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Download on Google Play- 2-10 players with a standard 52-card deck.
- Post small blind and big blind.
- Deal 3 hole cards face-down to each player.
- Pre-flop betting round.
- Discard 1 hole card (before flop in standard, after flop in Crazy).
- Flop, turn, and river with betting rounds as in Hold'em.
- Standard poker hand rankings apply.
- Best five-card hand wins the pot.
Rules
Pineapple is a Hold'em variant where each player receives three hole cards instead of two and must discard one before the flop (or after, depending on the variant). The extra card creates stronger starting hands and more action while keeping the familiar community card structure of Hold'em.
Objective
Make the best five-card poker hand using one or two of your remaining hole cards combined with the five community cards, after discarding one of your three initial hole cards.
Setup
- Players: 2 to 10 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Blinds: Small blind and big blind are posted as in Hold'em.
- Deal: Each player receives 3 cards face-down.
Gameplay
- Pre-flop: Players look at their three hole cards and a betting round occurs.
- Discard: In standard Pineapple, each player discards one card before the flop is dealt. In Crazy Pineapple, the discard happens after the flop betting round.
- Flop, Turn, River: Community cards are dealt and betting rounds proceed exactly as in Texas Hold'em.
- Showdown: The best five-card hand wins using standard Hold'em rules (any combination of hole cards and community cards).
Scoring
- Hand rankings: Standard poker hand rankings apply.
- Card usage: After discarding, remaining hole cards function exactly as in Hold'em.
- Pot: The best five-card hand at showdown wins the pot.
Variations
- Crazy Pineapple: Players keep all three hole cards until after the flop betting round before discarding one, creating even more action.
- Lazy Pineapple (Tahoe): Players keep all three hole cards until showdown but may only use two.
- Open-Face Chinese Pineapple: A completely different game where players arrange cards into three hands on a board.
Tips and Strategies
- Having three hole cards means more hands connect with the flop — adjust your expectations for opponents' hand strength upward.
- In Crazy Pineapple, the extra information from seeing the flop before discarding makes for more informed decisions.
- Premium starting hands are more common with three cards, so raise more aggressively with top-tier holdings.
Tips & Strategy
The third card dramatically increases starting hand quality, so expect bigger hands at showdown than in regular Hold'em. Choose which card to discard based on community card potential.
Because starting hands are stronger, position and post-flop play become even more important. Players flop big hands more frequently, so be cautious with marginal holdings.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The name 'Pineapple' is believed to come from the game's tropical, fun-loving reputation as a wilder alternative to straight Hold'em.
In Crazy Pineapple, at what point during the hand must players discard their third hole card?
History & Culture
Pineapple emerged as a home game variant in the 1980s and gained structured casino play in the 2000s, particularly popular in Asian poker rooms.
Pineapple variants have become popular in casual home games and online poker rooms as a refreshing alternative to standard Hold'em.
Variations & House Rules
Crazy Pineapple delays the discard until after the flop for more information, while Lazy Pineapple lets players keep all three cards until showdown but still only use two.
Try Crazy Pineapple Hi-Lo for a split-pot variant that combines the extra card excitement with high-low strategy.
