Thank you, Angela!

Introduction to the Game of Pai Gow

The Pai Gow tiles game is one of the oldest gambling games played. Pai Gow means “to make nine.” It has been played for centuries all over the world but is most popular in Southern China. References to Chinese domino tiles can be traced to writings from the Song Dynasty about 1120 A.D. There are 21 unique patterns. A tile set has a total of 32 tiles that make up 16 different pairs. Remember this gambling game is not difficult, but just a little different since we did not grow up with it. Knowing the Chinese names of the tiles is not important as long as we memorize the rankings. Also the colors of the dots on the tiles have no meaning in this game; red dot or white dot is just for show. Parts of the tile play are based on the story of the game. For example some of the tile names are heaven, earth, and man. So sometimes we play the hand set according to the story. Man with heaven or man with earth. This type of setting is called the traditional set. It is how the house will set the hands. As you learn this game you will see times when you can make a mathematically better hand. WE WILL NOT. You are learning house way. We do this is because if we played the game with the most advantage the house could get no one to play. It is the same idea as if we decided to pay Blackjack even money. This would be better for the house but no one would play the game.

How the Game is Played

The basic idea of the game is the player is dealt 4 individual tiles. The player will make two different hands with two tiles in each hand. (The hand with the lower is called the front hand, and the hand with the higher value is called the rear hand.) When you announce the hand totals the lower or front hand should be announced first. It is more polite. The Banker also receives 4 tiles and makes a high and low hand. After setting their hands the banker and player compare the low hand with the low hand and the high hand to the high hand. If the player wins both the high and the low hand the player wins the round and the wager is paid. If the banker wins both, then the player lost the wager to the bank. If either participant wins one hand and loses the other the outcome is a push. (Please note patrons can play as the banker, so do not always assume the banker is the house.) If you have played Pai Gow Poker you will notice the games are similar. Pai Gow Poker was developed by modeling itself after tiles. It uses cards and poker values which makes the game more familiar to us.

Ranking Pai Gow Tiles
It is important to know the ordinance of Tiles in order to set your hand correctly. Two matching Tiles make a pair. There are sequences of pairs which determine its rank. One higher ranking tile in a hand, will determine your winning hand. The Bank wins all tie hands.
1. Jee June
2. Twelve – Teen
3. Two – Day
4. High Eight
5. High Four
6. High Six
7. High Ten
8. Low Four
9. Eleven
10. Low Ten
11. High Seven
12. Low Six
13. Nine
14. Low Eight
15. Low Seven
16. Five

Basic Key to Setting Pai Gow Tiles
It is important to understand the value of setting tiles correctly. There are a set of basic rules to follow that may guide you through this process. Each house has a recommended method of setting Tiles.
1. Play pair. (Two of the same tile)
2. Play Wong (Two or Twelve with a Nine)
3. Play Gong (Two or Twelve with any Eight)
4. Play High Nine (Teen or Day with any Seven)
Unless you have Jee June play 9, 8, 7.
5. Play high tile in low hand. (Make a strong hand)
6. Balance Hand. (Make a balanced hand, equally strong)
Exceptions to Setting Tile Hands
7. Never split pairs of 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11.
8. Play Jee June with Teen, Day or 10.
9. Play Teen Day with 9, 11.
10. Play 7 and 8, with 7, 8, 9, and 11.
11. Play 9 with Teen, Day or 10.
12. Never put two strong dominoes together. (Balance hand with one high tile and one low tile)
13. Balance hand by creating one strong hand. (Make the high hand stronger than low hand by using the highest tile in high hand and second highest low tile in high hand)

Actions on Hands
• Hands are dealt out from right to left and are settled from right to left.
• A push hand is given the push sign then the hand is brought in and placed to the right of the cheque tray.
• With a losing hand, the wager is taken and placed in front of the cheque tray on the layout. The tiles are then brought in and placed to the right of the cheque tray.
• Winning hands are left on the layout and while the rest of the table is checked for Winners, losers, and pushes.
• After all hands have been checked, the winners shall be paid one at a time from right to left. A 5% commission will be taken out of all winning wagers. Once the wager is paid, the tiles are brought in and placed to the right of the cheque tray.
• Losing wagers are placed in the cheque tray.
• The dealer then begins the shuffle.

Commission
• The dealer will collect a 5% commission on all winning bets.
• If you have a large wager, cut the bet in half and drop the 0. That will give you 5% of the bet.
• All bets must be proven before the 5% commission is charged.
• All commission must be clearly displayed by the dealer.
• Prepaid commission is normally allowed, but is not normally allowed when a player is banking.