- Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Charts
- Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart Sheet
- Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart Printable
- Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart 2019
Chinese Poker uses a 13 card hand which is arranged into three smaller hands: 2 hands of five cards and 1 hand of three cards. This game spawned the more popular Open Face Chinese Poker, which is an open card poker game after the first five cards have been dealt. Prior to starting the game, players must agree on the stakes. Learn how to play Pineapple Open Face Chinese hands. We train you on how to implement optimal strategy, and help you compete on a higher level. We are your source for Pineapple Open Face Chinese Strategy, Articles, and Answers. To play casino for free through games in Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart demo version is a very good option for Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart new players, but will keep you entertained for a long time, since it can not, in Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart demo mode you will no longer have to win prizes real money. Open-Faced: In Open-Faced Chinese Poker, the general concept of the game is the same, but how a player’s cards are ultimately played into the three different hands is quite a bit different! Here, players start with only 5 of their ultimate 13 cards, and (beginning with the player to the left of the dealer) place these 5 cards face-up to start. Open Face Chinese Poker and Pineapple OFCP can be played online at flopturnriver, either between 2-4 live players or as a 2-player (heads up) game against a bot. There are many information sites and blogs appearing. Strategy discussions can be found at www.openfaceodds.com and on www.twoplustwo.com.
Open-Face Chinese Poker with 2-7 in the Middle — a.k.a. “2-7 OFC” or “Deuce Pineapple” — is a turn-based card game that is played heads up, or sometimes three-handed. Players take turns, drawing cards and placing them into three separate poker hands. Each of these hands is played face up, meaning that players can see all of the cards that have been played, and these cards can’t be moved between each player’s three poker hands once they have been placed.
The “Deuce” designation means that the middle poker hand is played according to the rankings used in 2-7 lowball, while the other two hands are played as regular “high” poker hands. The game might sound complicated, but it really isn’t.
If you want to learn more about poker, don’t forget to visit our How to play section!
SCORING
Players’ front, middle and back rows are compared, and each row won is worth 1 point. If a player has won 2 of 3 rows, they win a total of 1 point (1+1-1). Additional points are awarded for a ‘scoop’ and also for sub-hands (rows) that qualify for royalties.
SCOOP – If a player wins all three rows, they have ‘scooped’ the opponent and receive a three point bonus. In total, scooping is worth 6 points: 1+1+1 for winning all three rows, and 3 for the scoop bonus.
TIES – An example of a common tie: player A wins two of three rows, e.g. the front and middle with a pair of 66 in front, and player B wins the back row with a straight. player A wins 1 point for taking 2 of 3 rows plus the 1 point royalty for 66 in front, for a total of 2 points. Player B, however, is awarded 2 points for the back row straight, and the scores cancel each other.
Another tie possibility happens rarely but will occur when, for example, player A wins one row, player B wins one row, and both players have the same hand in the third row (885 in front, i.e.).
FOULING – The penalty for fouling is -6 points; in other words, an automatic scoop for the opponent if they have a properly set hand. If a player has a QQ7 in front and QQ654 in the middle, this is a fouled hand. QQ7 in front and QQ982, however, is a proper set and is not a foul. If both players foul, the hand is a tie at 0 points.
ROYALTIES – Any sub-hand (row) that qualifies for royalties also gets points in a properly set hand. The royalty chart below shows the point values per poker hand made. Typical royalties can be +4 for a back row flush, or +7 for a front row pair of Queens.
All royalties are paid, so if player A has a flush in the back row (+4 points) and player B has a full house (+6 points), player A pays a net of +2 points to player B.
MULTI-WAY SCORING – When playing 3 or 4-handed, the first player dealt cards (first to act or under the gun) settles with each successive player until all debts are paid. Then, second to act player settles with the others, and so on. If a player fouls their hand, they automatically owe 6 points to each of the other players plus any royalties owed. Again, all royalties in non-fouled hands are paid.
Back Row Royalties
2 Straight
4 Flush
6 Full House
10 Quads (4 of a kind)
15 Straight Flush
25 Royal Flush
Middle Row Royalties
2 Three of a Kind
4 Straight
8 Flush
12 Full House
20 Quads (4 of a kind)
30 Straight Flush
50 Royal Flush
Front Row Royalties (66+)
1 66
2 77
3 88
4 99
5 10 10
6 JJ
7 QQ
8 KK
9 AA
10 222
11 333
12 444
13 555
14 666
15 777
16 888
17 999
18 10 10 10
19 JJJ
20 QQQ
21 KKK
22 AAA
FANTASYLAND
In many home games and some casino games, Fantasyland is an essential ‘bonus’ component to the game. You qualify to ‘go to Fantasyland’ if you have QQ or better in the front (without fouling).
When a player goes to Fantasyland, they are dealt all thirteen cards at once, and they set their cards face down. The other players are then dealt and play a normal hand. The button does not move for the Fantasyland hand — it is considered an extension of the same hand.
STAYING IN FANTASYLAND – Quads or better in the back row, Full House or better in the middle, or Trips in the front allows a player to remain in Fantasyland in the Standard variation. Requirements are different for Pineapple; see below.
Ready for start winning at poker? Bet NOW!
OPEN FACE CHINESE – POPULAR VARIATIONS
TURBO
Turbo Open Face Chinese begins in the same manner as normal open face, with each player dealt 5 cards. After that, each player is dealt 4 cards at a time. There are only 3 rounds of dealing: 5+4+4. All cards are set and scoring is the same as regular Open Face.
PINEAPPLE
Pineapple is a variant of Open Face Chinese that can be played 2 or 3 handed. Each player is dealt 5 cards face down, like in regular Open Face, but after that they get 3 cards at a time. From the three cards they place 2 and discard 1 face down. This process is repeated three more times, each time the players receiving 3 cards, placing 2, and discarding 1. There is one card left in the deck in the 3-handed game; 51 cards are used (13 per player + 12 discards). Heads up, 34 cards are used (13 per player and 8 discards).
Since there are more cards to choose from, Pineapple is a higher-scoring variant of the game. Bigger hands are caught and Fantasyland entered more often.
PINEAPPLE FANTASYLAND – There are many different rules in the many apps, home games, and online and land-based casinos. Some give QQ Fantasyland with 14 cards, some KK with 15, some AA with 14. We recommend a variable-value Fantasyland requirement: getting to FL with QQ is 13-card FL, getting there with KK is 14-card FL and AA+ is 15-card FL.
Multiple players can get to Fantasyland at the same time. Button does not move during the FL hand(s) as it is considered an extension of the same hand. Requirements to stay in FL are generally quads+ in back or trips in front; some games allow a middle-row boat to re-qualify – our suggestion is quads+ in middle if playing 15-card FL.
PINEAPPLE 2-7
The middle row is changed to lowball. 10-high is the ‘best’ hand that doesn’t foul; in other words, any J, Q, K, A, pair or better is a foul. 65432, 76543 or any straights or flushes are also fouls. Examples of good middle rows:
T9732 / 96543 / 85432 / 76432
The middle row must fall into the lowball range, and the back row must beat the front for the hand to be non-fouled.
A good hand:
AA3
87436
TT99K
A fouled hand:
AA3
8743J
TT99K
Also fouled:
AA3
87436
TT9QK
Middle row royalties are as such:
10 high: 1 point
9 high: 2 points
8 high: 3 points
7 high: 4 points
Perfect lowball 75432: 6-10 points (house choice)
Compensation for losing the possible royalties of the middle row flush (8 points) or full house (12 points) is given with the completion of the perfect lowball.
Qualifications to get to Fantasyland are KK+ in the front row, or a perfect 75432 lowball middle. Fantasyland is dealt 14 or 15 cards, depending on the quality of the FL make: KK gives 14 cards, AA+ and the 75432 give 15. Repeating Fantasyland requires quads+ in back, or trips in front. The lowball-middle requirements must be observed while in Fantasyland.
Card Distribution and Setting
In Pineapple 2-7 players receive their cards in the same order as in regular Pineapple. In the first draw each player receives five cards all of which need to be used in the hand. In the next four rounds each player receives three cards. They need to discard one card and place the remaining two in the hand. The same happens in each of the last four draws.
Fouled Hands
In order not to foul the hand, the player’s bottom row has to be stronger than the top row while the middle hand should not be stronger than 10 high.
Royalties
Royalties for the top and the bottom rows are the same as in regular Pineapple. Royalties for the middle row in Pineapple 2-7:
- 9 high – 1 point,
- 8 high – 2 points,
- 7 high – 4 points,
- 75432 – 8 points.
- Fantasy Land
KK or better in the top row or 75432 in the middle row results in a 14-card Fantasy Land. Both KK or better in the top row and 75432 in the middle row at the same time results in a 15-card Fantasy Land.
Players can only repeat as 14-card Fantasy Land even if they started with a 15-card Fantasy Land. Fantasy Land repetition happens when players make a set in the top row, or quads or better in the bottom row while they are already in Fantasy Land.
Don’t miss our special articles about Texas Hold’em and blackjack,
Become the best player that you can be!
Get all the latest Poker News updates on your social media outlets.
Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebookand Google+!
This page is based partly on information from Ka Lun, Anthony Horsley Sr, Don Smolen, Richard Dewhirst, Alan Ho, Brandon Bahti and several anonymous correspondents.
Introduction
This Chinese gambling game is popular in Hong Kong and parts of Southeast Asia and is also played to some extent in the USA. It is known by several different names.
- In Cantonese it is called Sap Sam Cheung (十三張), which means 13 cards, and in Vietnamese it is known by the similar name Xập Xám Chướng.
- In Chinese, it is also sometimes called Luosong Pai Jiu (羅宋牌九), which I think means Russian Pai Gow. The game is indeed distantly related to Pai Gow.
- In the USA it is often known as Chinese Poker or sometimes Russian Poker, but note that some people also use the name Chinese Poker to refer to the climbing game Big Two. In Hawaii it is called Pepito.
- In the Phillipines it is known as Pusoy, again not to be confused with Pusoy Dos, which is Big Two. Another name sometimes used is Good, Better, Best, referring to the three hands of a player.
The aim is to arrange your 13 cards into three poker hands - two of five cards and one of three cards - which will beat the corresponding poker hands made by the other players.
A recent development is Open Face Chinese Poker, in which after the first five cards, hands are built face up one card at a time.
Players, Cards, Stakes and Deal
There are four players, each playing for themselves. A standard 52 card pack is used.
Before playing it is necessary to agree on a stake. Below I will describe the payments in terms of units; one unit can be worth whatever the players agree in advance - $1, $10, $100, etc.
The cards are shuffled, cut and dealt out singly: 13 cards to each player.
Arrangement of cards
Each player must divide their 13 cards into a 'back' hand of 5 cards, a 'middle' hand of 5 cards and a 'front' hand of 3 cards. Considered as poker hands, the back hand must be better than the middle hand, and the middle hand must be better than the front hand. The standard poker ranking is used - so the hand types from high to low are: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pairs, one pair, high card (see the page on ranking of poker hands). There are no wild cards.
Since the front hand has only 3 cards, only three hand types are possible: three of a kind; one pair; high card. There is no value in having a front hand with three consecutive cards or three cards of the same suit: 'straights' or 'flushes' in the front hand do not count.
Players place their three hands face down in front of them, the front hand nearest the centre of the table and the back hand nearest themselves.
Showdown and Scoring
When everyone is ready, all the players expose their three hands and each pair of players compares the corresponding hands. In the simplest system of payments, you win one unit for each corresponding hand of another player that you beat and lose one for unit each hand that beats you. When the hands are equal you neither win nor lose. Here is an example:
Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Charts
The result would be as follows:
| Players | front winner | middle winner | back winner | North | East | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North v East | North | North | North | +3 | -3 | ||
| North v South | South | South | North | -1 | +1 | ||
| North v West | North | North | West | +1 | -1 | ||
| East v South | South | South | East | -1 | +1 | ||
| East v West | East | West | West | -1 | +1 | ||
| South v West | South | South | West | +1 | -1 | ||
| Total | +3 | -5 | +3 | -1 |
Notice that although West's back hand is the overall best hand (aces full), West loses on balance because of the weaker middle and front hands. East could have done slightly less badly by putting the sevens in the middle hand, which would then have beaten West. Notice also that it is not legal for East to put the jacks in the front hand, because it would then not be possible to make a middle hand that was better and a back hand that was better still from the remaining ten cards.
Special Hands
It is possible to play using just the payments described above. However, many players add two further features to the stakes: increased payments for certain hands, and some special 13-card hands that win automatically. If you are playing with these it is important to agree in advance exactly which ones are allowed and how much each is worth.
A typical scale of increased payments is as follows:
- If you win the front hand with three of a kind, you receive 3 units instead of 1 for that hand.
- If you win the middle hand with a full house, you receive 2 units instead of 1 for that hand.
- If you win the back (or middle) hand with 4 of a kind, you receive 4 units instead of 1.
- If you win the back (or middle) hand with a royal flush or straight flush you win 5 units instead of 1.
These bonuses only count for you for hands that you win. For example if A and B each have a 3 of a kind in front, but B's is higher, A will pay B 3 units for it. A's 3 of a kind will still count against the other players if it wins.
Example:A has 6-6-6, 4-4-4-9-9, K-K-K-8-8 and B has Q-Q-7, J-J-J-2-2, 5-5-5-5-A. A wins 3 for the front hand, but B wins 2 for the middle and 4 for the back, so altogether A pays 3 units to B.
When special hands are allowed, the following 13-card hands win automatically against any ordinary hand, if declared before the hands are exposed. When two special hands come up against each other, the higher wins the full specified amount and the lower loses its value (though it can still win against the other players). After the special hands have been dealt with, the remaining players expose their cards and settle up among themselves in the normal way. A typical schedule of special hands, in ascending order, is:
- Six pairs: a hand with six pairs and one odd card. When two players have six pair hands, compare the highest pair; if the highest pairs are equal compare the second highest pair, and so on. Win 3 units.
- Three straights: the back and middle hands are five card straights and the front hand is a three card straight (i.e. three cards of consecutive rank). If two players have three straights, compare the highest (back) straights first, then if these are equal the middle straights, and finally, if all else is equal, the front straight. Win 3 units.
- Three flushes: the back and middle hands are flushes, and the front hand is a three-card flush (three cards of one suit). If two players have this, the player with the better back hand wins; if tied the better middle hand; if those are also tied, the better front hand. Win 3 units.
- Complete straight: the hand has one card of each rank: A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K. Suits can be mixed. If two players have this, they are tied. Win 13 units.
A player who has a special hand can choose not to declare it, but instead to set three hands of 5, 5 and 3 cards in the normal way. This loses the right to an automatic win, but it may occasionally be possible to win more units in the normal settlement, when extra payments can be won.
Variations
There seem to be numerous variations in the way the payments are organised. Here are the ones I have so far discovered.
- Three of a kind in the front hand: 2 extra units
- Full house in the middle hand: 1 extra unit
- Four of a kind in the back or middle hand: 3 extra units
- Straight or royal flush in the back or middle hand: 4 extra units
This variation is often combined with the overall point variation above.
- Three of a kind in the front hand: 2 extra units
- Full house in the middle hand: 2 extra units
- Four of a kind in the back hand: 4 extra units
- Four of a kind in the middle hand: 6 extra units
- Straight or royal flush in the back hand: 6 extra units
- Straight or royal flush in the middle hand: 8 extra units
The special hands, in ascending order, are:
- Three flushes: 3 units
- Three straights: 4 units
- Six and a half pairs: 4 units
- Five pairs and one three of a kind: 5 units
- Four threes of a kind and an odd card: 6 units
- All cards are the same colour: 10 points
- Small: all cards are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: 10 points
- Big: all cards are 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A: 10 points
- Three fours of a kind and one odd card: 16 units
- Three straight flushes: 18 units
- All 12 picture cards plus any 13th card: 18 units
- All thirteen cards of one suit: 26 units
A special hand, if declared before the cards are exposed, beats any normal hand and wins the number of units specified in the table (a player wins from the bank, or the bank wins from all players). If the bank and a player both have special hands, the holder of the higher scoring hand wins the difference between their values.
- Three of a kind in front: 3 units instead of 1
- Full house in the middle: 2 units instead of 1
- Four of a kind at the back: 4 units; in the middle: 8 units
- Straight flush at the back: 5 units; in the middle: 10 units
- Three straights: 3 units
- Three flushes: 3 units
- Six pairs: 3 units
- Five pairs and one triplet: 6 units
- Complete straight A to K with mixed suits: 13 units; if all 13 cards are of one suit: 26 units.
- Three of a kind in front: 3 units instead of 1
- Full house in the middle: 2 units instead of 1
- Four of a kind at the back: 4 units; in the middle: 8 units
- Straight flush at the back 7 units; in the middle: 14 units
- Three straights: 4 units
- Three flushes: 4 units
- 12 red cards and 1 black or 12 black and 1 red: 4 units
- All black or all red: 6 units
- Six pairs: 4 units
- Complete straight A to K with mixed suits: 13 units
- All 13 cards of one suit: 39 units
A player wins two out of three hands against an opponent receives 1 unit from that opponent. For winning all three hands the payment is 6 units. A player who wins all three hands against every other player is paid 9 units (instead of 6) by each. For winning with particular hands in particular positions there are additional payments as follows:
- Straight flush: 5 units at the back; 10 units in the middle
- Four of a kind: 4 units at the back; 8 units in the middle
- Full house: 2 units in the middle
- Three of a kind: 3 units at the front
Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart Sheet
A player who surrenders pays 3 units to each opponent.
Some play with an extra side bet on the number of aces held. One aces is worth 1, two aces 2, three aces 6, four aces 8. Between two players, the player with fewer aces pays the difference in units, in addition to the payments for the Chinese Poker game.
Payments are made in chips and it is not possible to win or lose more chips than you had in front of you at the start of the deal. Settlement is in clockwise order staring with the dealer. Any 13-card special hands are settled first, followed by all other payments. Specifically, if the players in clockwise order are A (dealer), B, C, D then settlements are made in the order A vs B, A vs C, A vs D, B vs C, B vs D, C vs D. Example: A starts with only 8 chips. A wins all three hands against B and loses all three against C. B pays A 6 chips, but A pays only 2 chips to C, because each chip is either doubled or lost, and A's first 6 chips have already been 'used' to justify the win from B. Therefore A ends up with 8+6-2=12 chips. A neither pays to nor receives from D since the transactions with B and C have already accounted for all A's chips. Players can buy additional chips from the house after the settlement and before the next deal.
The casino takes a fixed rake per hand, and part of this is used to build jackpots that are offered for certain unusual events - for example when a player has a straight flush, three of a kind, and a pair and loses all three hands to another player.
Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart Printable
Other Chinese Poker web pages
Open Face Chinese Poker Scoring Chart 2019
Further information can be found on Don Smolen's Chinese Poker page. From there you can also order his excellent book on the tactics of this game, and obtain his CPOKER computer program.
Rules for a version of Chinese Poker can also be found under the name Pusoy on this archive copy the Bicycle Cards web site.
Rules for Chinese Poker can also be found at the Asian Games Site vinagames.com, where it is possible to play Chinese Poker on line.
Playing Chinese Poker Online
With Phong Le's Chinese Poker Analyser you can compare the power of alternative divisions of 13 cards into three hands, and play Chinese Poker (Xap Xam) against one, two or three computer players.