Open Face Chinese
Open Face Chinese
Open Face Chinese is a poker variant where players are dealt 13 cards one by one, placing each card face-up immediately into one of three hands (front, middle, back), with scoring based on hand rankings and bonuses.
Rules and Gameplay
Open Face Chinese (OFC) is a variation of Chinese Poker that emerged in the early 2010s. Unlike traditional Chinese Poker, where players arrange all 13 cards after the deal, OFC reveals cards gradually. Each player receives five cards initially (the draw), then an additional card on each subsequent street (sixth street, seventh street, etc.) until all 13 cards are dealt. After each card is received, the player must place it immediately into one of three rows: the front hand (3 cards), middle hand (5 cards), or back hand (5 cards). The back hand must be the strongest, followed by the middle, and the front the weakest. If a player fouls (breaks the rank order), they automatically lose and pay maximum points.
Scoring
Scoring in OFC involves both head-to-head comparisons and royalties (bonuses). Each hand is compared against the corresponding hand of each opponent. Winning a hand earns 1 point (or 1 unit). Winning all three hands against an opponent is a “scoop,” worth an additional 3 points (total 6 points). Royalties are awarded for strong hand rankings, such as a flush or better in the back hand, a full house or better in the middle, or a pair of sixes or better in the front. For example, a back-hand straight flush earns 10 points royalty. Royalties are paid by each opponent regardless of head-to-head result. The game is often played for a fixed unit value per point.
Strategy and Variants
OFC strategy differs significantly from standard poker due to the visibility of cards. Players must consider not only their own hand potential but also the exposed cards of opponents to avoid fouls and maximize royalties. Common strategic concepts include “setting” decisions on early streets, balancing hand strength across rows, and tracking visible cards to deduce opponents’ holdings. A popular variant is Pineapple Open Face Chinese (POFC), where the initial draw gives three cards at once, offering more flexibility. Another variant, “Ultimate Chinese,” introduces further complexity with additional draws and scoring rules.
OFC gained popularity in high-stakes cash games and among online poker fans in the 2010s, partly due to its action-oriented nature and the reduction of luck relative to traditional Chinese Poker. However, it remains a niche game compared to mainstream poker formats.