Low Open Face Chinese Poker

Another variation of Chinese Poker, next to Progressive OFC Poker, is 2-7 Low. We like to call this Low OFC. The Low differs the most from regular OFC. In the middle a low hand should be placed, without making any poker combinations.

Don’t make any poker combinations

So, it’s simple. In OFC Low, your bottom line still has to be better than the line on top. The difference with Regular OFC is in the middle line. In the mid a Low hand should be placed. For this Low hand we take into account the hand ranking of 2-7 Low poker. A Ten high is the highest possible card to place on the middle line. If there’s a J, Q, K or A, your hand is dead. Any kind of poker combination like a Pair, Straight or Flush is not allowed. If you can meet these two conditions, your hand is live.

In summary, in OFC Low:

• The bottom line has to be better than the top line.
• In the middle a Low hand should be placed: max Ten high and no poker combinations are allowed.

Scoring system

The scoring system keeps account of the highest card on the middle line. Let us give a few examples:

• Player A has 2–4–5–7–9 on his middle line. Player B has 2–3–5–7–8 on his middle line. Player B then has the best Low hand, because his highest card is the lowest.
• Player A has 2–3–4–6–8, Player B has 3–4–5–7–8. Both have the same highest card, an 8. In case this happens, you take a look at the next in line. If those cards are still the same for both players, you take a look at the next in line, and so forth. In this case, the second cards in line are a 6 for Player A and a 7 for Player B. Therefore, Player A wins this line.

Royalty points

In addition there are the royalty points. For OFC Low, the top and bottom line, the same royalty points are given as in Regular OFC. For the middle line, you have to follow these guidelines:

• 9 high: 1 royalty point
• 8 high: 2 royalty points
• 7 high: 4 royalty points
• “Nuts”: 8 points

On the middle line you get 1 point for a 9 high, 2 for 8 high and 4 for 7 high. For the best possible combination: 2–3–4–5–7 you receive 8 points. This combination is also called “the nuts” in Low.

Qualify for Fantasyland

In the Chinese Poker Low variation there are 2 ways to go to Fantasyland. When you qualify with one of both ways, you go to Fantasyland with the regular amount of 14 cards. However, when you manage to qualify both ways, you receive an extra card in Fantasyland.

The nuts

When you can place the nuts, so 2–3–4–5–7 off-suit, you’re qualified for Fantasyland.

K-K

To go to Fantasyland with the top line you have to have at least K–K instead of Q–Q.