Game: Chinese Poker

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jamesdavis — 2007-04-10T18:18:26+00:00

Screenshopt of a pc version

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

XiBi — 2007-01-28T20:33:42+00:00

I agree with ShaoHong.

Thread: Re: Chinese Poker Online

tonyfung1205 — 2006-11-22T07:09:34+00:00

The scoring by comparing hands against each other player is probably the casino variant.

We in Hong Kong, in China, play street games or house games seldom have this scoring. Instead, we have a dealer in our games, just like in blackjack, each player compares against dealer's hand only.

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

tonyfung1205 — 2006-11-22T07:02:00+00:00

I am a Hong Kong people and a Chinese. I know both game rules, and I have some interests in studying poker. I would like to point out something.

In Chinese culture, we seldom have English terms for these poker games. Usuaully what we do is by direct translation. "Big 2" is a direct translation, which we want emphasis that the face value 2 is the biggest card in this card game.
Another one is "13 cards" which is the Chinese Poker in this entry.

In Big 2, we try to get rid of cards. Though the play considers the rank of card combinations. And it's exactly Gang of Four. Or say, DOW stole Big 2 from Hong Kong.

13 cards is a game about arranging cards to build hands of good ranks. It sometimes requires certain guessing and bluffing skills. After the build, pure comparison on ranks can determine winner.

IMHO, I would say 13 cards is more deserve to be named as Chinese Poker, as it employs some skills found in traditional poker (or Hold'em). Big 2 is just a game using poker playing cards. Not truely a poker style game.

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

Matt Ruff — 2006-05-11T00:02:01+00:00

I should have checked it out but I was at the end of a 21 hour session and I just wanted to sleep.

Yeah, I think it's definitely a game to save until you are wide awake. A number of online poker sites -- www.tigergaming.com is one of them -- offer a play money version if you want to try it without risking the rent. Or just get three friends, a deck of cards, and a pad to keep score.

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

thatmarkguy — 2006-05-10T21:49:22+00:00

The game described here really belongs as a variant under "Big Two". All it shares with *this* game entry is that they are both commonly called "Chinese Poker".

Big Two:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/13597

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

Matt Ruff — 2006-05-10T21:01:57+00:00

Yes, the Bike is one of several California casinos that spreads Chinese Poker (not Shao Ba Yi; the other kind). You can find the (somewhat confusingly written) house rules on their website:

http://www.thebike.com/casino_games/california_games/chinese...

The website doesn't mention stakes, but you can see where even playing for $5-10 a point, a single hand against three other players could be very expensive.

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

Matt Ruff — 2006-05-10T15:34:53+00:00

No disrespect intended on my end, either. My point is simply that these are different games, not variants of one another. The American "Chinese Poker" is so-called, I believe, because of its similarity to Pai Gow Poker (itself an adaptation of the very cool Pai Gow tile game); the name doesn't imply that the game actually comes from China, or is popular there. Another variant, in which the middle hand is played for low, is sometimes referred to as "Russian Poker" -- but that doesn't mean they know about it in Moscow.

Shou Ba Yi deserves its own 'geek entry -- if you want to call it "Chinese Poker" as well, that's fine, as there's no reason two games can't share the same name, but I think the original name for it actually sounds niftier.

Regarding The Great Dalmuti: to me at least the card play puts it clearly in the same family of "climbing games," although it's much simpler (your only choices when following are to play a similar number of higher-ranked cards, or pass), and of course there's no scoring, just a lot of movement around the table.

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

ShaoHong — 2005-12-30T17:58:21+00:00

I respectfully disagree. In China, we consider that Shou Ba Yi is Chinese Poker(and not the version that is listed in the main entry). Also, Shou Ba Yi is nothing like the Great Dalmuti.

Thread: Chinese Poker Online

Matt Ruff — 2005-12-30T17:30:17+00:00

The Tiger Gaming site (www.tigergaming.com) is now offering Chinese Poker. I recommend sticking to the play money version.

Thread: Re: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

Matt Ruff — 2005-12-30T17:21:39+00:00

While a good game in its own right, Shou Ba Yi isn't a variant of Chinese Poker, it's a different game altogether. It belongs in the same family as Tichu, Gang of Four, and the Great Dalmuti.

Thread: Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

Nap16 — 2005-09-27T17:08:05+00:00

Shou Ba Yi (Chinese Poker)

I. COMPONENTS: Standard deck of 52 cards with both Jokers
II. CARD VALUES:
A. Cards have standard value between 3 to King
B. Ace is higher than King
C. “2” is higher than Ace
D. Jokers are higher than “2”
1. Designate 1 Joker as “Da Joker” (Big Joker) and the other as “Shao Joker” (Little Joker).
2. The Little Joker is higher than “2” and the Big Joker is higher than the Little Joker
III. SET-UP:
A. Shuffle and deal out all cards to the players
B. Player with the 3 of Hearts begins play on first round
C. Winner of last round begins play on subsequent rounds
IV. GOAL:
A. Be the first player to play all your cards in a round
B. The first player to play all cards (go out) receives points equal to the number of cards (or Joker Penalty) remaining in each other player’s hand and each player with cards remaining loses points equal to the number of cards (or Joker Penalty) remaining in their hand. [Note: You will have negative scores.]
C. Joker Penalty:
1. Little Joker counts as 5 points
2. Big Joker counts as 10 points
D. You do not receive any points from players with a face down card (only one card remaining).
E. The first player to reach 50 points wins (or you can play to whatever score you like).
V. PLAY:
A. Play proceeds with a player leading (the Lead) with one of the following to start a turn (or trick):
1. a single card, or
2. a pair of the same value of card (e.g., two 4s), or
3. three of the same value of “plus” one additional card (e.g., three Jacks plus a “3” as a throw away card), or
4. four of the same value of “plus” two additional cards (e.g., four Kings plus a “3” and “7” as a throw away cards), or
5. three sets of pairs of the same value of card in numerical sequence (e.g., two 4s, two 5s and two 6s or two 9s, two 10s and two Jacks, etc.)
6. a Dragon, which must contain at least 5 cards in numerical sequence (it cannot contain a “2” or Joker)
7. a Bomb, which is four of the same value “without” any additional cards, can be played to beat (or trump) any other play (even the Big Joker) except a higher valued Bomb
B. After player leads with one of the above plays, the next player may play a higher valued play or pass
1. Example #1: If a player leads with two Jacks, the next player may play two Queens or higher or may pass.
2. Example #2: If a player leads with three 8s and a 6, the next player may play three 9s or higher plus any additional card or may pass.
3. Example #3: If a player leads with two 7s, two 8s and two 9s, the next player may play two 8s, two 9 and two 10s or higher or may pass.
4. Example #4: If a player leads with a 6 card Dragon (3-8), the next player may play a 6 card Dragon (4-9 or higher) or may pass. [Note: You must match the number of cards played, i.e., 5 card Dragon to 5 card Dragon, etc.]
C. Once a player passes, they can not get back into play on that turn or trick (even if you have cards that can beat the current play), however you can play the next turn (once a new Lead has been played)
D. One in the Hole:
1. Your last card play must be played alone (e.g., you cannot play a pair, three of kind, three sets, four of a kind or a Dragon on your last play).
2. Once you are down to your last card, you place it face down on the table so everyone knows you have one last card (you do not have to call out “Uno” or “Yi” or anything like that).
3. You can not hold a Joker as your last card.