Editing Pai gow (section)

== Strategy ==
{|class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:100%;text-align:center;"
|+Hand formation examples
! rowspan=2 | Deal
| [[File:CDomino 2-2.svg|frameless|upright=0.2]]
| [[File:CDomino 1-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.2]]
| [[File:CDomino 5-6.svg|frameless|upright=0.2]]
| [[File:CDomino 4-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.2]]
! rowspan=2 | Score
|-
| A<br />(2+2=4) || B<br />(1+5=6) || C<br />(5+6=11) || D<br />(4+5=9)
|-
| style="background:#aaa;font-size:25%;" colspan=6 | &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan=3 | Ex. 1
! colspan=2 | Hand 1A !! colspan=2 | Hand 1B
! rowspan=3 style="font-size:200%;" | 0,0
|-
| colspan=2 | [[File:CDomino 2-2.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]] [[File:CDomino 1-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]]
| colspan=2 | [[File:CDomino 5-6.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]] [[File:CDomino 4-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]]
|-
| colspan=2 | A+B<br />(4+6=10) || colspan=2 | C+D<br />(11+9=20)
|-
| style="background:#aaa;font-size:25%;" colspan=6 | &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan=3 | Ex. 2
! colspan=2 | Hand 2A !! colspan=2 | Hand 2B
! rowspan=3 style="font-size:200%;" | 5,5
|-
| colspan=2 | [[File:CDomino 2-2.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]] [[File:CDomino 5-6.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]]
| colspan=2 | [[File:CDomino 1-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]] [[File:CDomino 4-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]]
|-
| colspan=2 | A+C<br />(4+11=15) || colspan=2 | B+D<br />(6+9=15)
|-
| style="background:#aaa;font-size:25%;" colspan=6 | &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan=3 | Ex. 3
! colspan=2 | Hand 3A !! colspan=2 | Hand 3B
! rowspan=3 style="font-size:200%;" | 3,7
|-
| colspan=2 | [[File:CDomino 2-2.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]] [[File:CDomino 4-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]]
| colspan=2 | [[File:CDomino 1-5.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]] [[File:CDomino 5-6.svg|frameless|upright=0.15]]
|-
| colspan=2 | A+D<br />(4+9=13) || colspan=2 | B+C<br />(6+11=17)
|}
The key element of pai gow strategy is to present the optimal front and rear hands based on the tiles dealt to the player. For any four random tiles, there are three ways to arrange them into two hands, assuming that a named pair cannot be formed. However, if there is at least one pair among the tiles, there are only two distinct ways to form two hands.

The player must decide which combination is most likely to give a set of front/rear hands that can beat the dealer, or at least break a tie in the player's favor. In some cases, a player with weaker tiles may deliberately attempt to attain a push so as to avoid losing the bet outright. Many players rely on superstition or tradition to choose tile pairings.