What are the Main Chinese Poker Rules?

While the halcyon days of poker may have passed during the noughties, this card game retains a cult following across the globe. In the digital age, online poker remains particularly popular, with a diverse selection of game iterations available depending on where you live in the world.

Take Chinese poker, for example, which includes a number of subtle game variations with different rule sets. Such poker iterations are becoming increasingly popular at western casino sites, especially Classic Chinese Poker and an ‘Open-Face’ alternative. But what are the main Chinese poker rules and are there any strategies to help maximize your chances of success?

• Our Chinese Poker Guide – An Introduction to the Game
• How to Play Chinese Poker – What are the Most Popular Variations?
• Scoring in Chinese Poker – How to Win Points
• Addressing the Key Strategies in Chinese Poker
• The Bottom Line – Playing Chinese Poker Online

Our Chinese Poker Guide – An Introduction to the Game

Broadly speaking, Chinese poker is a beginner-friendly game that’s based on the classic poker hand rankings (we’ll touch more on this later in the guide). Make no mistake: you can play this game with only a rudimentary understanding of poker hand rankings, their odds and implied probability rankings, while it’s also possible to beat more seasoned players due to the reduced reliance on skill.

While there are different iterations of Chinese poker available online, many of these are underpinned by a universal set of rules. Understanding these is key to determining how to play Chinese poker, and how you should respond when being dealt different types of hands.

The majority of Chinese poker iterations see participating players receive 13 cards in total (although some variations require dealers to distribute 18 or 21 cards). These cards will be used to build three different hands: namely a front, middle and back hand. These individual hands will be structured as follows:

• Front Hand: This hand will include a total of three cards and should boast the lowest overall ranking.
• Middle Hand: This will comprise five cards in total and must be at least the equivalent of the three-card front hand.
• Back Hand: This will also feature five different cards. This must be equivalent to or better than the middle hand, and should have the highest ranking overall.

Each player participating in a particular game must structure their three hands in this way. There are three primary opportunities to win during a game of Chinese poker, and you’ll win points (or units) in instances where your hand ranking is higher than your opponents’ in the same row. We’ll take a closer look at the Chinese poker scoring system later in the guide, as there are additional ways to accrue points and boost your payouts.

How to Play Chinese Poker – What are the Most Popular Variations?

As we’ve touched on, you’ll also find different iterations of Chinese poker available online. These may introduce small variations, such as the number of cards drawn per hand and the way in which points are scored. In the next section of this Chinese poker guide, we’ve prepared a brief summary of the most popular Chinese poker variants:

• Classic Chinese Poker: ln Classic Chinese poker, players are each dealt 13 cards. These must be organized into three hands as outlined above, while two of these are ‘blind’ hands (the middle and back cards). Points are awarded to players with the highest-ranking hand in each row, so it’s possible for multiple players to bank returns during games.
• Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC): You’ll also find that Open-Face Poker (OFC) is an incredibly popular iteration of the game. While players also receive 13 cards during a hand, these are dealt incrementally as opposed to all at once and you’ll initially draw five face-up cards. As further cards are drawn, you’ll have more opportunities to bluff, raise the ante and ultimately defeat your opponents.
• Pineapple Chinese Poker: This unusual Chinese poker iteration sees participating players dealt 18 cards in total. This creates more flexibility when constructing hands, although gameplay here can be a little more complicated due to the number of potential card combinations. Practicing this iteration can be helpful when learning how to play Chinese poker.
• Super Pineapple Chinese Poker: This represents a further evolution of both classic Chinese poker and the Pineapple iteration. Here, players are dealt a mammoth 21 cards each, although three of these will have to be discarded before the final hands are presented. Strategy is key here, especially if you’re to build optimal hands in each row.
• Progressive Chinese Poker: Another widely played iteration of this game is ‘Progressive Chinese Poker’. This game boasts a unique scoring system and way of distributing Chinese poker points, as players gradually accumulate units over a series of hands. During this period, the pot will continue to grow and may ultimately deliver a sizable payout to winning players.

Scoring in Chinese Poker – How to Win Points

In most variations of the game (including Classic and OFC poker), players will collect a single scoring unit or point in instances where their front, middle or bank hand beats their opponent’s corresponding hand. Typically, a ‘1-6’ scoring method is dictated by Chinese poker rules, while three bonus points are awarded to players who win all three hands against an opponent. Here’s a summary of the main Chinese Poker scoring system.

• Hand Points – This is the most simplistic and fundamental method of scoring points in Chinese poker. In this case, a single point is awarded to the winning hand in each row, creating a scenario where multiple players can accrue points during a single round. There are three hand points available per round, so there’s plenty for competitors to play for!
• Game Points – We’ve also touched on so-called “game points”, which are awarded in instances where one player wins all three hands in a round. This is essentially a bonus points scoring system, and players who build the winning hand in each row will earn a total of three additional points.
• Royalties – When answering the question “How do you play Chinese poker?”, the subject of royalties is one that regularly comes up. These are points that may be awarded to players who construct premium hands in one of the three rows. Royalties are available across the front, middle and back hands, while the precise number of points on offer will vary from one hand to another.

If we drill down deeper into Chinese poker rules and royalties, the highest points values are available in the middle and back hands. For example, if you construct a Royal Flush (which is the highest-ranked poker hand) as your back hand, you can earn 25 royalty points. Alternatively, a back hand straight will earn you two royalty points. Here’s a summary of how royalty points can be accumulated!

Addressing the Key Strategies in Chinese Poker

Next in this Chinese poker guide, we’re going to take a closer look at the key strategies used in the game’s iterations. These may vary depending on the precise game and your preferred playing style, but can help you to minimize loss and maximize your chances of banking a return. Here are some key strategies to keep in mind.

Understanding and Avoiding Scooping

‘Scooping’ is the technical term used to describe when a player wins all three hands during a round. It’s important to avoid this as it will afford your rival three crucial bonus points, while dominating rounds also boosts the value of your payouts over time.

Firstly, it’s important to note that some hands are more likely to be ‘scooped’ than others, including middle or back hand straights or a back hand including two or fewer pairs. Remember, you’ll need to tier your hands so that the front one is superior to the other two, while the value of the five cards in the middle row must also be higher than the back hand.

To build optimal hands in each row and increase your chances of ‘scooping’ an opponent, you’ll need to understand the prevailing poker hand rankings. Here’s a summary of how each hand ranks and the probability of being dealt each one:

Leveraging the Two Pair Strategy

In OFC poker, it’s estimated that two pairs account for 26.67% of all middle hands and 9.61% of back hands. While two pair makes for a terrible back hand, however, it can be a relatively effective middle hand and one that optimizes your chances of success.

Remember, this hand must be equal to or superior than your front hand but less valuable than your back hand. There’s also a high implied probability of your front hand featuring just a high card or a single pair, while two pair ranks eighth on the poker hand chart (out of 10). So, building a middle hand with two pairs creates an excellent platform from which to win.

Another viable strategy when dealt two pairs is to split them, especially when these cards are drawn outside of a straight or flush. This is certainly true if you’re dealt a lower pair with a relatively high value, which should be placed in the front hand. You can then look to build a standard straight or flush in the middle hand.

Appraising the Typical Hand Distribution in Chinese Poker Games

According to analysis of Chinese poker hands, approximately 60% of all middle hands will comprise one or two pairs. This highlights the high probability of one or two pairs being drawn initially, while it’s important to successfully evaluate the quality of these pairs and play them optimally if you’re to increase your chances of winning.

Overall, the average distribution values in Chinese poker and OFC variations reveal that the front hand will contain one pair a little over 50% of the time. What’s more, upwards of 90% of all 13 card hands will feature a pair in the lower value front hand, but it’s important to ensure that you incorporate a high scoring pair here where possible.

By taking the time to study the average hand distribution in Chinese poker, you can better understand how to structure your hands successfully. This will enable you to comply with the game’s rules and increase your chances of winning, especially when you also retain a basic knowledge of how individual poker hands are ranked.

The Bottom Line – Playing Chinese Poker Online

Although there are numerous iterations of Chinese poker, this game features an underlying set of rules that dictate how many cards are drawn and how you must structure individual hands. By understanding and following these rules, you can gain a competitive edge over your opponents and optimize your potential returns over time!