Chinese poker

It is intended as a beginner-friendly game, with only a basic knowledge of poker hand rankings needed to get started.

The format allows for frequent unexpected outcomes due to the large element of luck involved, meaning a beginner has a good chance of winning in the short term against even experienced opponents.

As shown in the photo, the middle player has made all three hands flush and is an automatic winner.

[1] The stakes played for in Chinese poker are known as units: an amount of money agreed on before the game starts.

Thus, unlike most poker games, being second-best at the table is good enough to win money.

In the 2–4 method, Bob would pay Amy two units; Amy receives two points for winning front and back, loses one for losing middle and receives one as the overall unit for winning two out of three hands.

In the 1–6 method, Bob would pay Amy one unit; again Amy receives two points for winning front and back and loses one for losing middle, but they do not receive any bonus units.

Royalties, or bonuses as they are sometimes called, are extra units that may be awarded to players with particularly strong hands.

Some modified rule sets allow the royalty bonus to cancel out and only the point for the hand/row is added.

If a player mis-sets their hand (e.g., they put three of a kind in the front, but only two pair in the middle)(aka "相公") then they must pay each of their opponents still in the hand (players who have not surrendered) an amount equal to being scooped.

These cards are arranged faceup on the table to the back, middle, and front hands.