Foxwoods House Way

Last update: June 18, 2007

The following is the Foxwoods house way for pai gow (tiles). It was taken from a Foxwoods Training Center booklet, dated 02/97. If more than one rule applies, use the one listed first.

1. Pair Rules

   A

   Never split the following pairs.

   B

   Split Gee Joon only when holding tiles 6-6, 6-5, or 6-4.

   C

   Split 2's and 12's to make 6/8 or better, or other two tiles are 9 and 11.

   D

   Split 9's only with any combination of 2, 10, and 12 tiles.

   E

   Split 8's only with any combination of 2, 10, 11, or 12 tiles. Also split with 9 and 11.

   F

   Split 7's only with any combination of 2, 10, 11, or 12 tiles.

2. Wong, Gong, and High Nine Rules

   Play the 2 or 12 tile with a 7, 8, or 9. With more than one possible, play High 9 over Wong and Gong, or Gong over Wong, when given the choice. When given the choice between a 2 and 12, play the 12 in the high hand.

   Exceptions:

   A

   Play Wong over Gong with an 11.

   B

   Play Wong over High Nine with an 11.

   C

   Play Gong over High Nine with (1) any 4, or (2) 5 and Low 8.

3. If the highest low hand is less than High 3 (highest tile High 6 or higher), and the highest high hand is 7 or higher, then make high hand as high as possible. Otherwise make the low hand as high as possible. Following are exceptions to this rule.

   A

   If hands total 8-9 or more then play high tile in high hand.

   B

   If hands total 7 and 8, and contain a 2 and 12, then play the 12 on the high hand.

   C

   Play High 2 and 5 with the following.

   D

   Play 6 and High 7 with the following.

   E

   Play 6 and High 8 with the following.

   F

   Play 6 and High 9 with the following.

   H

   Play 4 and High 8 with the following.

   Note: I am not sure why they list this play as an exception, because you should play 4/9 anyway, under the general rule of balancing the hands.

   I

   Play 3 and 8 with the following.

   J

   Play 7 and 9 with the following. Put the high six tile in the high hand.

   K

   Play High 1 and 5 with the following.

4. Finally, there is an unwritten rule (until now) that the house will never play a hand where an alternative benefits both the high and the low. For example, consider the following hand.

   

   Rule 1C would suggest the pair should be split to make 6/8. However both the high and low are improved by playing 7/teen pair. The unwritten rule 4 would thus override rule 1C.

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