What is Asia Poker?

Asia Poker game is similar to the famous PaiGow Poker only that in this game, players do not take out a commission out of the gambling win. Though a pretty new game, Asia poker has become a favourite online poker game among many poker enthusiasts. Thus, if a player bets 20GBP and wins, he is awarded 20 GBP.

Asia Poker Explained

The operator deals seven cards to the players. These cards are divided into three- a 4-card hand called the high, a two card hand (medium) and one-card hand (the low). Usually, the house rules prevent dealers from showing bias when dealing the cards. The provisions of the game require the four-card hand to be equal or greater than the two-card hand and the two-card hand greater or equal to the one-card hand. When the players have set their hands, the operator sets his hand based on the house rules and compares it with that of the player’s.

How to Play Asia Poker

If the house wins two out of the high, medium and low hands, the player loses to the dealer and if he wins two hands, he is declared the winner. The wins depend on the ranks of all the hands. For the four-card hand, the rankings are the straight flush, four of a kind, the royal flush, three of a kind, the straight, one pair, the high card and two pairs. Since the two-card hand does not have straights and flushes, the player wins if he has a pair or a high card. Wins for the one-card hand occur when the player has the higher card.

In case of a win, players should verify their opponent’s hand to avoid mistakes or bias from the dealer. The poker hands are compared based on their ranks, i.e., high is compared to high, medium versus medium and low against low. Players who win two of the three comparisons are declared winners. Apparently, in Asia Poker game, there are no ties. So, if the casino and the player have the same hand for the four, two or one hands, the house takes the lead. The premise is that the player has a 50/50 chance of winning any hand which gives the casino an edge in case of a tie.

Asia Poker Tips

Players can maximise their chances of winning this poker game by using the hand with the strongest two-card hand. Usually, players have a strong four-card hand and a weak one-hand card or an Ace single card, which the house is likely to use to its advantage. It leaves the player with the two-card hand to help him win the game. Players can also use the joker as an ace to finish a straight or a flush; when applied to complete a pair, it can lead to disqualification.

Poker Variants

When playing poker online, you may find poker variants where the low or the high hand is the best hand. Standard rules apply just as in the Asia poker game, but the number of cards dealt is different. Here are the most popular poker variants:

  • The stud: In this case, players are dealt 5-7 cards and are required to use them to make the best hand.
  • Community card poker: In this game, the operator deals hole cards to players face down. They are used to make the best hands.
  • Draw game: Here, players can trade up to three cards to improve their hand.
  • High-low Chicago: In the high Chicago game, the player with the highest hole card (spade) is awarded half the pot while in the low version, the player with the lowest hole card wins half the pot. For the low Chicago poker, the player who has the highest hand is also considered to have the hi/lo spade in the hole hence, receives the entire pot for winning both sides of the bet.
  • Chinese poker: It involves two to four players with thirteen cards. The objective is to create three poker hands that have an increasing rank, i.e., one player is dealt three cards, and the other two players are given five cards. Where one of the hands does not adhere to the increasing rank, the hand is disqualified, and a penalty applies.