What is Open Face Chinese Poker?
To begin with, this is a poker variant. Here, like in other poker games, players receive cards from a single deck and aim to construct the best possible hand against their opponents. However, unlike traditional poker, OFC does not involve betting between rounds. Instead, players agree in advance on the point value for each hand, similar to games like gin rummy. Once the dealer produces the cards, each player must arrange 13 cards into three distinct poker hands. Specifically, top, middle, and bottom.
Next, these hands are compared to those of the other players according to their respective positions. Namely, top to top, middle to middle, and bottom to bottom. Finally, the players receive points according to their performance. The middle and bottom hands follow traditional five-card poker rules. Whereas, the top hand consists of only three cards, where the best possible combination is three of a kind. Since each player requires 13 cards to play, OFC can accommodate a maximum of four participants. Yet, where did this all come from?
The History
The game has its roots in the traditional Chinese poker game, evolving into its current form in the early 2000s. It gained significant popularity in Finland and Russia. Subsequently, it spread to the United States and other parts of the world. The simplicity of its rules, combined with the depth of strategy it offers, propelled its rise to fame.Â
Fortunately, professional poker players, always in search of new and engaging formats, adopted OFC. As a result, it started appearing in high-stakes cash games and tournaments. The game’s appeal lies in three factors. Specifically, a blend of luck, skill, and psychological warfare. Thus, making it a fascinating variant for both casual and serious players. Its unique scoring system and the absence of betting rounds add to its distinct charm, differentiating it from other poker variants. Now that we know the game, let’s talk about how to play it.
Rules/How to play
Learning to play this game involves understanding its unique structure and strategic nuances. Unlike traditional poker games, Open Face Chinese Poker features three distinct hands and a non-betting format. So, here is what you need to know before you start playing the game:
The Basics
The first objective is to make a valid hand. There is a rule that says the bottom hand must be better than the middle hand, and the middle hand must be better than the top hand. Since players are arranging their game card by card, there are some occasions when this is not possible. Let's imagine that the player already has a pair of kings in the middle hand and is in the bottom hand. For the hand to be valid, the sequence must be complete. If the sequence is not complete, the hand is not valid, and the player fouls, meaning the hand is disqualified and the player is penalized. In OFC, as in bowling, if a player fouls, they don't get any points, but if their opponent has a valid hand, they will get points for all the hands (bottom, middle, and top). Now, let's get to the playing rounds.
Playing Rounds
As in hold 'em games, OFC has a dealer button. The player to the left of the button is the first to play in every round and the action goes clockwise. The button changes position for every hand played. At the start of the game, the players receive 5 cards and have to place them on the top, middle, or bottom. As the name of the game suggests, the cards are placed face up and as soon as a player has finished arranging their 5 cards the "turn" passes to the next player. After the first round, players only receive one card, but the method of arranging the cards remains the same. Once the cards have been placed, whether on the top, middle, or bottom, they cannot be moved. If you've read all of the above and are familiar with the sequence of poker hands (a flush beats a straight, a four-of-a-kind beats a full house, etc.), you're ready to play OFC. If you trust your opponent or someone impartial nearby, go for it! Play your first game.
Points
The basics of scoring are fairly simple, but there are several specific cases that you should know how to handle. Don’t be alarmed, just like in casino games or Candy Crush, you can start playing without knowing all the scoring rules and learn them as you go. OFC is played on points, so only when you’ve finished placing the 13 cards in their respective places will you start counting them.
Each of the three rows is worth one point to the winner. Suppose you have a pair of jacks in the middle row and your opponent has a pair of kings, they will win a point in the middle. If three or four players are playing, each player will face the others independently. In other words, if Bob beats Dave and loses to Jack, Bob still wins points from Dave.
But there’s more! In addition to the +1/-1 score per row, there are plenty of bonuses that can cause points to be awarded differently.
Bonus Points
The most common OFC bonus is the "scoop bonus." If you win all three hands (top, middle, and bottom), you get 3 additional points. This is sometimes called the "1-6" scoring system. If you win two of the three hands from your opponent, you get an additional point. If you beat him, you get 6 more points. To encourage players to try stronger hands, OFC rewards the best hands in each "row" with bonuses. These bonuses are awarded as long as the hand is valid.
In this situation, the player has made a straight on base but loses to a bigger straight from his opponent. His opponent receives one point for winning plus two points for making a straight. Even though they lose the hand, the player receives two points for the straight. The bonuses cancel each other out and the player loses a base point. The bonuses awarded at the bottom range from 2 points for a straight to 25 for a royal flush. In the center, they start at 2 points for a three of a kind and go up to 50 for a royal flush. At the top, a pair of 6s gets 1 point and it goes on from there. See below:
In addition to these bonuses, there is also an extra that has already become an integral part of OFC’s strategy. I’m talking about “fantasy land”, which players must agree to before the game starts, and make sure you know whether or not this option exists before you start playing.
Fantasy Land
Fantasy Land in Open Face Chinese Poker is an exciting bonus feature that players can achieve by placing a pair of queens or better in their top hand, provided they do not foul. Upon qualifying, the player is dealt all 13 cards at the beginning of the next round, enabling them to organize their hands with full knowledge of their cards. This offers a considerable strategic edge, as they can make optimal hand decisions, potentially staying in Fantasy Land by setting high-ranking hands in subsequent rounds. However, the rules for a player to stay in fantasy land are somewhat strict. A player can “stay in fantasy land” if he makes quad or better at the bottom, full house or better in the middle, and three of a kind at the top.
Play Open Face Chinese Poker
Open Face Chinese poker is an exciting new way to play poker. It combines simple rules and excitement like Texas Hold’em and seven-card Stud but with the variance of games like blackjack. So, if you’re a fan of poker and casino games in general, don’t waste any more time, and open a Game2Bet account to secure your place among the winners!
