Try to deal 8 cards instead of 13 cards to everyone (now you can have up to 6 players as well ). Arrange them in the order of 2-3-3 instead of 3-5-5. Yes that's what I played when I was in high school gambling with my friends.
If you play Chinese poker long enough you know 13 cards will win or lose from 1 to 3 points most of the time, boring. Yeah, playing 13-card Chinese poker are like playing holdem (who in the world likes to play it
), but, playing 8 cards are like playing lo8/Stud8 short-handed!What makes it so exciting? Well with just 8 cards to play, you will get str8-flushes more often (such as 6d 7d 8d), trips more often, ... All in all, killer hands will come more often (compare o8 to holdem).
Some similar rules (or you can bend and make up your own rules if you can't handle the swing
).str8-flush at the bottom 5 points and in the middle 10 points.
Trips at the bottom 3 points, in the middle 6 points. (Speaking of which, sorry no full houses in 8-cards).
Pair on the top 2 points.
Here are some killer hands.
Three straights (such as 4-5 8-9-T J-Q-K) or three flushes 3 points.
3 nothing for 3 points (for example, A-3-5-7-9-T-Q-K, and no Q-K-A doesn't make a straight. Also, as long as you have a pair or better in your hand then it won't be qualified).
Toilet flush for 8 points (for example, Ad 2d 4d 5d 8d Td Jd Kd)
Dragons for 8 points (for example, 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9).
Head and tail dragons for 16 points (A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8, 7-8-9-T-J-Q-K).
Quads for 8 points (for example, 5-5-5-5-x-x-x-x).
Double quads for 24 points (for example, 5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6).
Royal dragons for 32 points (any dragons in the same suit).
If you are the dealer, say you've got 3 straights then you will automatically win 3 points from each of your villains unless your villains have the better-than-3-point killer hands.
As usual, it can be the dealer's hand to go against everyone else's hands, or everyone is playing against every one else.
There are many other forms of chinese poker games yet this one is the most exciting one.
A word of caution, be aware of cheaters since shuffling 8 cards are much easier than shuffling 13 cards.
Try it, have fun, and good luck (really, this game has no skills at all yet very exciting)!