This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see our disclosures here.
Official Chinese Poker (Pusoy) Rules
Chinese Poker, also known as Pusoy or Chinese Pusoy, is a poker game that combines strategy and hand building. Here's a breakdown of the rules and strategy:
Objective
Arrange your 13 cards into three separate poker hands: a front hand (three cards), a middle hand (five cards), and a back hand (five cards). These hands must be ranked in ascending order of strength, with the front hand being the weakest and the back hand being the strongest.
Setup
1. Players: Typically played with 2-4 players.
2. Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
3. Deal: Each player is dealt 13 cards.
Gameplay
Deal the Cards:Â Â Each player receives 13 cards face down.
Forming Your Hands:Â Â Players use their 13 cards to create three poker hands:
Front Hand (3 Cards): This must be the weakest of your three hands. You can have any combination of three cards (high card, pair, etc.).
Middle Hand (5 Cards): This hand must be stronger than your front hand. You can use any five-card poker hand combination (straight, flush, full house, etc.).
Back Hand (5 Cards): This hand must be the strongest of your three hands. You can use any five-card poker hand combination.
Scoring:
Units:  Players agree on a designated point value per unit before the game starts. This unit value is used for scoring.
Basic Scoring:  Each player compares their corresponding hands (front, middle, back) with each opponent's hands. A player wins one unit from each opponent whose hand they outrank in a particular category (front, middle, back).
Winning Options (Variations):
Win All Three:  In some variations, players earn a bonus unit if they win all three hands (front, middle, back) against an opponent. This is known as a "scoop."
Win Two Out of Three:Â Â Other variations award a bonus unit for winning two out of the three hands against an opponent.
Showdown:
Once all players have formed their hands, they can reveal them simultaneously or one player at a time.
Scoring is then calculated based on the pre-determined unit value and the hand comparisons.
Example:
Player A has a front hand of (2, 3, 5), a middle hand of (A, K, Q, J, 10) (Royal Flush), and a back hand of (8, 8, 8, 7, 6) (Four of a Kind).
Player B has a front hand of (A, A, 2), a middle hand of (K, Q, J, 10, 9) (Straight Flush), and a back hand of (7, 7, 7, 5, 4) (Full House).
Results:
In this example, Player A wins two units from Player B because their middle hand (Royal Flush) outranks Player B's middle hand (Straight Flush) and their back hand (Four of a Kind) outranks Player B's back hand (Full House).
Player B wins one unit from Player A because their front hand (Three of a Kind) outranks Player A's front hand (High Card).
Strategy
Hand Strength: Balance the strength of your three hands. Avoid putting too much strength in one hand and leaving the others weak.
Opponent Observation: Pay attention to how your opponents arrange their hands and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Risk Management: Be mindful of fouling. Ensure your hands are arranged in the correct order to avoid forfeiting points.
Bonus Hands: Aim to achieve royalties/bonuses to maximize your score.
Notes
Straights and Flushes in Front Hand:  Unlike traditional poker games, straights and flushes don't hold value in the three-card front hand. They are considered high card hands.
No Wild Cards:Â Â There are no wild cards used in Chinese Poker.
Chinese Poker can be a complex game at first, but with practice and these rules in mind, you'll be well on your way to strategizing and winning at this exciting poker variant!
