Chinese poker rules

CHINESE & OPENFACE CHINESE POKER RULES

CHINESE POKER

Chinese poker is typically played as a four-person game, though it can also be played with two or three. 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 standard 52-card pack is used.

The procedure for Chinese Poker:

1. When the player enters the game table he will be able to choose a seat (if there are free seats at the table).
   The user has to specify a certain amount of money to be taken to the table from his account (buy-in).
2. The dealer button will be placed near the top seat at the table by default. For every new deal, the button is moved clockwise in one position.
3. Each player receives 13 cards, starting from the left of the dealer button. The player can see only his/her cards which are displayed in one row.
4. Hand Selection. Each player then has to divide his cards into three poker hands (known as "setting"): two containing five cards each (known as "the middle" and "the back"), and one containing three cards ("the front"); the back must be the highest ranking hand, and the front, the lowest ranking 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.

   The following functions should be available for player:

   • To put the cards in the outlines at the table. To do this a player should click on the card and it will be placed in the outline beginning from back to front from right to left. To put a card backward to the set of 13 cards the player should double click on it in the outline and it will be placed at the end of the cards set. Also player should be able to drag and drop cards from the outlines to the cards set.
   • To sort the cards set by suit
   • To sort the cards set by rank
   • To reset all cards. All the cards from the outlines will be returned to player’s set of cards.
   • To reset certain row. The cards from certain row will be returned to player’s set of cards.
   • Natural (this option will be available before setting 3 hands, when no cards are placed in the outlines). There will be 4 naturals available in the game - 3 Flushes, 6 Pairs, 3 Straights, 13 Unique Cards. If player declares a valid natural, then his turn will be completed and his 3 hands will be shown at the table. If player declares an invalid natural then his turn won’t be completed and he should receive an appropriate error message. If player doesn't declare a natural, it plays as a regular group.
   • To play (this option will be available only after setting 3 hands). Clicking Play button will complete player’s action and his cards will be shown at the table. After passing of the time specified for hands setting he will be able to see the showdown.
   • To surrender. Clicking Surrender button will complete player’s action and his cards will be shown at the table face-down with Surrendered label. After passing of the time specified for hands setting he will be able to see the showdown. 

   All players can make their actions during a certain time period (time specified for setting 3 poker hands in server settings), this time should be displayed on the timer at the table. If the time for setting 3 hands is over and player did not make an action, then he will be put in ‘Sit-out’ state.

5. Showdown.
   On the showdown all players’ poker hands are shown at the table. The amount of win/loss against each opponent and the total amount of win/loss should be displayed for each player. Players should be awarded with the appropriate amount of units according to Chinese poker rules. The showdown should be displayed for certain period of time, after its expiration the next deal will start.
6. Scoring methods.
   Many variations of scoring are in common use. In some variants players are also paid an additional unit if they win in two or three of the hands. In other variants players only get an additional unit if they win all three hands (known as a scoop). There can be 1-3, 1-4, 1-6, 2-4 scoring methods.
   The two most common scoring systems used in Chinese poker are the 2-4 scoring method, and the 1-6 scoring method. These two methods will be applied in the application.
   In the 2-4 method the player receives 1 unit for each of the three hands they win, and 1 unit called the overall unit is awarded to the player who wins two out of the three hands, or all of the three hands. In the event of a tie in one of the hands, no money is exchanged for this particular hand. If one player wins both of the other two hands, they collect 3 units (1 for each hand, and 1 overall). If they each win one hand, no units are exchanged (each win 1 unit, and there is no overall).
   In the 1-6 method the player receives 1 unit for each of the three hands they win, and 3 bonus units (on top of the three for the hands) if they win all three hands.
   Royalties, or bonuses as they are sometimes called, are extra units that may be awarded to players with particularly strong hands. Each royalty is given a different payout. Only the winner may be awarded a royalty. Players are allowed to claim several royalties per hand. Royalties must be declared prior to the revealing of the hands.
   Naturals (13-card hands) are special types of royalties where if dealt to a player, the player is rewarded immediately (prior to anyone surrendering).

OPENFACE CHINESE POKER

Openface Chinese poker is a popular variation of Chinese poker and can be played with two to four players. Like regular Chinese poker, Open-Face Chinese is structured into three hands of descending value: five-card hand in the back (the strongest), five-card hand in the middle, three-card hand “up top.”

The main difference of Open-Face Chinese is that it begins with five cards dealt to each player. The player left of the button places the five cards anywhere in the back, middle and top (not to be moved at any other point in the hand). Afterwards, each player is dealt one card at a time, starting from the left of the button, until 13 cards are dealt to each player. The goal is to make the strongest possible hand, accumulate as many royalties as possible without fouling.

The procedure for Openface Chinese Poker:

1. When player enters the game table he will be able to choose a seat (if there are free seats at the table).
   User has to specify a certain amount of money to be taken to the table from his account (buy-in).
2. The dealer button will be placed near top seat at the table by default. Every new deal the button is moved clockwise on one position.
3. Deal. Each player receives 5 cards, starting from the left of dealer button. The player is able to see only his/her cards which are displayed in one row.
4. Placing 5 cards. Each player should place his 5 cards anywhere in the back, middle and top.

   The following functions should be available for player at this step:

   • To put the cards in the outlines at the table. To do this a player should click on the card and it will be placed in the outline beginning from back to front from right to left. To put a card backward to the set of cards the player should double click on it in the outline and it will be placed at the end of the cards set. Also player should be able to drag and drop cards from one outline to the other and from the outlines to the cards set.
   • To sort the cards set by suit
   • To sort the cards set by rank
   • To reset all cards. All the cards from the outlines will be returned to player’s set of cards.
   • To reset certain row. The cards from certain row will be returned to player’s set of cards.
   • To play (this option will be available only after placing 5 cards). Clicking Play button will complete player’s action and his cards will be shown at the table.
   • To surrender. Clicking Surrender button will complete player’s action and his cards will be shown at the table face-down with Surrendered label. After passing of the time specified for hands setting he will be able to see the showdown. 

   All players can make their actions during a certain time period. If the time for placing 5 cards is over and player did not make an action, then he will be put in ‘Sit-out’ state.

5. Each player is dealt the next one card, starting from the left of the button, player should place it anywhere in the back, middle or top.

   The following functions should be available for player at this step:

   • To put the card in the outline at the table
   • To reset the card
   • To play (this option will be available after placing the card)

   All players can make their actions during a certain time period If the time for placing 1 card is over and player did not make an action, then he will be put in ‘Sit-out’ state.

6. Step 5 is repeated until 13 cards are dealt to each player.
7. Showdown.
   On the showdown all players’ poker hands should be displayed at the table. The amount of win/loss against each opponent and the total amount of win/loss should be displayed for each player. Players should be awarded with the appropriate amount of units according to Openface Chinese poker rules. The showdown should be displayed for certain period of time, after its expiration the next deal will start.
8. Scoring methods.
   If you foul or get swept against an opponent, you lose six points plus any royalties. You win one point for beating an opponent (winning two of the three hands). Your own royalties only count if you have a legal hand, in which case they count even if your opponent has a higher royalty.

   If any of those hands are achieved in the middle, the royalties are doubled.