What Is Chinese Poker?
Chinese Poker is completely unlike any other poker game. Each player receives 13 cards and must arrange them into three separate hands: a three-card front hand and two five-card hands called middle and back. All hands are then revealed simultaneously and compared against every other player’s corresponding hands. There is no betting during play — points are settled after the reveal. The challenge is arranging your 13 cards optimally across all three hands while following one strict rule: the back hand must be stronger than the middle, which must be stronger than the front.
What You Need
- One standard deck of 52 playing cards
- Two to four players
- Chips or a score pad for settling up
The Three Hands
- Front Hand (Top): Three cards — must be the WEAKEST of your three hands. Only pairs and high cards apply — no straights or flushes with three cards.
- Middle Hand: Five cards — must be STRONGER than the front hand using standard poker rankings.
- Back Hand (Bottom): Five cards — must be the STRONGEST of your three hands.
The Fouling Rule
If your arrangement violates the strength order — if your front is stronger than your middle, or your middle is stronger than your back — your hand is fouled. A fouled hand automatically loses all three comparisons against every opponent. Double-check your arrangement carefully before revealing.
Setting Up the Game
- Deal 13 cards to each player.
- Players arrange their 13 cards into the three hands face-down. Take your time — there is no rush.
- When everyone signals they are ready, all players reveal their three hands simultaneously.
Scoring
Each player compares each of their three hands against the corresponding hand of every other player:
- Win the front hand comparison: +1 unit
- Win the middle hand comparison: +1 unit
- Win the back hand comparison: +1 unit
Scooping
If you win all three hands against one opponent, you score a scoop — an additional bonus. Most groups score a scoop as +3 bonus units on top of the +3 for winning all three, totaling +6 against that opponent.
Special Bonus Hands
Some groups award bonus units for exceptional hands:
- Full House or better in the front (three-card) hand: bonus units
- Four of a Kind or better in the middle or back: bonus units
- Straight Flush in the back: bonus units
Agree on bonuses before playing.
Winning
After each round, players settle up based on net unit totals. The player with the most net units over the session wins.
Tips for New Players
- The back hand is the most important — invest your strongest cards there first, then build middle, then front.
- A strong front hand can swing the game — even a pair of Aces in the front beats most front hands and earns a point against every opponent.
- Fouling is catastrophic — always verify that back beats middle beats front before revealing.