If you follow us regularly, you'll have caught our article on the history and relationship of Chinese culture to gambling. It is the Asian culture that is behind the birth of many of the gambling games and disciplines that we are going to take a closer look at today. We begin with one of the oldest Chinese games, dating back to around the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) - Pai Gow.
PAI GOW
Pai Gow is also known as Chinese dominoes, where it is played with 32 dominoes. Its meaning in Chinese is "make nine", referring to the highest possible score a player can achieve in a single combination. A set of 32 dominoes is used for the game, each with specific symbols. The game is usually played between seven players and a banker. Each player is dealt four dominoes. The object of the game is to form pairs called 'high hand' and 'low hand', which are then compared with the banker's hand.
Each pair of stones has a certain value, which is fixed or based on the total number of points. Winning pairs have a higher value than ordinary pairs and can therefore influence the outcome of the game. The highest combination is nine, but there are special pairs such as 'Gong' and 'Wong' which can be of higher value. To win, a player must beat both of the banker's hands.
Chinese dominoes have gradually evolved into the casino game Pai Gow Poker, which combines elements of traditional Pai Gow and poker. This game is especially widespread in casinos in Macau and in online casinos. Pai Gow Poker is finding a place among players who prefer a relaxing game but also appreciate the opportunity for strategic thinking and socialising. This game combines a slow pace, lower risk and fun interaction with other players, making it a popular format for beginners.
In Pai Gow Poker, each player is dealt 7 cards from which they must form two hands - a 5-card hand and a 2-card hand, with the 5-card hand always being the stronger hand. The combinations are then compared to the strength of the banker's hand. If both combinations are stronger you win the pot, but if you are better at only one, there is a push tie, where the player is left with his bet. The highest possible hand is five Aces (four AAAA + Joker).
CHINESE POKER
Chinese Poker or Pusey is a popular card game in which the chances of winning are high due to the strong influence of luck. Chinese Poker is usually played between 2 to 4 players, with each player receiving 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck. The 13 cards must be dealt into 3 poker hands by each player. The 1st hand is called the "front hand" which contains only 3 cards, the 2nd hand "middle hand" and the 3rd hand "back hand" already consist of five cards. The basic rule of this game is that the back hand must contain the strongest hand, and conversely the front hand must be the weakest.
Chinese poker has become a hit across all ages, mainly due to its combination of simple rules that allow for a broad strategy. Since the discipline doesn't require chips to play (points are tallied at the end of each hand and the point difference between the winner and loser is calculated), it can be played virtually anywhere with just a deck of cards. The game's great popularity has also been helped by a number of enhancements and formats (such as the pineapple version) that make the game even more interesting and entertaining.
Source: china-underground, wizardofodds, latimes, wgm8, crownmelbourne, 888poker
