How to play Mậu Binh
Mậu Binh (also called Binh Xập Xám, or Vietnamese 13-card poker) is a family-table classic. Everyone gets 13 cards, splits them into three poker hands, and then every hand is compared with every other player’s, row by row.
The goal
Arrange your 13 cards into three rows so that each row beats as many opponents as possible:
| Row | Cards | What it can be |
|---|---|---|
| Back (chi 1) | 5 | Your strongest poker hand |
| Middle (chi 2) | 5 | A poker hand no stronger than the back |
| Front (chi 3) | 3 | High card, a pair or three of a kind (no straights or flushes) |
The one rule you can’t break: the back must be at least as strong as the middle, and the middle at least as strong as the front. A hand that breaks this order is a foul (binh lủng) and loses every row to everyone.
Hand rankings
Rows use ordinary poker rankings, highest first:
- Straight flush (thùng phá sảnh): five in a row, same suit
- Four of a kind (tứ quý)
- Full house (cù lũ): three of a kind plus a pair
- Flush (thùng): five of the same suit
- Straight (sảnh): five in a row
- Three of a kind (sám cô)
- Two pair (thú)
- One pair (đôi)
- High card (mậu thầu)
How a round is scored
- Everyone arranges their rows within the time limit, then all hands are revealed.
- You compare your back with each opponent’s back, your middle with their middle, and your front with their front.
- Each row you win against a player is +1; each row you lose is −1. Ties score nothing.
- Sweep (sập ba chi): beat someone in all three rows and you earn an extra bonus from them.
- Bonus hands: strong hands in the right row pay extra, for example three of a kind in the front, a full house in the middle, or four of a kind or a straight flush in the middle or back. The exact amounts are part of each table’s rules.
Instant wins (Mậu Binh hands)
Some 13-card hands win outright, before any rows are compared:
- Sảnh Rồng (dragon): a 13-card straight, 2 through Ace
- Đồng Hoa: all 13 cards the same colour
- Lục Phé Bôn: six pairs plus one card
- 5 Đôi 1 Sám: five pairs plus three of a kind
- Ba Thùng / Ba Sảnh: three flushes, or three straights, across the rows
Modes on FaceOff
- Points: everyone plays against everyone; points add up over the session.
- Banker: one player is the banker and everyone else plays against the bank, with bets.
- Duel: head-to-head, two of the four hands dealt.
Mau Lên!: the daily challenge
Every day at noon FaceOff deals the same five Mậu Binh hands to everyone. Arrange them as well as you can, see your score, and compare with friends. Each day’s deck has its own art and a short story from Vietnamese culture.
Tips for new players
- Build the back first, then the middle, then the front: it keeps you from fouling.
- A pair in the front is often worth more than a slightly better middle.
- Don’t chase a sweep if it risks a foul; a foul loses everything.