Modern American poker is not the only game where finding matching pairs puts the layer on the road to victory. The same is true of the ancient Chinese game of pai gow. In the game, a player should make an effort to find pairs, especially unmatched pairs which are difficult to see. Generally, one should play the 6-6 or 1-1 with any tile whose total is seven, eight, or nine. If that is not possible, one should play the two smallest tiles that add up to a total of seven, eight, or nine.

It is possible for a player to play each hand in three different ways. Thus, it is wise to proceed carefully. Having a very good high hand can lead to a weak low hand, the ultimate result of which is a tie. A hand that is more balanced between high and low can result in a win.

Individual Tile Values

If a hand is not a gee joon, a bo, a wong, and a gong, it is possible for two hands to be tied. In that case, ranking is determined on the basis of individual tile values. Unfortunately, these values are not linked to the numerical value of the tiles. Veteran players tend to memorize these values; newer players may keep a list handy. From highest to lowest values, the tiles are:

6-6, a tile known as "teen"
1-1, a tile known as "day"
4-4, a tile known as "yun"
3-1, a tile known as "gor"
5-5, a tile known as "mooy"
3-3, a tile known as "chong"
2-2, a tile known as "bon"
6-5, a tile known as "foo."
6-4, a tile known as "ping"
6-1, a tile known as "tit"
5-1, a tile known as lLook"
6-3 and 5-4, a tile known as "gow"
6-2 and 5-3, a tile known as "bot"
6-1 and 5-2, a tile known as "chu"
4-2, a tile known as "luk" (This is part of gee joon.)
4-1, a tile known as "ng"
3-2, a tile also known as "ng"
2-1, a tile known as "saam" (This is part of gee joon.)

The 4-2 and 2-1 tiles are the lowest ranking single tiles. They are scored by the way in which they are played.