Dear
Mark: In some casinos that offer Pai Gow Poker, the
dealer deals a second hand that is offered to the
player. Exactly what is it, and is it worth playing?
Billy F.
That
second hand you observed, Billy, is called "the
Dragon," It's an additional hand that each player
in turn has the option of playing. Essentially, it
gives the player the ability to play two positions
rather than one. It could also be a community hand
for all to play, should someone want to make an additional
bet. It is not a required wager, rather a bonus bet.
I
have noticed that those who play the Dragon do so
depending on the circumstances and their style of
play. Some only play the Dragon when they are holding
a stalwart hand; others only play the Dragon when
they think their main hand is a loser. Go figure.
In most casinos, if you want to play the Dragon,
your wager must be the same size as or larger than
your original bet. Also, the rules generally specify
that the hand must be set according to the house's
own way of setting hands.
With a deck of cards at the kitchen table you can
become quite proficient at the game, and with perfect
basic strategy you can grind the casino edge down
to 2.5%. Even so, Billy, I wouldn't recommend playing
the Dragon hand myself, because "copies"
(where the player and banker have identical two-card
or five-card hands) still go to the dealer, biting
the player, naturally.
Good
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