Chinese poker
Chinese Poker (also known as Russian Poker ) is a variant of the card game Poker . Each player is dealt 13 cards from a 52-card deck . Typically the game is played with four players, but it can also be played with two or three players.
The name is taken from the American and comes from the fact that it was played in the USA for a long time mainly by Asian immigrants. In the Cantonese origin of the game it is called Sap Sam Cheung which means 13 cards . This game is especially popular in Hong Kong and parts of Southeast Asia .
regulate
Each player receives 13 cards that are not exchangeable. From this he has to form three hands :
- Front hand / front : three cards
- Middle hand / middle : five cards (must be better than the front hand - see possible combinations )
- Back hand : five cards (must be better than the middle hand )
Since the front hand only consists of three cards, the possible combinations are reduced to three of a kind , a pair and the highest card . The hands are then placed face-down in front of the player in sequence.
Surrender rule
The usual way of playing Chinese Poker does not allow the player to fold his cards. However, if you play with the surrender rule, you proceed as follows: If all hands have been put down, you announce that you fold. This means you automatically lose 0-2 against every player (see → Scoring).
Exchange rule
If you are playing with three players, you can optionally play with swaps. If you want to swap, you have to pay 2 points to each player, and you can then swap as many of your cards as you like with the remaining cards. You can play in such a way that whoever announces it first is allowed to swap, or if the dealer changes, whoever is allowed to swap first, who sits first after the dealer.
Rating
In the evaluation, the individual hands (front / middle / back) are compared with those of the opponents, each against each other. Front hand counts against front hand, middle hand against middle hand and back hand against back hand. If you are better than your opponent in one hand, you get one point, if you are worse the opponent gets one point. In the event that both hands are equally strong, nobody gets a point.
For example: I hit my opponent in the front hand and back hand, and lose in the middle hand. I get 2 points and my opponent 1 point (2-1). If I beat my opponent in all three hands, I get 3 + 1 = 4 (3 points plus 1 bet / ante) points. If there is a tie in a hand, no point is awarded for that hand. With one or more ties, the combinations 2-0, 1-0, 1-1 (plus 1 bet / ante) are possible.
Point systems
There are many different point systems and you can make your own systems. What is common to all systems, however, is that points are exchanged with one another, i.e. the sum of all points is always zero. How much a point is worth can be agreed with each player individually, you don't have to play for the same amount with everyone.
"2-4" rule
The most common point system is the "2-4" rule, in which a player gets an extra point for winning all three hands. With a 3-0 you get 4 points, the opponent 4 minus points. With a 2-1 you get 2 points, the opponent 2 minus points. With a 1-1 or 0-0 nobody gets any points. A 2-0 gives you 3 points and the opponent 3 minus points, and a 1-0 you get 2 points and the opponent 2 minus points.
"1-6" rule
Another point system is the "1-6" rule, where a player gets 3 extra points for a 3-0. With a 3-0 you get 6 points, the opponent 6 minus points. With a 2-1 you get 1 point, the opponent 1 minus point. With a 1-1 or 0-0 nobody gets any points. With a 2-0 you get 2 points and the opponent 2 minus points, and with a 1-0 you get 1 point and the opponent 1 minus point.
Royalties
Royalties are bonus hands that give a player extra points. Here, too, there are different ways of distributing the points.
- Three of a kind in the front hand : 3 points
- Full house in the middle hand : 1 point
- Four of a kind in the middle or back hand : 3 points
- Straight flush in the middle or back hand : 4 points
- Royal flush in back hand : 5 points
The points for royalties are also offset against each individual player. For a four of a kind in the back hand you get 3 points from each opponent, and accordingly each opponent 3 minus points.
Natural royalties
Natural Royalties are bonus hands with which you automatically win against any opponent and get the corresponding points. In this case, no further evaluation takes place, nor is it offset against possible royalties from the opponents.
- Six pairs : 6 points (Four of a kind can be used as two pairs )
- Three flushes : 3 points (e.g. three hearts in the front hand, 5 spades in the middle hand and 5 spades in the back hand)
- Three streets : 3 points (e.g. KQJT9, TJ987, 32A)
- 13-card straight: 13 points (AKQJT98765432)
- 13-card royal flush : 50 points (13-card straight in one suit)
Straights and flushes in the front hand are only available for scoring a natural royalty , not for normal scoring.
example
The scoring is done in order, comparing each hand with each other. Player 1 (above) with his hand [8-8-8 KQJT-9 7-7-7-TT] loses 3 points to Player 2 (middle) with his hand [3 spades 5 diamonds 5 clubs] because Player 2 has a natural royalty in the form of three flushes. The three of a kind in the front hand does not give player 1 any points in this case.
Against player 3 (below) with the hand [QT-5 AA-2-2-4 3-3-3-3-6], player 1 wins the front hand and the middle hand, and loses the back hand, i.e. 2- 1. According to the "2-4" rule, player 1 wins two points against player 3, plus the royalties . For three of a kind in the front hand, player 1 receives three points from player 3, and for the four of a kind in the back hand, player 3 receives three points from player 1. Overall, player 1 wins 2 points from player 3.
Player 2 also gets 3 points from player 3 because he has three flushes, and here too, four of a kind player 3 does not earn any points.
If all players play for the same amount per point, the results can also be offset against each other, and player 1 receives 1 minus point in this round, player 2 receives 6 points, and player 3 receives 5 minus points. As always, the sum of the points for this round is 0.
meaning
Professional poker player Phil Ivey said on a radio show that he often played Chinese poker on the side. He did not want to participate in the EPT Monte Carlo tournament in November 2005, but changed his mind because he was able to persuade Barry Greenstein to play Chinese poker with him . Chinese poker is played by many professional players on the side in tournaments, but it is also an interesting variant for amateurs.
Chinese Poker was also in the 1995 World Series of Poker and the World Series of Poker in 1996 played as a regular event.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ pagat.com
- ↑ Cardplayer.com (mp3) ( Memento from August 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive )