The Game of Pai Gow Tiles
Pai Gow is played with a set of 32 Chinese Tiles that form 16 permissible pairs. Two tiles will combine to form a hand. A hand with any permissible pair is ranked higher than a hand that does not contain a pair.
The highest-ranking hand is the SUPREME PAIR (Gee Joon), followed by Matched Pairs, and Unmatched or Mixed Pairs. The next highest-ranking hands are special combinations known as Wongs and Gongs. Hand consisting Wongs or Gongs are ranked lower than pairs.
Wongs are formed with the highest ranking single tile (12) or second highest-ranking single tile (2), and either of the 9 tiles.
Gongs are formed with the highest ranking single tile (12) or second highest-ranking single tile (2), and either of the 8 tiles.
The next highest-ranking hands are numeric value hands, the highest of which is 9. Hands that do not contain pairs have numeric values. Add the total number of spots contained on the two tiles to determine the value of the numeric value hand. Each tile has a numeric value and symbol ranking. To find the numeric value add the spots on each tile. The total will never be higher than nine because only the last digit in the total number of spots is used.
When two hands have the same numeric value, the ranking of the highest-ranking tile in each hand will determine the winner. To determine which hand is higher, find the highest ranked tile in each hand and compare them. If the highest ranked tiles are the same, the hand is a "copy hand", and the banker shall win. (Exception: when the numeric value is zero, both hands are considered equally bad, regardless of the high tile and the Bank will win all zero-zero ties.)
When the two tiles that form the highest-ranking hand (The SUPREME PAIR-Gee Joon) are used separately, the numeric value is interchangeable. The 3 can be counted as a 6 and the 6 can be counted as a 3.
To find the ranking on each tile and each permissible pair, refer to the ranking chart.
To begin the game, the dealer will shuffle or "wash" the tiles and stack them into eight stacks of four tiles each.
Each player has the option to bank bet against all other players including the dealer. Each player will not have the opportunity to bank bets until after the dealer has banked bets again.
The player who is the banker may also choose to share the risk with the house and co-bank with the house. If the player chooses to co-bank, the house will pay one-half of all the losses of the player/co-banker and will collect one-half of all the player/co-banker’s winnings. If the player chooses to co-bank, the player may not have a wager against the house and the hand must be set the house way.
The players will place their wages before the dealer announces "No More Bets" and before the banker or dealer shakes the Pai Gow Dice Shaker. When the dealer uncovers the dice and announces the total, the count will begin with the dealer or the banking player and continue with each betting position in a counterclockwise direction until it matches the total on the dice. That position will receive the first stack of tiles. The tiles will be distributed in a predetermined pattern to the remainder of the table.
After the tiles have been delivered, each player will "set" their tiles and stack them into two hands of two tiles each; a high hand and a second highest hand. Once the player has set his hand and placed his tiles face down on the layout, he or she will not be permitted to touch the tiles again.
Each player is responsible for setting his or her own hands and no other person except the dealer may touch the tiles of that player. Each player is required to keep the four tiles in full view of the dealer at all times. Players are not allowed to show their hands or talk to other players about their hands before all hands are set.
Players must remain seated at all times when handling tiles.
On request of the player, the dealer will place a "House Way" lamer on the players’ tiles if the player wishes to have his or her hand set the house way.
After the players have set their hands, the dealer will arranger his or her tiles into a high and a second highest hand. The dealer must set his or her hand by using a set of rules known as the "House Ways".
The dealer will compare the second highest hand of the bank (dealer/bank or player/bank) to the player’s and announce if the wager of that player wins, loses, or is a push. The dealer will then compare the high hands.
In order for the player to win, his second highest hand and high hand must be higher in rank than the second highest hand and high hand of the bank. (Bank wins all copy hands and all zero-zero ties). All winning wagers will be paid even money less a house commission up to 5%.
Instead of paying a commission up to 5% from each wager, a player may post the commission in advance by betting the amount of the commission in addition to his original wager. If the bet loses, the dealer will collect the entire wager. If the bet wins, the dealer will pay only the original wager, not commission posted in advance. If the bet is a push, the dealer will not pay or collect either the original wager or the commission posted in advance.
If neither the hand of the player is higher than the corresponding hand of the bank, and the other is not, the hand will be considered a push and no money is won or lost.
If neither of the player’s hands are higher than the bank’s hands, the player will lose.
A player may wager more than one hand, but the player can only look at and set two hands. The remaining hands will be set according to the house ways.
When all of the wagering areas are in play, the house may remove a wagering area from play to increase game security.