Pai Gow poker is similar to traditional poker, but with a few important twists that make this a unique card game. The game is played with a 52-card deck plus one joker that counts as an ace or 10, depending on how the player decides to set their hand. A seven-card pile is dealt to each player.

Each player is then required to set their hand, and this is the main departure from traditional poker. The seven-card hand is shifted into two hands: a low two-card hand and a high five-card hand. The hard and fast rule is that the player's hands must beat the dealer's, but an equally important factor is the five-card hand must be higher than the two-card hand in the process.

It is best to set your two-card hand as high as possible, without going over the value of your five-card hand. It is commonly found that the best way to do this is with pairs. Then, with your remaining cards, it is hoped that you will have two pairs to set a high five-card hand. A Pai Gow hand is set with no pairs--a Queen and Jack in the low hand and a K7862 in the high hand.

There are a few basic tips to keep in mind when setting your hands. When dealt one pair, set this in your five-card hand while keeping the remaining two highest-value cards for your two-card hand. If no pairs are dealt, use the highest card for the five card hand, and the second and third highest for the two-card hand. In the case of three pairs, use the higher-value pair in the two-card hand.