If you’re tired of traditional poker games and strategies and wish to change things up, Chinese poker may be the way to go. It’s a unique game, played with 13-card hands that will surely bring new excitement to your poker experience.
You can access Chinese poker online through apps or even dedicated websites. Additionally, some variations of the game might be available on gambling websites that host video poker games. Just find region-specific sites. For example, if you are in Belgium, then search for online casinos on this link https://onlinecasinosbe.com/, and focus on brands that have better table game selection and dedicated bonuses for those games. You don’t need special skills to master this game type and create a winning strategy. Now, you may wonder what the difference is between poker and Chinese poker, or how to play Chinese poker. If so, read this guide to start your successful journey.
What is Chinese Poker – The Basics
A Chinese poker card game is a fun combination of strategy and luck; you’ll have to learn how to place your hand correctly to overpower the opponents and win the prize. It’s played with a standard 52-card deck, and you’ll be dealt 13 cards in a round.
After this, you’ll have to place your cards as follows:
- Weakest: the first 3 cards (front hand)
- Medium: the middle 5 cards (middle hand)
- Strongest: the last 5 cards (back hand)
Although it may seem simple, the game has several crucial rules you should follow to stay in the game and beat the opponents, as you’ll see in the section below.
An Overview of Chinese Poker Rules
It’s crucial to get to know the rules to create a winning strategy and dominate the table. We’ll present the main rules below to help you understand the Chinese poker hands.
The Number of Players
You can play Chinese poker with 4 people, each receiving 13 cards. However, if the table cannot fulfill this number, the hands will look like this:
- 3 players: each gets a 13-card hand, and one hand gets discarded
- 2 players: each player gets two 13-card hands for the next match.
Arranging the Cards
Take your cards and arrange them according to the weakest, medium, and strongest ranks. This step is crucial for the game; if you don’t arrange them correctly, you’ll get fouled and automatically lose the round. Place the cards face-down once you organize them.
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Once all the players have organized their cards, you’ll flip them and start comparing the hands. Each person will receive or lose points according to their hands in comparison to other players.
Chinese Poker Scoring System Explained
Unlike traditional poker games, Chinese poker combinations depend on scoring. You compare your front, middle, and back hands to other players’ hands and get points accordingly.
For instance, if your front hand is better than the ones your opponents have, you earn a point. If all three of your hands are better than the others, you’ll win 3 points, and an additional 3 points called the scoop.
The player with the best Chinese poker scoring results wins the most of the prize money. The prize pool is organized according to the point value. For example, if you sit at a table with a $1 point value, and you earn 6 points in one hand, you’ll earn $6.
If the opponent has a better hand than you, you lose a point. You should also make sure to organize your cards according to the rules; if not, you’ll get -6 points and automatically get disqualified from the round.
Royalties at Chinese Poker Games
Sometimes, a traditional Chinese poker game can get monotonous, which is when royalties/bonuses come into play. Some physical and online Chinese poker games provide extra points for strong hands. In essence, you get additional rewards from the house.
These additional rewards are common in both retail and online casinos. You can easily find which operator has poker-specific awards if you read through their reviews. It’s possible to find roundups or lists of the top online casino Belgie for different categories, one of which is bonuses. So, all you need to do is find the top-performing brands and see if they have a dedicated promo for table games.
We’ll present a couple of royalties commonly present in Chinese poker variations to help you understand how to categorize your cards and get extra points.
Single Hand Royalties
- Front hand: If you get three of a kind in the front hand, you’ll earn extra points.
- Middle hand: Straight flush, four-of-a-kind, and full house hands are rewarded.
- Back hand: Straight flush and four-of-a-kind hands get more points.
13-Card Royalties
- 12 royalties: All cards are jack or higher.
- Three straight flushes: two 5-card straight flushes and a 3-card straight flush.
- All low 2/High 1: All the cards are 8 or lower, or 8 or higher.
- Full-colored: All of the cards have the same color.
- Three flushes: Getting two 5-card flushes and a 3-card flush.
You can check that with the casino to see whether the points fit your preferences and whether you’ll get the ultimate Chinese poker experience.
A Successful Chinese Poker Strategy: Tips and Tricks
Playing Chinese poker will take a lot of luck and skill. If you create a solid Chinese poker strategy and stick to it, you may increase your chances of winning and dominating the table. Thus, we’ve prepared a couple of tips and tricks that will make your Chinese poker combinations stand out and earn you the most points.
Understand the strength of your Cards
Once you start the Chinese poker card game, go over all the possible combinations to create hands accordingly. Make sure to keep an eye on the front hand and ensure you follow the strength rules to avoid fouls. You should understand the basic poker rules in order to create the ultimate combination.
Start with the Strongest Hand
You should build the back hand first, and leave the weaker cards for the middle and the front. This will help you dominate the table and have the best combinations. Instead of starting from the front, focus on building the strongest back hand, and use the rest of the cards to create a middle and front miracle.
Don’t be Afraid of Royalties
Royalties may initially seem overwhelming, and you may wish to stay away from them. However, they don’t deduct points, but can easily bring you more points and rewards. If you have a good hand or know that you’ll create a strong combination, make sure to place royalties and secure your win.
Keep an Eye on Your Opponents
Most players will create playing patterns you can predict for the next round. Thus, make sure to read the table and see how the players act to know what to do and how to combine your hands. Ask yourself whether they like to take risks or whether they’re chasing royalties, to know how to react in specific scenarios.