Chinese Poker

[Harkey]

Don Smolen pretty much has the market cornered on Chinese Poker text instruction and software. As a hint: if you buy the software, you really don't need the booklet.

[Off Duty]

Is there any skill to Chinese other than catching cards?

[MarkGritter]

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Is there any skill to Chinese other than catching cards?

[/ QUOTE ]

It is certainly possible to play poorly.

Greenstein's book has a story (from p. 45):

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There was a bookie who made a lot of money booking the sports bets of high stakes players. After a golf outing, the players played some Chinese poker and the bookie joined the game, even though he was a novice. He misplayed almost every hand and was losing badly when he said, "I never get any straights or flushes." He put down his hand with Aces in the back, Kings in the middle, and Jack-Seven-Six in the front. But he had a Jack, a Seven, and Six for kickers in the back two hands! Everyone was silent when they saw how badly he had misplayed his hand. They all realized that he would have beaten everybody if he had played Aces in the front hand and two pair in each of the other two hands. (This play is obvious to anyone who is proficient at Chinese poker.) The bookie sensed something was wrong and asked Doyle Bronson, "Doyle, do you see any straights or flushes?" While the others were holding their breath and biting their tongues to avoid lauging, Doyle calmly replied, "No, I sure don't", and the game went on.

[/ QUOTE ]

One might infer that the most important skill, after learning proficient play of a hand, is game selection. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Off Duty]

If you can't arrange your hands, you don't lack skills.

You lack brains.