game refers to the type of bet you can place, which is peculiar to this game alone. With seven cards, a player bets that he can make a legal five-card poker hand. To win the bet, they need to have a straight or better. That is what the bet is all about.
On the other hand, Pai Gow Poker is played using a 52-card deck, including the joker card that Fortune Pai Gow Poker also possesses. The aim of Pai Gow Poker is the same as that of Fortune Pai Gow Poker. However, the fortune side bet cannot be placed.
Game Objective
The key to winning Fortune Pai Gow Poker is beating the banker (also a regular Pai Gow Poker strategy). Seven cards are handed to you at the start of the game. After the cards are dealt, you must choose two of them to form the two-card hand (low hand). The five-card hand (high hand) comprises the remaining cards. The high hand (five-card hand) must be higher than the low hand (two-card hand). The house displays its cards once the low and high hands have been decided upon.
Things to note:
- You win even money if both of your hands outperform their equivalent banker hands.
- A push occurs when just one of your hands outperforms the banker. You maintain your initial wager. No gains, no losses.
- Both of your hands must defeat the banker’s hands for you to win.
House Advantage in Fortune Pai Gow Poker
Fortune Pai Gow Poker is a skill-based game. A player’s chances of winning can increase if he/she discovers and uses the right strategy. If you apply a clever strategy, the house advantage in Fortune Pai Gow Poker might be as low as two to three percent or even lower.
Final Thoughts
Fortune Pai Gow and regular Pai Gow Poker are both great table games. The difference lies in the side bets. However, it won’t matter if the right strategy isn’t used. For more information on these games, visit the Vegas Aces Casino Poker Academy. If you are a pro or beginner, our Pai Gow Poker Game is well-developed to give you a superb gaming experience.
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