A Comprehensive Guide for Playing Chinese Poker
Chinese Poker, or 13-card poker, is a popular poker variation that plays differently from other variants that many poker players are familiar with. It is one of the poker games online that gamblers can explore, and it features relatively simple rules and offers easy access.
With its straightforward objective of arranging hands that strategically balance risk and reward, Chinese Poker is a relatively easy card game to learn for beginners. It also poses a new and thrilling challenge for more experienced poker players.
Understanding Chinese Poker
Chinese Poker uses the standard 52-card poker deck and traditional poker hand rankings. It can be played with two to four players, each making two distinct five-card hands and a three-card hand.
- Mechanics: Chinese Poker rules involve players arranging their three hands in order of strongest to weakest based on rankings of poker hand combinations. The strongest hand goes into the spot designated as the backhand, while the second strongest one is designated as the middle hand. Lastly, the weakest hand goes to the front hand spot.
The five-card hands are always on the back and middle spots, while the three-card hand is always on the back spot. After each round, the players show their hands to each other.
- Scoring system: The scoring system in Chinese Poker rewards a point for winning each row. They get one point if they win the front hand, one point for winning the middle hand, and one point for winning the back hand. Players who win all three hands against an opponent get a three-point bonus, also known as scooping. After all points are tallied, the next hand begins.
Chinese Poker Variations
Online casino games like Chinese Poker have several popular variations featuring unique rules and strategies. Here are some of the most well-known Chinese Poker variations that gamblers can consider before placing an SG bet casino.
Open Face Chinese Poker
Like traditional Chinese poker guidelines, the players must use the best possible hands in the front, middle, and back. Open Face Chinese Poker (OFC) provides players with information about their opponents’ cards, giving more attentive players a better chance of winning. But compared to traditional Chinese Poker wherein players get 13 cards, players will only get five cards in the first round of OFC Poker.
The first player to the dealer’s left turns their cards over and arranges their front, middle, and back hands. One round of OFC Poker continues clockwise until all the players arrange their cards.
In subsequent rounds, each player gets one card at a time as they play Chinese Poker. After this, they add the card to their rows based on their discretion and this continues until all players get all 13 cards in total.
Turbo Open Face Chinese Poker
Turbo Open Face Chinese Poker (Turbo OFC) is a quicker variant of regular OFC Poker. The gameplay and scoring are similar to the typical Chinese Poker game, except four cards are dealt simultaneously on the second and third rounds.
Turbo OFC has fewer rounds, and more hands can be played per hour. Players seeing more cards in each round create more skill-based opportunities for themselves during the game.
Pineapple Open Face Chinese Poker
The objective of Pineapple Open Face Chinese Poker (Pineapple OFC) is the same as that of OFC. However, this Chinese poker variation has a faster gameplay duration. This variant also has a higher chance of achieving stronger hands as players start with five cards placed face-up and then draw three cards at a time. After drawing three cards, they must select two to play with and discard the third.
What is the Difference Between Chinese Poker and Texas Hold’em Poker?
Chinese Poker and Texas Hold’em are very different poker variations but follow the same poker combinations. In Texas Hold’em, players are dealt two-hole cards and play against others while sharing five community cards. Meanwhile, in Chinese Poker, players are dealt with 13 unique cards and must make two five-card hands and one three-card hand.
Moreover, Texas Hold’em can be played with nine players, while Chinese Poker can only be played with four.
Helpful Strategies for Playing Chinese Poker
Bettors must know how to strategise so they can win and be successful in their online gambling activities. With this, here are some of the helpful strategies to win Chinese Poker games:
Arrange Hands Strategically
Players must start building the back hand, the middle, and the front hand last. Since the front hand is typically the weakest, players must only place high cards if they set up stronger back and middle hands.
Balance the Middle Hand Carefully
Another helpful strategy when playing Chinese Poker is carefully balancing the middle hand. This hand must be weaker than the back hand but stronger than the front. This can be challenging for players, especially since they must avoid fouling by making the middle hand stronger than the back.
Players can balance the middle hand by aiming for pairs, two pairs, or three of a kind. Generally, it is advisable to avoid putting straights and flushes in the middle hand unless the back hand has a stronger poker combination like a full house or four of a kind.
The middle hand can be a safe spot for cards that are not useful for making powerful poker combinations but still have enough strength to beat the front hand.
Use the Front Hand as a Catch-all
The front hand in Chinese Poker is a three-hand card, which limits players’ options. Since it is the weakest hand, players must place leftover cards in the front hand after arranging the back and middle hands. A high card or a pair is usually the ideal hand, as the best front hand that players can achieve is three of a kind.
Many players aim to at least have a pair in their front hand cards to avoid losing all points. However, if players end up with a high card as their front hand, focusing on securing wins in the back and middle hands is crucial. Players must also remember that fouling can happen if the front hand is stronger than the middle hand, so it is essential to be cautious with the arrangement.
Aim for Bonuses with Strong Hands
In Chinese Poker, players typically get bonus points for certain high-value combinations. They can earn extra points for achieving a three-of-a-kind front hand, a full house in the middle hand, and a four-of-a-kind or straight flush in the backhand.
Players must look for lucrative opportunities to arrange their hands and earn these bonuses, especially if they have favourable cards. However, avoiding compromising the hands solely for the bonuses is also advisable. Only push for bonus combinations if it makes sense for the hand’s overall arrangement.
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