Open Face Chinese Poker is a fast-paced and very popular form of Chinese Poker that is played against the dealer. The game, which is also known as OFC Poker, is appreciated by all levels of poker players, from novices to seasoned pros, and is distinguished by the presence of substantial in-game incentives. This book will teach you how to play and provide you with professional advice.
How to Play Chinese Poker with an Open Face?
OFC Poker is a game that is often played between 2-4 people. Each player is handed 5 cards from a single 52-card deck, which they must arrange into three rows (or hands) – the back, middle, and front. In the front hand, there are three card slots; the middle and rear hands have five card spaces each.
The hands are scored in the same way as Texas Hold’em Poker is, with the highest possible front hand being a high triple and the bottom two hands providing points for everything from a trip to a Royal Flush and anything in between. A single card will be handed to each player one at a time after they have allocated their first five cards, with the goal of forming the best possible three-card hand. It is not possible to move the cards after they have been put.
Bonus Royalty Points are awarded when certain conditions are met.
However, this is just the beginning of the story. Row hands may earn extra bonus (or royalty) points according on the cards that are included in the hand. The possible incentives differ from one row to the next.
For example, a pair of sixes on the front hand of three cards may earn you an additional point, while three aces can earn you up to 22 points on the front hand of three cards. A three-of-a-kind may earn the middle hand an additional 2 points, while a royal flush can earn the middle hand up to 50 points. The back hand may earn anywhere from 2 points for a straight flush to 25 points for a royal flush, depending on the situation.
By generating more valued row hands, you have the ability to dramatically alter the complexion of relative point totals. Make sure, however, that you do not accidentally dirty your hand in the process. The additional points for row hands are awarded even if an opponent’s relevant row hand defeats theirs, however the opponent still wins the hand point.
To illustrate: A middle hand flush wins a middle hand straight by one point, but the straight’s four bonus points still count toward the total of eight bonus points earned by the flush, resulting in a four-point disparity. The winner receives four points, while the loser receives four points.
Bonus points are only available if a hand is ruled out due to foul play. Consider the following example: extra points for a middle hand straight are canceled by a simple pair in the rear hand.
Chinese Poker Scoring with an Open Face
While simple hand scoring and scoops will let you to score points against your opponent, it is the royalty points that will allow you to improve your game to a higher level of play. As previously stated, various point scores are assigned to different hands and rows based on their placement. The following is a detailed analysis of the additional royalty points that are available on the front, middle, and back hands of the game.
It’s like being in a fantasy land
Fantasy Land is an unique play in OFC Poker that is activated by a front hand that has a pair of queens or better in a hand that does not foul. It was first introduced in OFC Poker in 2008. Whenever this occurs, the person who owns the hand in question plays the following game in Fantasy Land.
In Fantasy Land, a player gets handed all 13 cards at the start of the game. They shuffle their cards face down so that non-Fantasy Land players cannot see what they are holding. Then they sit back and watch as hands that are not in Fantasy Land are dealt out one card at a time, as is customary. As soon as the regular game is over, participants in Fantasy Land arrange their cards into the traditional three rows of hands. Knowing what other players are doing with their hands is clearly a major advantage.
In a single game, more than one person may be present in Fantasy Land. When there are many players, their hands are dealt in a clockwise fashion starting with the dealer button. Additionally, upon entering a Fantasy Land game, the dealer button does not shift, resulting in the game being effectively an extension of the prior game.
Choosing to remain in Fantasy Land
A player may return to Fantasy Land after the initial visit, but the trigger criteria are more strict than they were the first time. Players must have three of a kind at the beginning of the hand, at least a full house in the middle of the hand, or at least quads in the back to remain in Fantasy Land. Having played in Fantasy Land in the previous game boosts the likelihood of qualifying for the next game, despite the fact that it is significantly more difficult to achieve.