If you are a fan of card games, you definitely cannot be unaware of Hong Kong Poker. This is an exciting game that is becoming a trend favored by many people when playing on online poker websites.
Introduction to Hong Kong Poker
Hong Kong Poker is a famous card game in the gaming community. This game uses a standard deck of 52 cards; however, Hong Kong Poker only uses 32 cards starting from 7 to A, with 7 being the lowest card and A being the highest card. Many places refer to this as Hong Kong Poker because it has a gameplay quite similar to American & European Poker. In a game, it can be played by 2 to 6 players, and usually, players will not only care about the value of the cards but also the suits.
This is a game that requires players to have the ability to predict and also to have the right strategy. Each game is usually very exciting, and players will go through a range of emotions from nervousness, worry, joy, to disappointment. Therefore, Hong Kong Poker is one of the incredibly interesting games that can both entertain and offer rewards that you should try.
How to play Hong Kong Poker
In fact, the way to play Hong Kong Poker is not difficult; you just need to grasp the basic steps to participate. As I mentioned above, this game only uses 32 cards from 7 to Ace, in order from low to high. When comparing the value of the cards, players need to pay attention to both the number and the suit of the cards. The numbers are ranked from low to high as follows: 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A. As for the suits, they are ranked from low to high as follows: Tép (Diamonds), Rô (Clubs), Cơ (Hearts), Bích (Spades). The great thing about this game is that no matter how you play, the way to play 7-card poker or 9-card poker or Hong Kong, the scoring method is quite similar. If you master one style of play, you can immediately play other variations.
Sequence of a Hong Kong Poker game
The sequence of a Hong Kong Poker game is as follows:
- Dealing cards: First, players must bet an equal amount of money. Next, they will be dealt 2 cards and then choose one of the 2 cards to reveal to the opponents. The card that is not revealed will be kept secret and is usually called the hole card. This will be the card that determines your success or failure in the game, so it must not be disclosed.
- Betting: In this round, the player with the highest face-up card will be the first to bet, followed by the next players in a counter-clockwise direction. The sign that this round ends is when the money put on the table is equal among the players.
- At the end of each betting round, each player will be dealt an additional card by the dealer, bringing the total to 5 cards. After going through the rounds, the player with the highest hand in the final round will win all the money. If two players have the same score, the suit of the cards will be considered to determine the winner.
Action options in the game
In addition to understanding the sequence of how to play Hong Kong poker, you need to know the action options in a betting round. Specifically as follows:
- Fold: When you look at your cards and see that they are weak, you should fold your hand and stop the game. This means you lose your bet but also avoid losing more money.
- Call: This is when you bet an amount equal to the amount already bet to stay in the game.
- Raise: This is when you bet an amount greater than or equal to the initial bet you placed.
- All-in: This is when you put all your money on the table and wait for the result in the final round if someone calls you.
Options in a poker gameCard rankings in Hong Kong poker
In the way of playing Hong Kong poker, cards are divided into 10 ranks with different strengths. Specifically, they include the following ranks:
- Straight Flush: A hand consisting of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. When playing, the highest card is used to determine the winner. E.g.: 7♤ 8♤ 9♤ 10♤ J♤. If there is an Ace, the smallest straight flush is A, 2, 3, 4, 5; the largest is 10, J, Q, K, A.
- Four of a Kind: A hand consisting of 4 cards of the same rank, ranked by the value of the four of a kind. E.g.: J♤ J♢ J♠ J♣
- Full House: A hand consisting of 5 cards, including a set of 3 cards and a set of 2 cards of the same rank. E.g.: Q♠ Q♢ Q♤ and K♠ K♣.
- Flush: A hand consisting of 5 cards of the same suit, but not in sequence. E.g.: 7♠ 9♠ 10♠ J♠ A♠. If the flush contains an Ace, it will be the highest flush. If multiple players have the same flush with an Ace, the suits are compared.
- High Card: A hand of 5 cards that have no relation to each other. For example: 7♠ 9♠ J♠ K♠ A♠
- Straight: A hand consisting of 5 cards in a sequence but not of the same suit. E.g.: A♤ K♢ Q♠ J♣ 10♤. If the hand contains an Ace, the smallest straight is A, 2, 3, 4, 5. The largest straight is 10, J, Q, K, A.
- Three of a Kind: A hand consisting of 3 cards of the same rank. E.g.: Q♠ Q♢ Q♤.
- Two Pair: A hand consisting of 2 pairs of cards of the same rank and 1 single card. E.g.: J♤ J♢ Q♠ Q♣.
- One Pair: A hand consisting of 2 cards of the same rank. E.g.: J♤ J♢
- High Card: A hand consisting of 1 card with no connections below. E.g.: A♠.
These hands are quite similar to Poker, right? You should thoroughly understand the differences between Xi To and Poker to make your betting more effective.
Tips to Win Bets in Hong Kong Xi To
Hong Kong Xi To is a game that is not difficult; anyone can participate as long as they know the basic rules. However, playing is one thing, and winning is another. Below, we will reveal some tips to increase your winning odds.
1. Focus on the game
This is extremely important not only for poker but for any game. In each round of cards you participate in, you need to be fully focused, observing the movements of your opponents and the game situation. Only then can you understand your opponents; even in rounds you do not participate in, you should observe to grasp the psychological changes of the players as well as the strategies that many people often choose.
Once you have mastered the important characteristics of your opponents, you can wait for the right opportunity to deal with them. Additionally, in each round of cards, you need to be very vigilant to avoid falling into the psychological traps of your enemies. Always keep a cool head to observe and make the most reasonable decisions.
2. Understand when to bet and when to fold
The next tip we want to share with you is to clearly understand your hand to know when to bet and when to fold. Your betting action will greatly affect your opponent’s psychology. When you decide to bet, your opponent will think your hand is stronger than theirs. This is a psychological tactic for strong opponents, but those with unstable psychology may fold their cards.
Playing the game requires strategyFor opponents with weak hands, when you decide to bet while there are weaker cards on the table, you can deceive them, especially weak opponents who are eager to win will add more money. From there, you can gain a profit. Moreover, the size of the bet when you bet is also very important. Consider and set an appropriate betting amount so that your opponent does not become suspicious or guess your hand.
Do not abuse continuous betting
Using continuous betting in a round, as we mentioned above, can deceive your opponent’s psychology. This is a trick that many players apply due to its high effectiveness. However, you should not overuse it, as if your hand is weak, the risk of losing money is very high. This situation can easily lead your opponent to read your hand. Just play this trick for 5 rounds, and players will immediately guess your strategy. Therefore, only use continuous betting when you are truly confident in your hand in your own Hong Kong poker strategy. Additionally, continuous application allows others to catch on to your psychology and playing style as well as your strategy. Thus, careful consideration is needed before making any decisions.
3. Learn how to calculate probabilities
To become a master in Hong Kong Poker, you must definitely understand how to calculate probabilities in poker. Probabilities in this game are usually calculated in two basic ways:
Method of measuring probability in the form of %. An example for you to visualize
| Waiting for a flush | |
| Hole cards | Flop |
| 8 of hearts – 7 of hearts | 10 of diamonds – Ace of hearts – 9 of spades |
In the above case, you can wait for a flush with 4 hearts; if any heart appears next, you will have a complete flush. At this point, you need to know how to calculate the number of Outs to know how many such cards are left. A standard deck will have 8 suited cards (from 7 to Ace), and since 4 cards have appeared, there are 4 cards left. Those are your 4 outs. At that time, the probability of getting a heart on the turn is 4/27 (since 5 cards have been revealed) = 0.14%. This probability is really not high in Hong Kong Poker.
Method of probability in the form of the ratio between losing and winning
Using the above example, we can see the probability of getting a heart is 14%. This means the chance of winning is 14% while the chance of losing is 86%. Therefore, we will have odds of 86:14, which is close to 4:1. This means that on average, in 5 times, there are 4 losses and 1 win. Apply the formula to calculate the probability to make a reasonable choice before deciding which way to go/play.
Conclusion
Hong Kong Poker is a very interesting game that is currently very popular. Our sharing will help you grasp the basic information to start a game. You can study carefully to begin your journey to becoming a professional gambler. However, to become a professional player, you need to go through the process of playing and learning more experiences. Mastering the rules of poker is the most important prerequisite in your journey to conquer the prizes.
