The History of Pai Gow and Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow poker combines two traditions: the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow, played with domino tiles, and Western poker. This page tells the story of how the game came to be.

Pai Gow: the tile game

Pai Gow is a traditional Chinese gambling game played with a set of 32 Chinese dominoes. The name is often translated as 'make nine', because many tile combinations are valued on a scale up to nine. Players arrange their tiles into a high and a low hand and compare them with the banker, which is the same basic idea used in Pai Gow poker. The tile game has been played in China for centuries and was brought to the United States by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century.

The card version

Pai Gow poker was created in the United States in the mid-1980s. It is widely credited to Sam Torosian, the owner of a card club in California, who wanted a game with the structure of Pai Gow but using playing cards and familiar poker hands. By adding a joker and using seven cards split into two hands, he created a game that was easy for poker players to understand.

Spread to casinos

The game quickly spread to casinos in Nevada and beyond. Its relaxed pace, social atmosphere and many pushes made it popular with players who wanted longer sessions at the table. Asian players in particular appreciated the familiar structure from the tile game.

Pai Gow today

Today Pai Gow poker is played in casinos around the world and online, both as a digital game and with live dealers. Variants with side bets and progressive jackpots have been added, but the core rules are still those set out in the 1980s. Learn them in how to play Pai Gow poker, and see how the game compares with other table poker games.

A game of patience

Both the tile game and the card game reward patience: careful hand setting and accepting that many rounds end level. Whichever version you play, remember that the house keeps an edge. Play responsibly and only if you are 18 or older.