Question:    What are the basic rules of Pai Gow Poker Strategy?

Answer:    Pai Gow is played with a 53-card deck - a standard deck of 52 cards and one Joker (the Joker may only be used as an Ace, or to complete a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush). Pai Gow poker is played one on one, the player against the dealer (or banker), each competing to make the best possible hands. After placing an initial bet, both player and dealer receive seven cards. The object of the game is for the player to split (or "set") the seven dealt cards into two hands - a five-card "High" hand, and a two-card "Low" hand. The cards must be set in such a way that the five-card hand has a higher poker rank than the two-card hand. For example, the player's hand is: 6,7,8,9,10,A,A. The player sets the pair of Aces as the Low hand, and 6,7,8,9,10 (straight) as the High hand. The dealer's hand is: 2,2,2,A,K,4,5. The dealer sets the Ace and King as the Low hand, and 2,2,2,4,5 (three of a kind) as the High hand. The player beats both the dealer's High and Low hands, thus winning the round. The hands are ranked according to standard poker rules, with the exception that an A-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight. By the way, the best Low hand is a pair of Aces. After the player has finished arranging his/her hands, the dealer arranges his/her hands according to a set of fixed rules (the "House Way"). The player's two hands (High and Low) are then compared with the dealer's two hands (High and Low) to determine the winner. In order to win, the player's both High and Low hands must have a higher poker rank than the dealer's both High and Low hands.