Before you sit down for a game of Pai Gow poker, it's important to know the basic rules and some winning strategies. If you plan on playing poker online, learning this information now will pay off big in the future. At iVegas.com we want you to have a good time, and we believe an informed player is a happy player.

The object of Pai Gow is to create two poker hands using seven cards. Your goal is to create the best possible five-card hand and two-card hand. Before you go and make a two-card hand featuring a pair of aces, it's important to remember that the five-card hand must rank higher than the two-card hand.

The deck in Pai Gow contains 53 cards, the standard 52 cards plus one joker. It's important to know the joker's role in the game of Pai Gow. In a five-card hand, the joker can only be used to make a straight or a flush. If your five-card hand doesn't contain a straight or a flush, the joker serves as an ace. In a two-card hand, the joker may only be used as an ace.

If you get the chance to watch a couple of hands of Pai Gow, either in a free room online or in a casino, take advantage of it. Watching other players often proves to be an invaluable tool when learning how to play this game. When you're ready to play, we'll be waiting for you with the best Pai Gow tables online. We have games for players of all skill levels, and it only takes a few minutes to open an account with us online. If you have any questions or concerns our support staff is standing by in our 24-hour chatroom. You can also send e-mail inquiries to support@ivegas.com.