Pai Gow Poker is a game that combines ancient Chinese tile gambling with the popular card game poker. The game has become a huge hit online and in land-based casinos. The object of the game is to form two winning poker hands. These hands consist of one hand that is made up of five cards and another hand that consists of two cards. The hand that contains the five cards is called the back hand and the hand that consists of the two cards is called the front hand. The higher your poker hand, the more money you will win.

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck and a joker, so there are 53 total cards in play. The joker can be used as an ace, or it may be combined with any other cards to make a Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush. The game also has a set of rules that determines how the hands are ranked.

Each player makes a bet before being dealt seven cards. The player and dealer then split the cards into two hands, the high five-card hand and the low two-card hand. The five-card hand must be higher in rank than the two-card hand. Players then compare their hands to the dealer’s hand to see who wins. If the player wins both hands, they are paid even money. If they lose both hands, they lose their bet.

Face Up pai gow is different than regular pai gow in that the player’s hand is exposed before the dealer exposes theirs. This allows the player to see the dealer’s hand and decide how they will set their own hand. It is important to understand how the dealer’s hand ranks and what kind of a hand the player should aim to create.

In addition to the basic game, players can place a Fortune Bonus and an Envy Bonus wager on the table. Players must make these wagers in accordance with the table minimum and maximum bet limits. Players who wager $5 or more on the Fortune Bonus will qualify for an additional envy payout on their qualifying hand.

To win in pai gow, you must have a poker hand that beats the dealer’s corresponding poker hands. This is a complicated task, but the game offers an exciting mix of strategy and luck. Fortunately, there are some tips that can help you improve your chances of making a poker hand in pai gow. If you follow these guidelines, you will find that your chances of winning increase dramatically. In addition, you will be able to play for much longer without losing your bankroll.