Learn about the Pai Gow Tiles House rules from Casino Canberra.

Introduction

The following is the Casino Canberra house way for pai gow (tiles). Prioritize the initial rule if multiple ones apply.

Whenever feasible, aim to play a high-9 (with either tile 2 or 12) or utilize a gong or wong.

When given the choice between tiles 2 and 12, opt for the 12 tile.

In situations where options are available, prioritize playing a high-9 first, followed by a gong, then a wong. However, if this approach leads to a low-3 scenario (where the high tile is lower than high-6), focus on maximizing the high instead.

A

Play 3-wong with teen, teen, 9 and 11.

B

Play 7-9 with high-8, high-10, 11 and 7.

C

Play 7-9 with gee/joon, 6, 5, and teen/day.

D

Play a tile valued 9 along with a gee, 4, 5, and another tile that doesn’t pair up.

E

Utilize a high-7 and a low-8 alongside high-8, low-8, 9, and low-10 tiles.

F

Consider a combination of high-3 and low-9 with high-6, low-6, gee/joon, and 7 tiles.

G

Play 3-gong with 12/2, 8, 9, and low-4.

H

Play low-1, high-7 with 6, 11, low-6, and 5.

I

Opt for a low-2 and high-7 strategy in conjunction with high-8, low-8, 9, and low-4 tiles.

1. Pair Rules

   A

   Avoid splitting the following pairs: 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, and gee-joon.

   B

   Split 2\"s and 12\"s to make 6/8 or better.

   C

   Split 9\"s to make 9-9 or higher.

   D

   Split 8\"s to make 7-9, or 8-8 or higher.

   E

   Split 7\"s to make 7-High Nine or higher.

2. Moreover, refrain from splitting a pair if doing so would yield two weaker hands. For instance, rule B might advise splitting pairs such as 12, 12, gee, 4 to create 6/8, but keeping the pair results in a stronger 7-pair with better overall hands.

3. Wong, Gong, and High Nine Rule
4. All Other Hands
   1. Do not partake in any hand unless it maximizes your point total (the combined points of both hands).
   2. If your strongest low hand reaches at least a high-3 (where the high tile ranks high-6 or better), play that hand.
   3. If not, opt for the maximum high hand that is at least a 7 instead.
   4. Otherwise, maximize the low hand.
5. Provided the point counts remain unchanged, when given the choice:
   1. If your high hand totals 7 or below, place the high tile in the low hand; otherwise, allocate it to the high hand.
   2. Refrain from placing two tiles valued at high-6 or above in the same hand.

6. Exceptions

Written by: Michael Shackleford