Blackjack Comparison

Like blackjack, Pai Gow is played at a table with a dealer facing up to seven players. On this page, we'll discuss some of the differences between blackjack and Pai Gow.

• Blackjack is played with multiple decks of playing cards; Pai Gow is played with one deck of "tiles" that look like dominoes.

• In blackjack, the dealer is always the banker; in Pai Gow, you can be the banker. When you are the banker, you have better odds because you win ties, and you are playing against everyone else at the table, not just against the dealer.

• In blackjack, many deals are made from one shoe or deck before the cards are shuffled. The Pai Gow tiles are shuffled after each deal, so there is no way to "count cards" in Pai Gow.

Many Pai Gow players also like the tactile fun of handling the tiles, they like "rolling" the dice that are used in Pai Gow (see below), and they appreciate the greater mental challenge of the game.