In pusoy, or Chinese poker, each player splits 13 cards into a 5-card back, a 5-card middle and a 3-card front hand. The back must beat the middle, and the middle must beat the front; otherwise the hand fouls. Each hand is then scored against the same hand of every opponent.
How do you split 13 cards in pusoy?
Up to four players each receive 13 cards. In secret, you divide them into three poker hands:
Hand
Cards
Must be
Back (bottom)
5
Your strongest hand
Middle
5
Weaker than the back
Front (top)
3
Weaker than the middle
When this order breaks — say your middle hand has two pair but your back only has one pair — the arrangement is fouled and loses to every other player.
Which poker hands rank highest in pusoy?
From strongest to weakest:
Straight flush
Four of a kind
Full house
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Two pair
One pair
High card
The 3-card front can only be three of a kind, one pair or high card. Straights and flushes don't count in a three-card hand.
How are points counted in pusoy?
Hands are compared position by position: back against back, middle against middle, front against front, with each opponent separately. Win a matchup and you gain 1 point; lose and you give up 1.
Many tables add extras, like a bonus for beating one opponent in all three hands or for special arrangements. These house rules vary from table to table, so open the rules screen before you sit down.
How do you set a pusoy hand without fouling?
Work from the back. Build your best 5-card hand first, then the middle, and leave the front for last.
Double-check the order before you confirm. Most online fouls happen in a rush when the timer runs low.
Balance often beats one big hand. Three decent hands can win more matchups than a monster back with two weak hands above it.
Don't confuse it with Pusoy Dos. Pusoy Dos is a shedding game where you try to empty your hand — completely different rules.
Play pusoy for money only on PAGCOR-licensed platforms confirmed in the Legit Check. For another skill-based Filipino favorite, see our tongits rules guide.
🐾 Wagi rule: Decide your session budget in the Budget Planner before you open any game — and when it's spent, log out. No reloads, no "isa pa". Free 24/7 helpline: (02) 8248-9568.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pusoy and Pusoy Dos?
Pusoy is Chinese poker: you arrange 13 cards into three poker hands and compare them with other players. Pusoy Dos is a shedding game where players take turns playing card combinations and try to be first to run out of cards.
What is a foul in pusoy?
A foul happens when your three hands are out of order — the back is not stronger than the middle, or the middle is not stronger than the front. A fouled arrangement automatically loses against every opponent.
Can the front hand in pusoy be a straight or flush?
No. The front hand has only three cards, so it can only be three of a kind, a pair, or high card. Straights and flushes need five cards.
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