Chinese Poker

How to play Chinese Poker

Open-Face Chinese Poker: build three poker hands at once, in the open.

1. Three rows. Everyone fills a Top row of 3 cards, a Middle row of 5 and a Bottom row of 5. Each row is a poker hand (on Top only pairs and three of a kind count).
2. Keep them in order. Bottom must be at least as good as Middle, and Middle at least as good as Top. Break the order and your hand fouls: you lose every row.
3. Setting cards. Once a card is set it stays there. Everyone can see everyone's rows as they grow.
4. Scoring. You're scored against each other player: 1 point for each row that beats theirs, and 3 more for winning all three (a scoop, 6 in all). A fouled hand loses 6 to everyone who didn't foul.
5. Royalties are bonus points for strong rows, paid by each other player (a fouled hand gets none):
   • Bottom: straight 2, flush 4, full house 6, four of a kind 10, straight flush 15, royal flush 25.
   • Middle: three of a kind 2, straight 4, flush 8, full house 12, four of a kind 20, straight flush 30, royal flush 50.
   • Top: pair of 6s 1, 7s 2, 8s 3 … Aces 9; three 2s 10, three 3s 11 … three Aces 22.
6. Fantasyland.
7. The game.

Tips

Fouling is the big danger: put strong cards low and keep the Top weak unless it's a pair. Pairs on Top pay royalties, but only if the Middle and Bottom beat them. Watch the other boards: a card someone else has set can't come to you, so count your outs before chasing a flush.

Controls

Tap one of your cards, then tap a row to set it there (with one card to set, just tap the row). Tap a card you set this turn to take it back. Press Set cards to finish your turn. The line beside each row shows its hand and royalty, and a warning appears if the rows are out of order. Hint sets your cards the way the Hard computer would.