1
Royal Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10 in the same suit. The absolute best hand in Pusoy. Extremely rare in a 13-card deal but an automatic sweep if placed correctly.
Filipino card favourite
ttph Pusoy — The Filipino Card Game That Rewards Smart Hands and Sharper Thinking
From baryo nights to online tables, Pusoy has always been a Filipino classic. At ttph you can play the same 13-card game you grew up watching, now with a clean interface, Philippine peso stakes, and real competition against other players.
13-Card Hand
ttph Table
Back (5 cards — strongest)
Middle (5 cards)
Front (3 cards — weakest)
Classic Filipino game
Multiplayer tables
PHP peso stakes
21+ accounts only
The game Filipinos know by heart
What makes Pusoy the go-to card game in the Philippines
If you've ever visited a Filipino household on a long weekend, chances are Pusoy was already on the table. The game has been passed down from titas and lolos who played it after Sunday lunch, and it's one of those card games where reading your opponents matters just as much as the cards you're holding.
Pusoy — sometimes called Filipino Poker or Chinese Poker locally — gives each player 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck. Your job is to divide those 13 cards into three separate hands: a back hand of five cards, a middle hand of five cards, and a front hand of three cards. The back must be stronger than the middle, and the middle must be stronger than the front. If you arrange them in the wrong order, that's called a foul, and it usually means an automatic loss against every opponent at the ttph table.
At the end of the round, all players reveal their three hands. You compare each position with every other player at the table, one-on-one. Winning two out of three hands against someone earns you a unit from them. Winning all three is a sweep and often carries a bonus multiplier at ttph. The player who sweeps all hands against all opponents in a round is having a very good night indeed.
What makes Pusoy genuinely interesting is that good cards alone do not guarantee a win. You can hold a full house and still lose if you arrange your hands poorly. Knowing how to distribute your strength across back, middle, and front — and guessing which positions your opponents are building their strongest hands in — is what separates casual players from confident ones.
Quick game facts
- Played with a standard 52-card deck
- 2 to 4 players per table
- Each player receives 13 cards
- Cards split into three hands
- Back (5) must beat Middle (5) and Front (3)
- Comparison is one-on-one per hand
- Foul hands result in automatic loss
Rules and multipliers at ttph can vary by table. Read the specific table rules before joining so you understand how fouls, sweeps, and bonus hands are treated in that session.
Know your combinations
Pusoy hand rankings from strongest to weakest
Before you sit down at any ttph Pusoy table, memorise these eight combinations. The back and middle hands follow poker rankings. The front hand of three cards is ranked differently since flushes and straights are usually not counted in a three-card hand.
2
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards in the same suit, below Royal Flush. A strong back-hand choice that can let you build a decent middle with remaining cards.
3
Four of a Kind
Four matching rank cards plus any fifth. Dominates most back-hand matchups and is one of the combinations worth protecting during your arrangement.
4
Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair. Very common and reliable in the back hand. The three-card portion determines strength when two full houses meet at ttph.
5
Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Useful for the back or middle hand. Highest card determines the winner when two flushes face each other.
6
Straight
Five consecutive cards in mixed suits. Decent in the back hand and a solid middle-hand option when your cards do not support a flush or better.
7
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank. Commonly placed in the front hand of three cards, where it is the strongest possible combination for that position.
8
Pair and High Card
Pairs, two pairs, and high-card hands round out the rankings. Pairs in the front hand beat high cards; the highest pair wins among two front pairs.
| Hand position | Card count | Best possible combination | Note at ttph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back | 5 cards | Royal Flush | Must be the strongest of your three hands |
| Middle | 5 cards | Any five-card combo weaker than Back | Must be stronger than Front but weaker than Back |
| Front | 3 cards | Three of a Kind | Straights and flushes typically do not count here |
Step-by-step
How to play Pusoy at ttph
The interface makes Pusoy accessible even if you have only played the physical card version before. Follow these steps and you will be comfortable with the online flow at ttph in no time.
Sign in to ttph
Register a verified ttph account or log in to an existing one. Confirm that your profile is up to date and that you are using your own account.
Choose a Pusoy table
Browse available ttph tables, review the buy-in, player count, and any variant rules. Pick a limit that fits comfortably within your session budget.
Arrange your 13 cards
Drag or tap to place cards into Back, Middle, and Front. Double-check that the order is valid — strongest to weakest, back to front — before confirming your arrangement.
Compare and settle
All players reveal their hands. The ttph system compares each position one-on-one and credits or debits units based on the results of all three hands.
Most online Pusoy tables use a timer for the arrangement phase. Practice arranging your hands quickly so that time pressure does not force a poorly considered split. At ttph, a calm, deliberate arrangement usually produces better results than a rushed one.
Build smarter hands
Pusoy strategy tips for ttph players
Pusoy rewards players who can look at 13 cards and immediately spot two or three possible splits before choosing the best one. Here is how to develop that habit at ttph.
Think about all three hands together
The biggest mistake new players make is building the best possible back hand first and then fitting the leftovers into the middle and front. That approach often produces a dominant back hand alongside two very weak upper positions, which means you can win the back matchup and still lose the overall round on points.
Look at your 13 cards as a budget of strength. You want all three hands to be competitive or, at minimum, you want two strong positions plus a front hand that does not embarrass itself. A full house in the back, two pair in the middle, and a high pair in the front is often better than four of a kind in the back combined with two unconnected hands above it.
Protect against the foul
A foul means you arranged the hands in the wrong strength order — middle beats back, or front beats middle. At most ttph tables, a foul means you automatically lose all three positions to every opponent at the table. Always review your arrangement one final time before the confirmation timer runs out.
Read the board, not just your cards
In multiplayer Pusoy, you can sometimes infer what opponents are likely holding based on the cards you see in your own hand. If you have all four queens, no one else has a queen in any position. Knowing which ranks are concentrated in your hand gives clues about what other players at ttph can and cannot build.
When a sweep is worth chasing
Some ttph variants pay a bonus multiplier for sweeping all three positions against an opponent. If your cards are genuinely dominant — think four of a kind plus a full house — it may be worth sacrificing a strong front hand to push toward a sweep rather than playing conservatively. But do not fabricate a sweep opportunity out of marginal cards just because the bonus looks attractive.
Bankroll and the unit system
Pusoy uses a unit-based scoring system, and the swings can be bigger than they initially appear. Winning two out of three hands only earns one unit, but a full three-hand sweep typically earns multiple units in one shot. This means a player with good cards can shift the table balance dramatically in a single round. Keep your ttph stakes modest enough that a rough couple of rounds does not wipe out your entire session budget.
Arrangement habits that help
- Identify your best five-card combo first, then build around it.
- Aim for two competitive hands plus a survivable front.
- Review the validity order before confirming at ttph.
- Count which high cards appear multiple times in your hand.
- Consider splitting pairs if it strengthens two positions.
Things to avoid
- Arranging in a hurry without double-checking the order.
- Ignoring the middle and front entirely in favour of a back-hand monster.
- Chasing a sweep with a hand that does not support it.
- Assuming the same split works every session regardless of cards.
- Raising ttph stakes after a bad round hoping to recover quickly.
Table variants
Pusoy Dos and other variants at ttph
Alongside standard Pusoy, ttph may offer Pusoy Dos — a different game where the goal is to empty your hand by playing cards in ascending order. The two games share the same card deck and some hand rankings, but the gameplay is completely separate. Pusoy Dos is a turn-based shedding game, while standard Pusoy is a one-round comparison game.
Always check which variant you are entering before joining a ttph table. Pusoy Dos has its own rules around which combinations you can play, how special cards function, and what penalties apply. If you sit down expecting standard Pusoy and the table is running Pusoy Dos, the round will feel very different and your strategy will not transfer directly.
Some Pusoy tables at ttph include special bonuses for particularly strong arrangements, such as a dragon (13 cards in sequential order), six pairs, three flushes, or three straights. These are rare and not all tables recognise them as bonus hands. Look for this information in the table description before buying in.
Philippine payments
Fund your ttph Pusoy game in PHP
You can fund a ttph session through the payment methods currently displayed in the cashier, which may include GCash, Maya, GrabPay, Coins.ph, InstaPay or PESONet bank transfers, BDO, BPI, UnionBank, and eligible Visa or Mastercard cards.
Use a payment method registered in your own name. Before placing any amount, decide on a session budget that you are comfortable losing as entertainment. Pusoy unit swings can be significant, especially in multi-player rounds, so conservative buy-ins make more sense for players still learning the optimal arrangement patterns.
The full process for ttph deposits and withdrawals, including references, limits, and verification steps, is covered in the separate payment guide.
Deposit and Withdrawal guidePlay responsibly
Keep ttph Pusoy fun and in control
Pusoy is one of the most strategic card games in the Philippines, and that mental engagement is exactly what makes it enjoyable. But it is still a game involving real peso stakes, and the same responsible habits that apply to any form of gaming apply here too.
Set a session budget before you sit down at any ttph table. That budget should come only from money you can treat as entertainment spending — not rent, groceries, tuition, savings, medicine, or any essential bill. When the budget is gone, the session is over. This rule applies whether you are winning or losing.
Do not chase a lost unit by raising your next buy-in. One bad round of Pusoy where an opponent sweeps you does not mean the next round will go your way. The cards do not remember the last session. Decisions driven by the desire to recover losses quickly are usually decisions you will regret.
If the game stops being fun — if you find yourself anxious, secretive, or unable to step away — that is a signal to use one of the ttph responsible gaming tools. Deposit limits, session time controls, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options are available. Using them is a sign of good judgment, not weakness.
Only adults aged 21 and above should play at ttph. Never share your account details or let anyone else use your registered profile and payment method.
Responsible GamingResponsible player habits
- Decide your PHP budget before the first hand.
- Play only with your own account and money.
- Take breaks between sessions.
- Stop when the time or budget limit is reached.
- Never borrow money to play Pusoy at ttph.
When to take a break
- You are playing to recover previous losses.
- Play feels stressful rather than entertaining.
- You find it difficult to stop mid-session.
- Gaming is affecting sleep or daily responsibilities.
Common questions
ttph Pusoy FAQ
Quick answers to what new and returning Filipino players ask most often before joining a ttph Pusoy table.
Standard Pusoy is a comparison game where each player splits 13 cards into three hands and then reveals them simultaneously for a one-on-one comparison across all positions. Pusoy Dos is a shedding game where players take turns emptying their hands by playing valid combinations in ascending order. The names are related but the gameplay is entirely different. Check the table description at ttph before joining.
A foul occurs when your back hand is not stronger than your middle, or your middle is not stronger than your front. At most ttph Pusoy tables, a foul results in an automatic loss of all three positions against every other player in the round. Always review your arrangement carefully before the timer runs out.
In most standard Pusoy variants, the front hand of three cards only recognises high card, pair, and three of a kind. Straights and flushes are not counted. Some table variants may differ, so read the specific ttph table rules if you are unsure.
Open the ttph cashier after logging in and review the payment methods currently shown. Depending on your account status and availability, options may include GCash, Maya, GrabPay, Coins.ph, InstaPay or PESONet bank transfer, BDO, BPI, UnionBank, and eligible Visa or Mastercard cards. Use only an account or card in your own name.
A sweep means you win all three hand positions against one opponent in a single round. Many Pusoy variants — including versions at ttph — apply a multiplier or bonus to a sweep result. The exact value depends on the specific table rules, so confirm before buying in.
Not always. Building an extremely strong back hand with the leftover cards in a poor middle and weak front often means losing two positions for every one you win. A balanced split where all three hands are competitive is frequently better than concentrating all your best cards in one position at ttph.
Tara na, maglaro!
Ready to play Pusoy at ttph?
Create a ttph account to access Pusoy tables, or log in if you already have one. Set your budget before the cards are dealt and play the game the way it's meant to be — for the fun of it.