Question From a Reader of Bill’s Poker Blog

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Maybe you guys can help out one of my readers. I’m not all that familiar with variations on Chinese Poker.

Hi Bill,

I’m an avid reader of your blog. I find it facinating and very informative. Kudos for your dedication and for sharing with us your poker wisdom.

I’m trying to solve a puzzle here, which I hope you can help with. Not long ago, I was introduced to an addictive game, which is some sort of Chinese poker variation. I tried looking for it on the web but with no success. I’m trying to find out, it’s actual name or origin, and whether it as popular with other players.

Let me try and explain the game.

The game is for two players one against the other. It is played with a full deck of cards, and the hand rank is the same as in NLH (Hcard, pair, two pair, trips etc.).

For each player 5 card row is opened faced up. The rows are placed one against the other such as this

4d5cQhAs7d
6sJdQs10d6c

Each player at his turn takes a card from the deck and places it face up on one of the 5 cards in his row. The idea is to complete the 2nd row before moving the 3rd row. You can not place a 3rd card on one of your columns before you completed all the 2nd row, and so one for the other rows.

The cards are placed face up so both players can see what has been opened.

Only the 5th row is placed face down until the showdown.

Showdown occurs when each players has 5 rows of cards and 5 columns (each containing of course 5 cards).

Players check column vs column and which ever is stronger (poker hand rank) wins.

If for example a player won 3 columns out 5 he is the winner of the game.

Does this game known to anyone? Can you shed some light as to it’s name or how play it?

If you know this game, please post your answer in the comments. 🙂

4 thoughts on “Question From a Reader of Bill’s Poker Blog”

  1. I learned this game in when I was a card dealer in Israel (it was the dealers’ game of choice during breaks) and it’s by far my favourite poker game. Maybe we should start an Israeli Poker heads up championship in Israel!

  2. Hi Jordan,
    Thanks a lot for taking the time and responding to my question.
    Read your description of the game and it is indeed accurate to what we play.
    Being an Israeli, I’m filled with pride and joy to find out you named this poker variation “Israeli poker”…:)
    But one thing is certain now, this is not Chinese poker, as one of my buddies claimed.
    I liked your suggestions to the points and payout structure, when taking all 5 columns; it doubles up your points.
    Jordan, can you explain the sentence “Deuces are wild. That’s also very important, for obvious reasons…” why is important, and how exactly are they wild? (acts as a Joker?)
    So tell me Jordan, how did you find the game? Do you think it involves strategy? If you would have an application like that to play-on line would you try it and spend your time (money?) on it.
    Will be happy to hear your feedbacks…

    Thanks
    Jacob P.

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