An Introduction to Asia Poker

Asia Poker is a variant on Pai Gow Poker.

Pai Gow dates back to the Song Dynasty in China and was originally a very complex tile or domino gambling game. Asia Poker also owes a debt to Puy Soy (sometimes called 13 cards), another Chinese game.

Both games use multiple hands played against a dealer in an even-money bet.

Pai Gow Poker was invented either in Los Angeles by Sam Torosian, the owner of a struggling card room who saved his club but didn't patent the game and lost out when it went global; or Fred Wolf, a professional poker player and Vegas card room manager.

Asia Poker was invented by Matthew Tang of New Jersey under the Tang Dynasty Entertainment name, a company he’s been running since 2005. He refers enquiries about the game, which he says is played in 14 US Casinos, to Bally Technologies, the US gaming machine giant.

How to Play Asia Poker

Asia Poker can be played on- or offline. Offline it is a popular casino game found among the table games. Play Asia Poker online and you'll find a one-player game played against a computer dealer.

The Asia Poker rules:

The deck is of 53 cards: the standard deck plus one joker. The joker is semi-wild. It can stand in for any card to complete straights, flushes, straight flushes or royal flushes. Away from those hands it is regarded as an ace.

Players make an ante bet to join the next game before the cards are dealt.

The dealer deals seven cards to each player and seven to himself.

The cards are arranged by the player into three hands: one high hand of four cards, one middle hand of two cards, and a single-card low hand.

The player's high hand must beat his middle hand, which must beat his low hand. Breaking this rule will forfeit the hand to the dealer.

The game is played as three contests against the dealer: high hand against high hand, medium against medium, and low against low.

Hands are ranked according to standard poker rules. However, full houses do not count in most games. Bally's ranks for four-card hands are shown below. Only pairs count in the two-card hand, no two-card flushes or straights.

The dealer will arrange their cards according to rules set down by the casino. This is called the “house way” and players should be able to see a copy of this procedure and to request that the dealer applies it to their hand. We have an example below.

The hands are compared, and the higher value hands win their battle. Any ties are awarded to the dealer. The player must win any two out of the three contests to win the hand and the even-money bet.

Bonus bets - including an "envy" bonus bet that pays on other players' hands - can be made on the best seven-card hand the player can make, paying out according to the pay tables below.

There are also insurance bets for losing hands.

Here are Bally’s ranks for the four-card hand, taken, along with the betting pay tables, from the rules of play Bally Technologies submitted to and had approved by the Washington State Gambling Commission in September and October 2014.

Rank
Hand
1
Four aces
2
Straight flush. A royal flush of AKQJ is top rated, then A234
3
Four of a kind
4
Flush
5
Straight. AKQJ ranks highest, A234 is second-highest
6
Three of a kind
7
Two pair
8
Pair
9
High card

Asia Poker Strategy

There is a certain amount of skill in selecting how to play your cards in Asia poker.

Remember you have to win two out of the three hands, so selecting the best hand in your high hand may not always be the best option.

You also have to rank the hands, with the high hand beating the middle hand and the middle hand beating the low hand.

Online you should be able to select an option to arrange your hand according to the house way. It’s a good way to get started and learn your way around the game.

A dealer should do this for you in a casino too.

The 'house way' is designed to win, so using it is a good way to learn the game.

House Edge

Tang Dynasty Entertainments, inventors of the game, claim a house edge of 4.94% with no bonus bet, and a house edge of between 5.8% and 8.39% with the bonus.
Bally Technology's submission to the Washington State Gambling Commission lists six possible pay tables for the bonus bets with a house edge in each of between 7.76% and 9.28% with no envy bonus. With a maximum envy bonus, the house edge was as low as 2.49% and as high as 5.30%.

There is no commission on bets in Asia Poker.

House Way

In Asia Poker the dealer will arrange his hands according to a set of rules designed by the casino (or a set of algorithms online). This is the 'house way'.

This example comes from the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas. Different casinos will have their own procedures, but it's safe to say that as they are all based on the odds of the game, they will be broadly similar.

In this example, the cards in the deck are named:

“Low” = 2 to 6

“Medium” = 7 to 10, and

“High” = Jack to Ace

Dealer dealt garbage

Put the third highest card in the low hand. The second and fourth highest cards should go in the medium hand.

Dealer dealt one pair

With a high pair, and either no high singletons or one high singleton lower than the pair, split the pair between the medium and high hands.
In other scenarios play the second-highest singleton in the low hand. The highest and third highest singletons should go into the medium hand. The rest go into the high hand.

Dealer dealt two pair

If the pairs are aces or kings, and there are no high singletons, but both pairs in the high hand.
Otherwise, play the highest singleton in the low hand, the lower pair in the medium hand. The rest go in the high hand.

Dealer dealt three pair

If one of the pairs is of kings or aces and the singleton is a low or medium car, put one card from the highest pair in the low hand, the other ace or king, and the singleton should go in the medium hand, the other two pairs go into the high hand.

If the singleton is medium or low, put one card from the highest pair in the low hand, the middle pair goes into the medium hand, and the rest of the cards make up the high hand.

In other scenarios – with no ace or kind pair and with a high singleton – put the single card in the low hand. The highest pair goes in the medium hand. The other pairs make up the high hand.

Dealer dealt three of a kind

With the three of cards between 2 and 10: play the second highest singleton in the low hand, the third and first highest singletons go in the medium hand. The rest of the cards go in the high hand.

If the three is jacks and there are no high cards: the highest singleton goes into the low hand, one of the jacks and the second-highest singleton goes in the medium hand, the remaining cards go in the high hand.

With one high card and a trio of jacks: put one jack in the low hand, the two highest single cards go into the medium hand, the rest of the cards go in the high hand.

With three jacks with two high cards use the same rules as with a three between 2 and 10.

With a three of queens to aces and up to two high cards: make a pair in the high hand and maximize the low and medium hands.

Dealer dealt two threes of a kind

Split the higher three between the medium and low hand.

Dealer dealt straight, flush, straight flush, or royal flush

If a pair in the medium hand and the four-card hand in the high hand can be played, play them. If the pair is aces and the single card is not a king then split the pair between the medium and low hands.

If you have two pair, three pair, or three of a kind in the hand, then ignore the four-card hand and play according to the appropriate rules for the pairs or trios you have.

If you can play either a straight of a flush in the high hand, then choose the one that produces the better ranked medium hand.

If the medium hand is unaffected by your high hand choice, then play for the best low hand.

With a four-card hand with three of four high cards and no other high card then follow the rules for a garbage hand. If there is an additional high card, put the four-card hand in the high hand.

If there is a pair in the four-card hand, and your hand also contains a jack to ace then play the four-card hand in the high hand. If there is a pair in the four-card hand put the pair in the high hand.

Dealer dealt a full house

In cases except for those detailed below play the highest single card in the low hand, the pair in the medium hand, and the low single card with the three of a kind in the high hand.
If the three is of queens or higher and the single cards are both medium or low then split the three with pair in the medium hand and the other card in the low hand. If there is at least one high single card use the 'usual' rules.

If the pair is aces or kings and there are no high single cards: split the pair into the medium and low hands, and put the three into the high hand. If there is one high single card or more revert to the 'usual' rules.

With a high pair, a three or queens or a higher, and no high single card: split up the trio into the high and low hands. If there is a high single card use the “usual” rules.

Dealer dealt three of a kind and two pair

If neither of the pairs is high, split the three between medium and low hands, and make the high hand from the two pair.
In other cases put one card from the high pair into the low hand. The lower pair becomes the medium hand, and the other cards go into the high hand.

Dealer dealt four of kind

If the four is of low cards and there are two high cards including one ace, put the four into the high hand.

If the four is aces or kings and there are no high single cards: put one pair from the four into the high hand, one card into the medium hand and the last card of the four into the low hand.
In other situations divide the four into a pair in both the high and medium hands.

Dealer dealt four of a kind and one pair

If the four is of kings or aces, put three in the high hand and the fourth card into the low hand.

In other circumstances put the pair into the medium hand and make the high hand from the four.

Dealer dealt four of a kind and a three of a kind

If the four is of queens to aces, and the three is low or medium, play the three in the high hand.

In all other circumstances put the four into the high hand.

Dealer dealt five aces

Put two aces into the medium hand, one into the low hand, and the remaining three in the high hand.
Bonus bets and insurance bets

The game also offers two side bets: a Fortune Bonus Bet (with an envy bonus) and an Insurance Bet.

The Fortune Bonus Bet pays out on the best poker hand in the player’s cards according to these four pay tables:

Asia Poker Bonus Bet — Pay Table A

Hand
Pays
Combinations
Probability
Returns
8888 + Any 3 of a Kind5000540.00000035    
0.00175162
5 Aces800
11280.00000732    
0.0058543
Royal Flush200
 261320.00016953    
0.03390616
Natural Straight Flush80
387280.00025125    
0.02009977
St. Flush with Joker40
146104 0.00094785    
0.03791387
Four of a Kind30
3074180.00199437    
0.05983103
Full House5
41885280.02717299    
0.13586494
Flush4
6172088    
0.04004129    
0.16016517
Three of a Kind37672500    
0.04977518     0.14932555 
Straight2
11034204    
0.07158417    
0.14316833
9-High10
31080    
0.00020163   
 0.00201631
Nothing
-10
124525116    
0.80785408    
-0.80785408
Totals

154143080    
1    
-0.05795704

Asia Poker Bonus Bet — Pay Table B

Hand    
Pays    
Combinations    
Probability    
Return
8888 + Any 3 of a Kind    
5000    
54    
0.00000035   
 0.00175162
5 Aces    
800    
1128    
0.00000732    
0.0058543
Royal Flush    
200    
26132    
0.00016953   
 0.03390616
Natural Straight Flush    
80    
38728    
0.00025125   
 0.02009977
St. Flush with Joker   
 40    
146104    
0.00094785    
0.03791387
Four of a Kind    
30   
 307418   
 0.00199437    
0.05983103
Full House   
 5    
4188528    
0.02717299    
0.13586494
Flush   
 4    
6172088   
 0.04004129    
0.16016517
Three of a Kind   
 3    
7672500    
0.04977518   
 0.14932555
Straight    
2    
11034204    
0.07158417    
0.14316833
9-High    
10   
 31080    
0.00020163   
 0.00201631
Nothing  
 -1     124525116      
0.80785408         -0.80785408
Total        

154143080    
1    
-0.06549445

Asia Poker Bonus Bet — Pay Table C

Hand    
Pays   
 Combinations    
Probability    
Return
8888 + Any 3 of a Kind
    5000    
54    
0.00000035   
0.00175162
5 Aces   
800    
1128    
0.00000732    
0.0058543
Royal Flush    
200    
26132   
0.00016953   
0.03390616
Natural Straight Flush    
50    
38728    
0.00025125    
0.01256235
St. Flush with Joker    
40    
146104    
0.00094785   
0.03791387
Four of a Kind    
25    
307418    
0.00199437    
0.0498592
Full House    
5    
4188528    
0.02717299    
0.13586494
Flush    
4    
6172088    
0.04004129    
0.16016517
Three of a Kind    
3    
7672500    
0.04977518    
0.14932555
Straight    
2    
11034204    
0.07158417    
0.14316833
9-High    
10    
31080    
0.00020163    
0.00201631
Nothing    
-1    
124525116    
0.80785408    
-0.80785408
Totals         

54143080    
1    
-0.07546629

Asia Poker Bonus Bet — Pay Table D

Hand   
Pays    
Combinations    
Probability  
  Return
8888 + Any 3 of a Kind    
5000    
54    
0.00000035    
0.00175162
5 Aces    
800    
1128    
0.00000732    
0.0058543
Royal Flush    
150    
26132    
0.00016953    
0.02542962
Natural Straight Flush    
50    
38728    
0.00025125    
0.01256235
St. Flush with Joker    
40    
146104    
0.00094785   
0.03791387
Four of a Kind    
25    
307418    
0.00199437    
0.0498592
Full House    
5    
4188528    
0.02717299    
0.13586494
Flush    
4    
6172088    
0.04004129    
0.16016517
Three of a Kind    
3    
7672500    
0.04977518    
0.14932555
Straight    
2    
11034204    
0.07158417    
0.14316833
9-High    
10    
31080    
0.00020163    
0.00201631
Nothing   
-1    
124525116   
0.80785408    
-0.80785408
Total        

154143080    
1    
-0.08394283

By betting $5 or more on their bonus bet, players were entitled to an Envy Bonus that paid out when other players at the table scored hands higher than four of a kind.
These payouts ranged from $5,000 for the seven-card straight flush down to $5 for four of a kind and could be won for any hand at the table excepting the player’s own and the dealer’s.
An insurance bet would payout if the player’s own hand contained no poker hands – i.e. the only scores were high cards.

The insurance bet paid out at the following odds:

Hand
Pay-out
9-high   100 to 1
10-high   50 to 1
  Jack-high   10 to 1
Queen-high
 7 to 1
King-high   
5 to 1
Ace-High  
 3 to 1

The progressive betting allows players to bet on the best hand on the table. In casinos players place their chips on a sensor to alert the dealer they’re playing for the progressive jackpot. It paid out from the jackpot fund according to two pay tables, paying out percentages of the fund from 25% to 100%; cash amounts from $6 to $2,500; and wager returns from 4 to 1 to 500 to 1.

Play Asia Poker Online

Asia Poker works very well as an online game; it can be played by one player.

The screen and the controls are simple.

First you must place your bet. You should be able to select your chip size (1, 5, 25 and 100). Then click or tap the “ANTE” marked on the playing table to place the number of chips you want to bet.

If you want to add a bonus bet – the pay table should be displayed on the screen – then click there. Click “rebet” to repeat your wager from the last hand.

A “deal” button hands out the cards, seven to the player seven to the dealer.

The player must then select the cards and shift them into the “HIGH”, “MIDDLE”, and “LOW” boxes according to the rules of the game. Remember, the aim is to win in two out of the three hands, and the high hand must be worth more than the middle and the middle more than the bottom.

When you’re happy with your selection, press the “make hand” button to close the hand.

Or, simply click the “house way” button and the game will follow the same rules that the dealer uses to arrange his hand to set up your cards.

Remember that the house way may not always give you the best possible hand in the game in all situations.

There is also a bonus bet in many online games.

Example of an online pay table for Asia Poker


Hand
Pay-out
Four eights + three of a kind
5,000 to 1
Five aces
800
Royal flush
200
Straight flush
(natural) 80
Straight flush (joker)
40
Four of a kind
30
Full house
5
Flush
4
Three of a kind
3
Straight
2
Nine high
10


 


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