Chinese Poker: A Complete Guide to Rules, Strategy & Variants

Chinese Poker is a unique and exciting card game that blends skill, strategy, and luck. Unlike traditional poker games like Texas Hold’em or Omaha, Chinese Poker does not involve betting rounds or bluffing. Instead, players focus on arranging their hands strategically to maximize their score.

This guide will cover:
✅ The rules and setup of Chinese Poker
✅ How to arrange your hands effectively
✅ The best strategies for winning
✅ Popular variations like Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC)

1. What is Chinese Poker?

Chinese Poker is a card game played between 2 to 4 players, where each player is dealt 13 cards. Instead of wagering chips, the goal is to arrange the 13 cards into three separate hands:

1. Front Hand (3 Cards) – Must be the weakest hand.
2. Middle Hand (5 Cards) – Must be stronger than the front hand.
3. Back Hand (5 Cards) – Must be the strongest hand.

Each hand is compared to opponents’ hands, and players earn points based on winning combinations.

2. How to Play Chinese Poker

Game Setup

• A standard 52-card deck is used.
• No chips or betting—the game is based on point scoring.
• Players receive 13 cards each and must organize them into the three hands.
• Once all players set their hands, they reveal them for scoring.

Hand Rankings

Chinese Poker follows standard poker hand rankings:

Rank	Hand	Example
1	Royal Flush	A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
2	Straight Flush	9♦ 8♦ 7♦ 6♦ 5♦
3	Four of a Kind	Q♣ Q♦ Q♠ Q♥ 7♠
4	Full House	J♦ J♠ J♣ 8♣ 8♦
5	Flush	A♠ 10♠ 7♠ 5♠ 3♠
6	Straight	8♦ 7♠ 6♣ 5♦ 4♥
7	Three of a Kind	10♣ 10♦ 10♠ 6♥ 2♦
8	Two Pair	K♠ K♦ 9♥ 9♣ 4♠
9	One Pair	A♦ A♠ 7♣ 5♥ 2♣
10	High Card	K♣ 10♦ 8♠ 6♥ 3♣

3. Rules for Arranging Hands

Players must arrange their 13 cards into three hands while following these rules:
✔️ The Back Hand (5 cards) must be the strongest.
✔️ The Middle Hand (5 cards) must be weaker than the back hand but stronger than the front.
✔️ The Front Hand (3 cards) must be the weakest.

🚨 "Fouling" (Invalid Hands): If you incorrectly arrange your hands (e.g., making the front hand stronger than the middle or back), your hand is disqualified and you lose all points that round.

Example of a Correctly Set Hand:

• Back Hand: K♠ K♦ Q♥ Q♣ 9♠ (Two Pair)
• Middle Hand: J♠ J♦ 10♣ 10♥ 5♦ (Two Pair)
• Front Hand: A♣ K♣ 5♠ (High Card)

4. Scoring in Chinese Poker

Each of your three hands is compared to your opponent’s corresponding hands. Points are awarded as follows:

• Winning 1 hand = +1 point
• Winning 2 hands = +2 points
• Winning all 3 hands ("Scoop") = +6 points

Bonus Points (Royalties)

Players earn bonus points for strong hands:

Hand	Points
Royal Flush (Back or Middle Hand)	+4
Straight Flush	+3
Four of a Kind	+4
Full House (Middle Hand)	+2
Three of a Kind (Front Hand)	+3
Pair of Aces (Front Hand)	+1

Example of Scoring:
Player A wins the Back and Middle hands, but Player B wins the Front hand. Player A scores +2 points, while Player B gets +1 point for the front hand.

5. Best Strategies for Chinese Poker

✅ Start with the strongest hand first – Identify your best 5-card combination first and work backward.
✅ Avoid fouling at all costs – A bad setup can cost you the entire round.
✅ Use the front hand wisely – A strong 3-card hand (like a pair of Aces or Kings) gives a big advantage.
✅ Balance your hands – Don’t make your back hand too strong at the cost of weak middle and front hands.
✅ Be aware of bonuses – Prioritize hands that earn extra points when possible.

6. Variations of Chinese Poker

Chinese Poker has evolved into several variations, each with different rules and scoring methods.

1. Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC)

• Players receive 5 cards to start, then draw one card at a time until they have 13.
• Cards must be placed in one of the three hands immediately (no rearranging later).
• Fouling is common, making strategic planning crucial.
• Fantasyland Bonus: If the front hand is QQ or better, the player enters Fantasyland, receiving all 13 cards at once in the next round.

2. Pineapple OFC

• A faster version of Open-Face Chinese Poker.
• Players receive three cards per turn, but must discard one.
• More strategy is involved due to additional choices.

3. Turbo Chinese Poker

• A quicker variant where players receive all 13 cards at once but must set them in 30 seconds or less.

7. Chinese Poker vs. Traditional Poker

Feature	Chinese Poker	Texas Hold'em / Omaha
Bluffing	❌ No bluffing	✅ Bluffing is key
Betting Rounds	❌ No betting	✅ Multiple betting rounds
Strategy	✅ Hand arrangement	✅ Betting, reading opponents
Luck Factor	🎲 High	🎲 Medium
Game Pace	🚀 Fast	⏳ Slower

Chinese Poker is simpler for beginners but still offers strategic depth for advanced players.

8. Why Play Chinese Poker?

🎯 Easy to Learn – No complex betting or bluffing.
💡 Strategy-Based – Requires deep thinking and card arrangement skills.
🔥 Fast-Paced – Rounds are quick and exciting.
🃏 Great for Groups – Ideal for casual play with friends.

9. Conclusion – Should You Try Chinese Poker?

Absolutely! Chinese Poker is one of the most entertaining and strategic poker variants, perfect for both casual and serious players. Whether you're playing standard Chinese Poker or Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC), the game is engaging, fast-paced, and offers a fresh challenge compared to traditional poker.

👉 Try Chinese Poker today and test your hand-arranging skills!