Chinese Poker (OFC) Rules — Scoring, Royalties and Fouls

What is Chinese Poker

Chinese Poker (Open Face Chinese, OFC) is a hand-arranging game, not a round-by-round betting game. Each player arranges 13 cards into three rows: a top row of 3 cards, a middle row of 5, and a bottom row of 5. There's no betting on each street — the outcome is decided by comparing rows against every opponent.

The critical rule — strength order between rows

The bottom row must be stronger than or equal to the middle, and the middle stronger than or equal to the top. If you break that order, the hand is "fouled" and you lose all three rows against every opponent. This is beginners' mistake number one.

How points are counted

Winning a row = one point against each opponent. There are bonuses for taking all three rows against the same opponent (Scoop).

• 1 point for each row you win
• Scoop (3/3) — an extra bonus per house rules (usually 3 or 6)
• A tie on a row — 0 points for both sides
• Foul — automatic loss of all rows

Royalties — the bonuses that decide a session

Royalties are bonus points for especially strong hands, and this is where most of the long-term profit lies.

• Top row: a pair of 66 or higher, trips = a big bonus
• Middle row: full house or better
• Bottom row: straight or better
• The rarer the hand, the bigger the bonus grows

Fantasyland — why everyone chases it

A player who finishes with QQ or higher on the top row without fouling enters Fantasyland: on the next round they receive all 13 cards at once and arrange them calmly. This is a huge advantage, so a large part of strategy is weighing foul risk against the chance of reaching Fantasyland.

Basic strategy for your first 5 games

Until you feel comfortable, play safe: build from the bottom up, don't fall in love with the top row, and remember that a mediocre valid hand is always better than a spectacular foul.