Chinese Poker / Shisanshui – Rules
Play Chinese Poker / Shisanshui against the computer
1. Overview
| Name | Chinese Poker (Shisanshui, 十三水, "thirteen waters") |
| Type | Arrangement game with poker hands |
| Players | 2–4, usually 4 |
| Recommended age | 12 and up |
| Playing time | one round 2–4 minutes; a game 15–30 minutes |
| Material | 52 French cards, pen and paper |
| Goal | Arrange your 13 cards into three rows that beat your opponents' rows. |
| Difficulty | medium |
What is it about? In Chinese Poker there is no betting and no bluffing. Everyone gets 13 cards and arranges them into three poker hands: 3 cards in front, 5 in the middle, 5 at the back. Then the rows are compared with each opponent's. The one condition: the back row must be the strongest and the front row the weakest.
2. Cards and material
- Pack: 52 French cards, ace high (also low in a straight).
- Poker hands (low → high): high card, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush.
- Front row (3 cards): only high card, pair or three of a kind.
- Face up and face down: Rows are set face down and revealed at the same time.
3. Preparation and start
- Dealing: Everyone gets 13 cards.
- Arranging: Everyone sets three rows face down: 3 – 5 – 5.
- Revealing: Everyone reveals at the same time.
Start example: You hold three kings, two nines, a straight 4-5-6-7-8 and two aces, plus a jack. You set: front ace-ace-jack, middle the straight, back a full house king-king-king-9-9.
4. Goal and winning
- A round: Each row is compared with the same row of every opponent.
- Game: After the agreed number of rounds, the player with the most points wins.
5. Play in detail
Setting rows.
- Arrange your 13 cards into three rows.
- Required: back ≥ middle ≥ front.
- A player who breaks this order ("fouls") loses all rows against all opponents.
Comparing.
- Front against front, middle against middle, back against back.
- For each row won you get 1 point from that opponent.
- Winning all three rows against one opponent counts double.
Example with Players 1 to 4. Here only Player 1 is compared with Player 2.
- Front: Player 1's pair of aces against Player 2's pair of queens – Player 1 wins.
- Middle: Player 1's straight against Player 2's two pair – Player 1 wins.
- Back: Player 1's full house against Player 2's flush – Player 1 wins.
- All three rows: 2 × 3 = 6 points from Player 2.
6. Scoring
| Case | Points against one opponent |
|---|---|
| Row won | +1 |
| Row lost | −1 |
| All three rows won | double (+6) |
| Fouled (wrong order) | as if all three were lost |
- Recording: Total against each opponent; overall points after every round.
- Tie in a row: Nobody gets the point.
7. Special rules and situations
- Special hands (variant): Three straights, three flushes, six pairs or thirteen different ranks win at once.
- Bonuses (variant): Extra points for three of a kind in front or four of a kind at the back.
- Equal hands: The higher single card decides.
- Common mistakes: making the middle stronger than the back; putting everything at the back and leaving nothing for the front.
8. Variants
Standard in this description: 4 players, 3 – 5 – 5 cards, 1 point per row, all three double.
| Variant | What changes | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Special hands | Certain hands win at once. | advanced players |
| Bonuses | Extra points for strong rows. | a change |
| Two players | Only one comparison per round. | two players |
When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play against three computer opponents over 6, 3 or 10 rounds.
9. Tips for beginners
- Back first: Put your strongest five-card hand at the back.
- Don't forget the middle: It must be weaker, but not worthless.
- A pair in front: Even a small pair often wins the front.
- Don't foul: Check the order before revealing.
- Balance: Two rows won beat one very strong row.
- Flush and straight: Often the best middle.
- Think about everyone: You compare with each opponent separately.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- 52 cards, 13 cards each.
- Three rows: 3 – 5 – 5.
- Back stronger than middle, middle stronger than front.
- Front only high card, pair or three of a kind.
- Reveal at the same time.
- Compare row by row with each opponent.
- Each row won +1.
- All three rows against one opponent: double.
- Fouled: everything lost.
- After all rounds the most points wins.
11. Frequently asked questions
Do I have to bet?
No, only points are counted.
What does "foul" mean?
Your rows are in the wrong order – you lose against everyone.
Can the front row be a straight?
No, the front only counts high card, pair and three of a kind.
What happens on a tie?
No point for that row.
Who do I compare with?
With each opponent separately.
How long does a game take?
About 15 to 30 minutes.
Origin & history
Comes from southern China (Fujian/Guangdong) and spread with emigrants to Southeast Asia. Popular among poker professionals in the West from the 1990s; the variant Open-Face Chinese Poker emerged in Finland in 2011/12.