Pusoy - Chinese Poker Game Variant

Despite the fact that this poker game was invented in China and was mostly played by players from Asia in the beginning, recently it became extremely popular with USA poker players too!

The popularity boom became possible thanks to the exciting features Chinese Poker includes. First of all remember: This poker game is played with 52 cards deck, that’s why the number of players can be either two or four.

Exciting Side of Chinese Poker

Now the most interesting side of it: Each player is dealt 13(!) cards. Impressed? Your aim here is to collect the best three hands. Each hand you are to collect has a name: the back the middle and the font. The back (the highest ranking cards) and the middle are those hands which have 5 cards in each, and the font is the lowest ranking hand, which contains three cards. One should remember that flushes and straights can’t be collected in a three card hand.

Rules Specifications

To be clearer about the rules, the player has to divide his 13 cards into three poker hands. As you have already understood, each hand will consist of a certain number of cards, mentioned below.

When each player has made up his mind upon his three hands, he has to put each hand face down. Once everyone has realized their possibilities with the cards they’ve received, each player should announce clockwise from the left side of the dealer, whether he is playing or not. All the players after that have to tell about their royalties before opening their hands.

Royalties. The extra points or units that can be awarded one unit per royalty to players with strong hands. Example: straight flush, four of a kind, full house or higher in the back and the middle hand, three of a kind in the font hand. In rare occasions, when a player collects a unique (naturals) hands such as all 13 cards of different ranks, six pairs, three flushes or three straights he should be immediately rewarded.

Each player has also a chance to surrender but if he does he has to pay an amount higher than losing two out of three hands.

Scoring Methods

In Chinese Poker the amount of money, which will be a stake in the game is called units and is agreed before the game. Each player who has any of his hands beaten has to pay one unit to each of his opponents. Thus, in some variants of this kind of poker, each player who won two out of three hands will collect one unit from each defeated player. If a player wins all three hands, (it is called scoop), he is the only one who gets additional units from the rest of players.

Anyway it is known that Chinese Poker commonly uses two scoring systems: 2-4 scoring method and the 1-6.

In the first (2-4) method each player gets 1 point per winning hand. 1 unit will also be rewarded to a player who won two out of three hands or all the three hands. When both hands are won by one player, he gets 3 units – one for each winning hand and the third point as a bonus. If each player wins one hand, no points are added to total count.

When player uses 1-6 method, he gets 1 point each twinning hand, and 3 extra points when all these three hands are winning.

Give it a try and enjoy the stake! Good luck!

Poker Quotes

Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you is determinism; thou the way you play it is free will.
Jawaharlal Nehru

About me


My name is Alice Cooper. I'm professional casino dealer.
But my hobby is poker. There is nothing comparing to the excitement when you participate in a big tournament like the WSOP.
At this site I'll give you some tips from my experience so you can be excited not only in participating but winning too.
Good luck you guys!