What is Chinese Poker and the Rules of Play
Chinese poker is becoming more popular online recently.
However, most poker rooms, as yet don't offer it. Don't
let that put you off though as Chinese Poker is a great
game to play and has thousands of dedicated players online.
Read below for the full Chinese Poker rules.
Chinese Poker Rules
Each player is initially dealt 13 cards. The object is to
arrange them into 2 hands of 5 cards and one of 3 cards,
beating the hands made by the other players.
The 3 hands consist of a "back" hand of 5 cards,
a "middle" hand of 5 cards and a "front"
hand of 3 cards. The back hand must beat the middle hand,
and the middle hand must beat the front hand. Otherwise,
the player pays a penalty to each opponent. Only 3 hand
types are possible for the front hand: 3-of-a-Kind, pair,
and high card. Straights and flushes typically don't count
(see Clean Sweeps below.)
Click on each card to select it from your total of 13,
and to make it part of your front, middle, or back hand.
Players of casino Pai Gow Poker will find Chinese Poker
slightly easier to master.
Chinese Poker Example:
You're dealt the following cards: You could arrange them
like this:Front hand Middle hand Back hand. The back hand,
a straight flush, beats the middle hand, 4-of-a-Kind, which
beats the front hand, 3-of-a-Kind. The game stakes are quoted
in dollars per unit.
Once the hands are played, each player compares his 3 hands
against those of each of the other players. So in a 4-player
game, each player makes 3 separate comparisons, one against
each other player. You win 1 unit for each corresponding
hand of another player that you beat and lose 1 for each
hand that beats you. When the hands match, you neither win
nor lose. Here's an example.
Player A, B, C and D
Front Hand Middle Hand Back Hand
Don't forget, your back hand goes head-to-head against
each of the other players' back hands, middle vs. middle,
etc., so:
A vs. B; A wins every hand; A wins 3 units from B.
A vs. C; A wins the back, C the middle and front; C wins
1unit from A.
A vs. D; D wins the back, A the middle and front; A wins
1 unit from D.
B vs. C; C wins every hand; C wins 3 units from B.
B vs. D; D wins the back and front, B the middle; D wins
1 unit from B.
C vs. D; D wins the back, C the middle and front; C wins
1 unit from D.
So tallying everything, A gains 3, B loses 7, C gains 5
and D loses 1.
When you select a Chinese Poker table from the Lobby, check
the Type column for whether the table you're about to join
uses Western or Eastern rules.
In Western Chinese Poker rules, a player who wins the majority
of segments earns an additional point. Eastern Chinese Poker
rules awards bonuses for certain hands.
Clean Sweep Hands
Clean sweep hands in the Chinese poker rules have a ranking
that wins automatically. They are listed in descending order.
Dragon One of every rank 13
13 Colors 13 cards of one color 13
12 Colors Exactly 12 cards of one color 3
6 Pair (4-of-a-Kind can count as 2 pair) 3
3 Straights Straights in front, middle, and back 3
3 Flushes Suited cards in front, middle, and back 3.
If you have a Clean Sweep, click Submit Natural. If multiple
players have Clean Sweep hands, the higher ranking hand
wins the total unit value for that hand; the value for the
lower ranking Clean Sweep hand won't be subtracted. If 2
Clean Sweep hands have the same ranking, they tie. No money
is exchanged between these 2 players, but they collect from
the others. If you don't declare a Clean Sweep, it plays
as a regular hand.
Surrender
A player may surrender his/her hand before the showdown.
His/Her hand won't be compared with other players' hands,
but the player must pay each opponent 3 units.
Dealer Button
Chinese Poker Rules incorporate a dealer button or puck
to initiate payment at the end of each game. The player
to the immediate right of the button is the first to compare
his/her hand with the others' , and so on around the table.
Any player low on cash is thus prevented from gaining or
losing more than what he had available at the start of the
game.
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