iGaming Journalist & Crypto Casino Analyst· 5 min read
Chinese Poker Rules — OFC, Scoring & Royalties
Chinese Poker is one of the most unique formats in poker. Instead of betting rounds, you arrange 13 cards into three separate hands and compare them against your opponents. Open-Face Chinese (OFC) adds a draw element that has made it a favorite among professionals during downtime at major tournaments.
Traditional Chinese Poker Rules
In traditional Chinese Poker, each player receives all 13 cards at once from a standard 52-card deck (supporting 2-4 players). You arrange your cards into three hands:
- Front hand (top): 3 cards. This must be the weakest of your three hands. Only high cards, pairs, and trips are possible (no straights or flushes with 3 cards).
- Middle hand: 5 cards. This must be stronger than the front but weaker than the back. Standard five-card poker rankings apply.
- Back hand (bottom): 5 cards. This must be your strongest hand. Standard five-card poker rankings apply.
The critical rule is that hand strength must increase from front to back: front < middle < back. If you violate this ordering, your hand is a foul and you automatically lose all three rows against every opponent.
Scoring Basics
Each row is compared independently against each opponent. For each row you win, you earn +1 unit. For each row you lose, you pay -1 unit. If you win all three rows against an opponent, you earn a scoop bonus of +3 additional units (6 total instead of 3).
Beyond the basic row-by-row scoring, royalties are bonus units awarded for making premium hands in specific rows. Royalties are collected regardless of whether you win or lose the row, making them a central part of strategy.
Royalty Bonuses
| Hand | Row | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Three of a Kind (front) | Front | +10 units |
| Pair of Sixes (front) | Front | +1 unit |
| Pair of Sevens (front) | Front | +2 units |
| Pair of Eights (front) | Front | +3 units |
| Pair of Nines (front) | Front | +4 units |
| Pair of Tens (front) | Front | +5 units |
| Pair of Jacks (front) | Front | +6 units |
| Pair of Queens (front) | Front | +7 units |
| Pair of Kings (front) | Front | +8 units |
| Pair of Aces (front) | Front | +9 units |
| Straight (middle) | Middle | +2 units |
| Flush (middle) | Middle | +4 units |
| Full House (middle) | Middle | +6 units |
| Quads (middle) | Middle | +10 units |
| Straight Flush (middle) | Middle | +15 units |
| Royal Flush (middle) | Middle | +25 units |
| Straight (back) | Back | +2 units |
| Flush (back) | Back | +4 units |
| Full House (back) | Back | +6 units |
| Quads (back) | Back | +10 units |
| Straight Flush (back) | Back | +15 units |
| Royal Flush (back) | Back | +25 units |
Royalty values vary by house rules. The table above shows the most common OFC scoring system.
Open-Face Chinese (OFC) Poker
Open-Face Chinese is the modern variant that has largely replaced traditional Chinese Poker in competitive play. The key difference: instead of receiving all 13 cards at once, you build your hands one card at a time.
OFC Deal Structure
- Initial deal: Each player receives 5 cards and places them face-up into any of their three rows.
- Drawing phase: Players take turns drawing one card at a time and placing it into any row that is not yet full. This continues until all 13 cards are placed.
- Cards are permanent: Once you place a card in a row, it cannot be moved. This is the core strategic tension of OFC.
Fantasyland
Fantasyland is a powerful bonus state in OFC. You enter Fantasyland by placing a pair of Queens or better in your front hand without fouling. On your next hand, you receive all 13 cards at once (like traditional Chinese Poker) while your opponents continue playing OFC normally. This is an enormous advantage.
To stay in Fantasyland, you must achieve one of these during your Fantasyland hand: quads or better in the back, a full house or better in the middle, or trips in the front.
OFC Strategy Tips
- Plan for Fantasyland. Getting into Fantasyland is so valuable that it should influence your initial 5-card placement. If you have a pair of Queens or Kings, seriously consider placing them in front even if it means weaker middle and back hands.
- Avoid fouling at all costs. A foul costs you 6 units plus any royalties your opponent earns. When in doubt, play it safe and ensure your hands stay in proper order.
- Track dead cards. In OFC, all placed cards are face-up. Counting outs and knowing which cards remain in the deck is fundamental to strong play. If you need a King for trips but three Kings are already on the board, adjust your strategy immediately.
- Front hand pairs are more valuable than you think. Because royalties for front-hand pairs start at Sixes, even modest pairs generate bonus units. Pair of Aces in front pays +9 units — more than a flush in the back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Chinese Poker and Open-Face Chinese?
In traditional Chinese Poker, all 13 cards are dealt at once and you set them privately. In Open-Face Chinese (OFC), you receive 5 cards to start and then draw one card at a time, placing each card face-up. OFC adds more skill because you must commit to placements without seeing your future cards.
What happens if you foul in Chinese Poker?
A foul (also called a mis-set) occurs when your hands are not in the correct order of strength — for example, your front hand is stronger than your middle hand. If you foul, you automatically lose all three rows against every opponent and forfeit any royalties. You pay a penalty of 6 units in most scoring systems.
How does Fantasyland work in OFC?
You enter Fantasyland by making a pair of Queens or better in your front hand without fouling. In Fantasyland, you receive all 13 cards at once (like traditional Chinese Poker) on the next hand while your opponents still play OFC one card at a time. You stay in Fantasyland if you make quads or better in the back, a full house or better in the middle, or trips in the front.
How many players can play Chinese Poker?
Traditional Chinese Poker supports 2 to 4 players since 13 cards per player times 4 equals 52 (a full deck). Open-Face Chinese typically supports 2 to 3 players because of the additional cards discarded during the draw phase. Two-player OFC is the most common competitive format.