The Rules of Chinese Open Face Poker

A poker game growing in popularity on the Professional Poker Tour is Chinese Open face poker. You can catch many of the big name players playing high stake games in their trailers or in casino lobbies while waiting out times to play tourney’s and cash games.

The rules of this game are quite simple in premise but when put into practice create extreme variations in winning hands. The game is played with 2, 3 or 4 players with each player being dealt a total of 13 cards. This means with 4 players all the cards are dealt. The game seems to be most difficult with 3 players because there are still 13 possible live cards which are not seen by anyone.

Position in this form of poker is extremely important. That being the person who is last to act has an very big advantage because they are able to see all cards in play up until the point they make a decision.

The Object of Open Face Poker

The object of the game is to make three poker hands with the 13 cards you receive. The back a five card hand, which must be the best hand you have. The middle is another five card hand, which must be your second best hand. And finally, the Front which is a three card hand and must be the worst poker hand you hold. The player must concentrate first on making sure all their hands are in order of strength or they risk fouling out. If you foul you must pay 4 units to each of the other players.

Betting in Chinese Poker is the easiest part with a dollar amount assigned to each unit. Players wager any amount they wish to assign to each unit as long as all players are in agreement before the start of play. It is not unusual to see the likes of Ivey and Helmuth playing for $1,000.00 for each unit.

Now I Know the Rules

To begin the game each player is dealt five cards face down and the player who is to the left of the dealer is first to act. This player must then position all five of their cards in the back, middle or front hand and these cards are locked in position for the balance of the deal. Once each player has completed positioning the first five cards the additional cards are dealt out to each player one at a time.

When the next card is dealt the player must decide on a position for that card and it is locked for the balance of the deal. The players continue to position cards keeping in mind the value of their hands and the value of the opponents’ hands.

Scoring is in four forms; first you must make sure your hands are in the correct order of strength or you must pay 3 units, the equivalent to the scoop bonus, to each of the other players. Secondly you receive one point for each of your hands which beat your opponents and if you win all three hands you receive what is called the scoop bonus for three units. The fourth method of winning is called Royalties in which you receive a number of units based on the hand and its position.

Royalties and House Rules

Royalties can vary from game to game and there are many different house rules. Another variation is called fantasyland whereby winning with Queens or better in the top position allows you to receive all thirteen of your cards down and you can order them all together. Just be sure to agree on all the rules before you start and enjoy the game.

Learn to Play Poker

Although it's been played online since the late 1990s, Party Poker launched at the turn of the century and is one of the best poker rooms for beginners to learn to play poker. You might have seen the World Series of Poker on the TV, and be in awe of just how much money those guys win, or you're wanting a new hobby or even a new career! Playing poker online is a great way to enjoy yourself and make a little bit of money in the process. What many people forget when they want to learn to play poker is that there are many poker bonus codes around that can maximise your playing ability.

On this site, we have our own poker school, a poker training application and a strategy section so you can learn how to play online poker more easily. Once you're familiar with the basics, you can try for real money and deposit funds. Thanks to the bonus code PKR100 you can get 100% return on deposits up to $500.

The First Rules When You Want to Learn to Play Poker

Once you've read up on the rules of poker, the ways to play it and what the best hand in poker is, then you should give it a try. Many poker rooms have the option of playing poker for free and have freeroll tournaments which lets you play against thousands of people without any entrance 'rake' fee.

Once you have played a few hands, you might want to learn some of the terminology that's used in poker, and find out about the different types of games. There are satellite tournaments, sit and go games, speed tournaments, or, different types of poker altogether, such as Texas Hold Em, Stud and Omaha.

Using our own poker school you can try out techniques, practice going 'all-in', and learn how to read your opponents. It's important to know the statistical data of each hand too, which Party Poker tells you, as it shows the probability of your hand winning. As there are more than 2.5 million different combinations in poker, it's important to know which hand beats which.

Playing a tight game, as a beginner, is a good idea. A tight game is only playing a hand that is good. No bluffing, no 'poker face' and no creative play. If you have pocket pairs then you bet. If you have a 2 and a 9, then you fold. It sounds simple but many people lose patience and play loose, which ultimately leads to a loss in money. This is why it's important to try a poker trainer application first before getting involved in real money games. One thing is for sure, once you learn to play poker you will wonder why it's taken you so long to do so, as it is one of the most fun things to do on the internet.

If you want to take advantage of a 100% bonus on deposits up to $500 at Party Poker, then click here to use the bonus code PKR100 and play poker for real money!

Why do I need a Poker Bonus Strategy?

Poker Bonus Strategy - the right room for any phase in the development of a poker player

When you have to choose a poker room to play at, it is very important to find the room with a bonus structure that fits you. You have to consider the following factors: your poker skills, your bankroll, the limits and levels and the type of game you play. If you do not have a bonus strategy, you will not be able to make extra profit from the online poker bonus that you have chosen.

First of all, you have to be aware of the fact that if you play tournaments only, you won't have to think too much about bonusses in the first place. Unless you play very many tournaments on rather high buy-in levels, or multiple tournaments simultaneously, you will not be generating much rake and tournament fees, and thus will have a very hard time releasing the bonus of most poker rooms in the given time frame. The only exceptions here are:
888 Poker - Download link, Coupon Code 341707
Pokerstars - Download link, Marketing Code Code PSA2049
Everest Poker - Download link, Bonus Code BC200
Their bonus offers are relatively low, but also easy to release. But then, if you are focused on playing tournaments, you need to make a choice based primarily on the size of the tournament schedule of the rooms available to you. Under this aspect, the best rooms are:

888 Poker , Coupon Code 341107
PartyPoker, Bonus Code PKR100
PokerStars, Bonus Code PSA2049
Full Tilt Poker, Bonus Code COACH100
and all rooms of the iPoker network:
Bet365 Poker , Bonus Code COACH
Mansion Poker , Bonus Code PC100
Sun Poker , Coupon Code COACH100

In this chapter, we name a few player types or players in different phase of their development, and we recommend the right rooms on the basis of their bonus offer for those players, as well as some advice on which strategy should be used to clear the bonus. Every intelligent poker player should strive to develop his skills permanently and restrict his play to money levels where he can beat the game, and to levels that fit his bankroll. Making extra profits from bonus offers must be an integral part of the skills and bankroll building process, and as a player develops, he may have to move on to a different room at certain points. Your choice of room depends very much on the stage of development you are in at any given moment of your poker career.

Poker beginner with a $50 bankroll