Pai Gow Poker Strategy
The following table shows the optimal ways to break up your cards into the five card and two card hands based on the cards you are dealt. In the table, we refer to any pair of 2's through 6's as a "low pair", 7's through J's as a "medium pair", and Q's through A's as a "high pair". If you play according to this table, you should substantially increase your odds of winning.
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Your 7 Card Hand
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Your 7 Card Hand Details
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Optimal 5 Card Hand
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Optimal 2 Card Hand
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no pair
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the highest card
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the next two highest cards
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one pair
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the pair
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next two highest cards
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two pair
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pair of A's and any other pair
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high pair
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other pair
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two high pair
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best pair
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other pair
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high pair and medium pair
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high pair
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medium pair
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high pair and low pair with A or K
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both pair
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A or K
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high pair & low pair w/out A or K
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highest pair
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low pair
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two medium pair with A or K
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both pair
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A or K
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two medium pair without A or K
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best pair
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other pair
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medium pair & low pair with A or K
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both pair
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A or K
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medium pair & low pair w/out A or K
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medium pair
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low pair
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two low pair with A or K
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both pair
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A or K
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two low pair without A or K
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best pair
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other pair
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three pair
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three pair
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second and third highest pair
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highest pair
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three of a kind
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three A's
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pair of A's
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A and next highest card
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three of a kind
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three of a kind
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two highest remaining cards
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three of a kind twice
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lower three of a kind
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highest pair
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full house
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with pair
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full house with low pair
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highest pair
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pair is 2's with A or K
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full house
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A or K
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All others
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three of a kind
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the pair
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straight, flush & royal flush
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with no pair
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lowest full hand
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two highest cards
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with pair
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lowest full hand
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the pair
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with three of a kind
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full hand
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pair
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four of a kind
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with three of a kind
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four of a kind
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pair from the three of a kind
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with a pair
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four of a kind
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pair
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Four A's
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pair of A's
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pair of A's
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J's through K's with an A
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four of a kind
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the A
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J's through K's without an A
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one pair from the four
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the other pair
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7's through 10's with A or K
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four of a kind
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A or K
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7's through 10's without A or K
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one pair from the four
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the other pair
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2's through 6's
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four of a kind
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highest remaining two
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