We all like OFC hands where we make a flush on the bottom, two pair in the middle, and a nice pair up top. Those hands happen, but much more commonly, we are scrapping to get a high card or are thrilled to make a pair of fives in the middle so that we don’t foul, unless the case ten pairs us up top. By the way, you can play OFC using this app.

When we initially set our first five cards, we are generally planning for the royalties. Am I going to go for the flush, full house, or straight on the bottom? Am I trying to make another royalty in the middle? Is there a chance to make flush-flush or flush-straight? Or should I set my hand to try to get a big pair up top for the royalty there? Royalties are important, but as we are planning in our heads, we need to have a backup plan of how to salvage a hand that doesn’t come together like we planned.

As we are all learning, Open Face Chinese Poker, or OFC, is an exceptionally complex game with a tremendous number of variables to take into account on every decision. For today, let’s assume we are playing heads-up standard scoring (1/6 and 2-4-6-8-10-20) and not playing Fantasyland. The backup plan I am referring to is what are we going to do to make the best out of a hand where we can’t make a royalty and don’t get a whole lot to work with. Often, this hand will look something like pair, pair, high card, or I have even scooped with ace-high on the bottom, ace-high in the middle, and jack-high up top.

Say you start with three spades suited on the bottom, but as the hand progresses, you keep pulling red cards and your opponent is plucking a spade almost every draw. You are to a point where you feel like you are unlikely to make your flush and need to start looking for ways to make the best of this hand. Here are some things to consider.

If you aren’t going to make a royalty, you need to analyze your opponent’s hand and identify the line where you are most likely to be able to beat him to avoid the scoop. The difference in getting scooped and losing two out of three is five points, worth more than a flush (four points) and huge in the overall scheme of the game.

If you are up against a guy who already has A-K-high up top, but only a pair of fours in the middle, you need to start working your hand to best his pair in the middle. You are looking to make a pair on the bottom of any size to big enough to let you make a pair in the middle that beats your opponent. You can then use the other slots in the top and bottom as dumping grounds to keep giving yourself a chance to beat his pair in the middle.

It doesn’t make a difference if you end up with six-high up top if you know there is almost no way you can beat your opponent up there anyway. The same is true for the bottom: if he has a flush and you are working with a pair, you only need to improve your hand just enough to allow you to make a qualifying hand on another line that is good enough to beat your opponent in that spot.

If you are working with big cards to begin with, you can often wait longer to go to your backup plan. Having three Broadway flush cards on the bottom lets you wait to retreat much longer than if you are working with a 5-6-7 bottom starting hand. Often, your high cards on the bottom can keep the hands in line just by being high, and if not, you know that if you pair any of them, you can create working hands on all lines.

A pair of eights in the middle is no problem if you have A-K-T-9 of diamonds on the bottom. If you have 3-4-5 on the bottom and a pair of eights in the middle, it puts you in bad shape, as you have to improve twice to make your hands work.

When I am dealt a hand that puts me with smaller cards on the bottom from the get-go, I am much more likely to go ahead and start making pairs and foregoing the royalty possibilities than I am with bigger cards.

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Court Harrington has worked on the business side of the poker industry in roles including tournament reporting for PocketFives, radio hosting for PokerRoad Radio, coaching for the WSOP Academy and privately, and a variety of behind-the-scenes responsibilities for poker media businesses. He also plays in cash games and tournaments. Harrington is currently doing consulting work and exploring business opportunities outside of the poker industry. You can contact him at Court@CourtHarrington.com.