The first thing to know about Open Face Chinese Poker is that it isn’t technically poker at all and there are no betting rounds or even gamblers’ chips involved. It earned its poker name because it uses poker hands to determine who wins.
Oh, and it doesn’t come from China either. It was originally developed in Finland and played in Finnish casinos, although some Fins dispute this and say that the game was actually invented in Russia instead. Either way, not Chinese. The Chinese in its title refers to its presence in the Chinese poker game family only.
Open Face Chinese Poker Gameplay
Gameplay wise, if you are in any way familiar with standard Chinese Poker, you will have a head start as the mechanics of both games are mostly similar.
Open Face Chinese Poker games are played by a minimum of two players and a maximum of four players, using a standard 52-card deck and a dealer’s button for determining the order and subsequent moves.
This is all true unless a player is in Fantasyland. Fantasyland is an optional bonus round where the dealer button freezes and stops still, staying where it is rather than moving one space to the left. This bonus round occurs when a player makes a qualifying hand with QxQx or better on top.
The aim of the game is to make three poker hands, two with five cards and one with three cards. These are known as the Front, Middle and Back. The back five card hand must be stronger than the middle five card hand which, in turn, must be stronger than the front three card hand. That is the most important rule in Open Face Chinese Poker.
Players take turns being dealt cards with the aim of making the best possible hands. There are no bets placed, instead, the players agree to play for points. Ranking of each five card poker hand works the same as in regular poker, so cards rank from lowest to highest as per the table below. Ranking of the three card hand cannot go higher than three of a kind but can include two pair, pair and high card.
Poker Hands
| Hand | Detail |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | The strongest hand in poker, consists of Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all of the same suit |
| Straight Flush | Made up of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit |
| Four of a kind | Four cards of the same rank |
| Full House | A full house is a five card hand made up of three of a kind plus a pair |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards are called a straight |
| Three of a kind (Front three card’s highest rank) | A three of a kind is composed of three cards of the same rank |
| Two pair | Two pair hands are made up of two pairs |
| Pair | A pair is made up of two cards of the same rank |
| High card | At showdown, if there are two players who do not have a pair or better, then the player with the highest cards wins |
Playing Open Face Chinese Poker
In Chinese Poker, players receive all 13 cards at the same time but in Open Face Chinese Poker, players are only dealt five to begin with. Cards are dealt one at a time from the dealer’s left. Once they have their cards, players must then arrange them face up on the table in order to begin putting together their Front, Middle and Back hands. When they have done this, the cards are set and cannot be rearranged or moved to boost another row.
Once this phase has been completed, the players each receive their remaining eight cards facing down, one by one, one at a time as the dealer deals around the table until all 13 cards have been dealt. In turns, the players begin to complete their three poker hands, one card at a time and before the next card is received.
As soon as everyone is set, the players begin to make comparisons against one another and pick up their points. The player to the left of the button goes first and comparisons continue clockwise. If a player beats any of their opponent’s corresponding front, middle and back hands, they will score points.
If your hands are not set in proper order, then you have not made a qualifying hand and the whole hand is a foul. Fouling will forfeit any bonuses you may have otherwise won.
Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring
In a $1 Open Face Chinese Poker game, each point is worth $1. There are also many other bonus points that may differ from casino to casino. One bonus that does not alter however is the Scoop Bonus where, for winning all three hands against an opponent, players get their individual win points plus an extra three on top.
Standard Open Face Chinese Poker scoring is as follows:
- 1 point awarded for each hand won against an opponent
- 3 bonus points awarded if all three hands are won against an opponent, plus three individual points for each win
- Players that surrender a hand must pay two points to each opponent
- Players that foul a hand must pay six points to each player who does not foul
Where To Play Open Face Chinese Poker
Open Face Chinese Poker is becoming an increasingly popular online poker format. This means that it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find it and play a few hands. Obviously, if you are new to Open Face Chinese Poker, it is a smart move to play a few free play games first before switching to real money.
It should also go without saying that you should always be looking to play at an online poker room that is regulated and safe. You can tell these sites by their license which should have been issued by an industry regulator.
FAQ
Is Open Face Chinese Poker A Tough Game To Learn?
Not really, no. Once you have played it through a few times, you should have a fairly decent grasp of the game.
Does Open Face Chinese Poker Use Standard Poker Hands?
Yes, the hand strengths in this game work in the same way as they do in Texas Hold’em or games of Omaha.
But I Have To Make Three Separate Hands Right?
Yes, three, the front, middle and back. The front has only three cards in it while the middle and back both have five cards. The back hand should be a higher ranking hand than the middle and the middle higher ranking than the front.
And We Don’t Play For Chips?
No, you will be playing for points because you need more of them to win. You will win points by beating opponents’ hands without not fouling.
Is Open Face Chinese Poker Safe To Play Online?
Yes, there is no need to worry so long as you are playing on a fully regulated site.