Crazy Pineapple Poker online 2023

Crazy Pineapple Poker is very easy to learn how to play

The game of Crazy Pineapple Poker or Pineapple Poker or simply Pineapple Hold’em is very easy to learn how to play. The game is very similar to that of Texas Hold’em Poker except for one major variation. Just as in Texas Hold’em, you are dealt hole cards, to begin with, and there are five community cards used to create your best poker hand.
The major difference is that in Crazy Pineapple Poker, you are dealt three-hole cards, to begin with, and you must discard one of your hole cards after the flop in Crazy Pineapple Poker and before the flop in standard Pineapple Poker. While this rule may seem very simple and the concept very basic, this factor gives Pineapple Poker an interesting and unique flavor, that provides an added excitement missing in Texas Hold’em.

Starting with three cards in Crazy Pineapple Poker as opposed to 2 in Texas Hold’em gives the player more options with their starting hand as well as improves the quality of their starting hand. An extra card on the deal increases the chance for more completed flushes and straights. An ace-jack offsuit is a great starting hand in Texas Hold-em poker, but that hand will hardly ever take the money in Crazy Pineapple Poker. Learn How to Play Crazy Pineapple Poker online today and make more fun out of your poker life.
Open Face Chinese Poker is another variation, or sometimes even the same game of poker as Crazy Pineapple.

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Crazy Pineapple Poker Rules

The rules of Crazy Pineapple Poker are similar to regular Hold’em except
1. The player is initially dealt one extra hole card, and
2. You must discard one of your hole cards after the flop in Crazy Pineapple Poker and before the flop in Pineapple Poker or Pineapple Hold’em

Betting

The game starts precisely like Texas Hold’em. The two players to the left post the small and large blind and the other players follow suit with their antes. Players are now dealt with three (3) hole cards, and another round of betting takes place.
* If you were playing standard Pineapple Hold’em, you would discard one of your three-hole cards at this point. Most online poker rooms that offer Pineapple Poker offer the Crazy Pineapple Poker version so we will discuss the strategies associated with that game here.

The Flop

After the first round of betting is complete, just as in Texas Hold’em, the dealer turns over three cards known as the flop. The rule in Crazy Pineapple Poker states that you must discard one of your three-hole cards A Crazy Pineapple Poker player must make a critical decision for future play at this stage in the game. You must be able to analyze your hand and determine its value in relation to the other hands you observe and then make the necessary discard.
Now while this may seem like a quite easy task, to take out the least favorable card, there are several different factors you should consider before discarding. If you had an Ad Kc 10d hand, for instance, you might think the easy answer is to drop the 10d and leave yourself with the Ace-King offsuit. But if a number of people take the turn, you would try for a flush draw and discard the King. We have a more in-depth look at strategies for discarding at Pineapple Poker in the next chapter; Crazy Pineapple Poker Strategies.

The Turn

As in Texas Hold’em, the dealer flips over the turn card, and another round of betting takes place.

The River

The dealer turns over the final card called the river, and the last round of betting takes place. The person with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot.

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Discarding in Crazy Pineapple Poker

Remember, in Crazy Pineapple Poker, you discard one of your original three-hole cards after you see the flop. For the most part, this does not pose much of a problem to the player.
For instance, if you are dealt an Ah, Kh, 3d, you will naturally discard the 3d. Some typical problem hands arise in Crazy Pineapple Poker, however. By carefully analyzing these hands and the reasons for discarding, you will soon learn the basic strategies of Pineapple Poker discarding.
The more you know about the basic odds involved in poker, the better you will be at deciding to discard.
– When you hold a pair the odds against flopping a set (three cards of the same rank) is 7.5 to 1 or twice every 17 flops. – When you hold a flush draw, you will flop two of the same suits about the same ratio, 7.5 to 1. Remember that this is not a completed hand, though. After you flop the flush draw, it is about 2 to 1 against making a flush.
The key to remember is: It is as easy to flop a set as it is a flush draw, so you would generally wish to play the pair over the suited cards.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some hands problem hands that arise in Pineapple Poker and the respective strategy for discarding.

1. Ah, 3h, 3s

Using our basic strategy, you would naturally discard the Ace and play the pair of threes. But in a jammed pot (a pot where almost everyone is in hand) and you sense there might be another couple of people with pairs higher than you, go with the A-3 suited to give yourself a chance at a nut flush draw.

2. As, Kh, 10s

In this example, you would go with the Ace-King offsuit if only a few people take the turn, but if several people take the turn, go with the flush draw. The reason is that in a game with a few players, your Ace-King offsuit will hold up more often, but with more players in you want to give yourself a draw at a bigger hand. This is especially true in a jammed pot where you could be up against other Aces and Kings.

3. As, Kh, 5s

Same situation here as an example #2. If there aren’t many people taking the turn, go with the Ace-King offsuit, but in a jammed pot, play the Ace-5 suited. Note that with the Ace-King off suit, one of them will flop about a third of the time, but in Pineapple the lone Ace or King flop won’t hold up as often as in Texas Holdem.

4. Ah, 10h, 10s

You would usually go with the pair of tens unless you were sure that you were up against a higher pair. In that case, you would play the Ah, 10h. If you play the pair of tens and discard the Ace, your tens will have more value and also gives you more information about the hand no one else has.

5. Jd, 10h, 8c

You would generally play the Jack-ten off suited here, but after the flop, there’s a chance that you will need to pick up an eight to make a straight. Since you already discarded an eight, your chances of picking one up to have dropped considerably. This example was meant to show you the danger of drawing to your discard. Try not to start hands where you need the very card that you just threw away.

6. 10d, 8c, 7d

Here is another variation of the prior scenario we just discussed. You would generally play the 10-eight off suit rather than the 10-seven suited because with the 10-eight, you will not get trapped drawing to a dead hand. With the 10-seven draw, you may get a flush draw against a higher flush draw (which is a very common happening in Pineapple). Drawing dead means that if you hit the hand, you are drawing for, that someone else has a better hand.

7. Ad, Ah, Qd

Let’s say the flop is Kd, 10h, 2d. You can either discard the Qd, and you’re left with the pair of Aces high, or you can discard the Ah and have a shot at the nut flush. In this situation, you will need to analyze the other players on the table and the events that have transpired. If you raised to the flop and were re-raised by another player, it is probably best to discard the Ah and play for the nut flush. If there was not much action before the flop, then you probably have the highest hand, and you should play out. Keep an eye out for a player who might have flopped a set though.
I hope these examples help you start to see the basic strategy in Crazy Pineapple Poker. While the extra hole card you receive in this game may not seem like a big difference from Texas Holdem, I think you are beginning to see the more significant number of options. That is why I believe if you master Crazy Pineapple Poker, you will be an even better player at the Texas Holdem Tables too.

Crazy Pineapple Poker Tips

As you have seen, the extra hole card in Crazy Pineapple Poker creates an added twist of complexity to the basic Hold’em strategy.
Let’s take a more in-depth look into some tips to help your game when playing Crazy Pineapple Poker.

1. Very Important Tip: Any hand that you discard and Ace from increases the value of your hand.

Example: You may have a pair of Kings and an Ace. In a jammed pot, there is a good chance you have the top pair with the Kings. If you discard the Ace, you narrow down the playing field. Even if you are up against the Aces, you have a better chance of hitting your set than the Aces because you just discarded one.

2. Aces are not as big a hand in Crazy Pineapple Poker as in Texas Hold’em

This is one of the most critical points in Pineapple. If we get an Ace in the hole in Texas Hold’em, we are ready to raise and take the pot. Be careful with Aces in Pineapple Poker. Do not put as much value to the Aces as you might do in Texas Poker Hold’em. In Pineapple Poker, Aces are merely just another pair. That’s why, if you don’t give them some help, you will not win that much with aces. While you have a good chance of making the set, more often than not, instead someone else will have a higher chance at a flush.

3. In Pineapple poker, every player will have some sort of flush draw almost every time and in every suit.

Opposite in Texas Hold’em Poker flushes are very rare, but in Pineapple poker, in a pot where four or more people take the flop, and a flush draw hits, there is a great chance that someone will be drawing to it.

4. A King-Queen offsuit is a good hand in regular Hold’em

But Pineapple players know that this hand will rarely take the pot.
There are many more jammed pots before the flop in Pineapple Poker. This makes sense obviously because, with three-hole cards, you see many more playing options. The key to winning consistently over time in Pineapple is to win a fair share of these jammed pots. Let’s read more about the jammed pot strategy in Crazy Pineapple Poker.

Jammed Pot Strategy in Crazy Pineapple Poker

There is a lot of money to be made in a jammed pot in Crazy Pineapple Poker. Again, there are usually much higher hands going into the flop than in regular Hold’em, and as a result, more players will want to bet to see that flop. For example, in a €2-€4 limit game, it can cost you €10 to see the flop. (A bet and four raises). If eight people take the flop, your pot is already up to €80 before this discard. To become a steady Pineapple player, you need to win a consistent number of these jammed pots. Let’s look at some common hands and what you should consider in a jammed pot.

Big Suited Draw

When you are facing a jammed pot going into the flop in Crazy Pineapple, your big suited cards now hold more value than before. If you hold a Queen-Jack suited and you’re probably up against some Ace’s and Kings, you have the nut flush draw opportunity along with a straight possibility. And you could always flop a set if the board shows two more Queens or Jacks. You know somebody else has the Aces and King’s otherwise, you would have held onto it and discarded the Jack.

Pairs

With a jammed pot in Pineapple, pairs can give you a good chance at taking the pot. The chances are not great, but give your pairs a chance, and you might be lucky. You are going to need some help.

Say you were dealt a 9h, 9d, 3c. You should bet up until the flop to get a better idea of what is out there. After the flop, you would naturally discard the 3c. Now if it looks like you may still have the lead hand by turning the set on the turn, you should see the next card for the minimum bet or bet and then raise. Pairs, no matter how small, can still give you a decent chance at pulling out a jammed pot. You will need help to complete the hand though, so make a note.
When you discard out to make a big pair in a jammed pot, you should place some raises in the later rounds even if you are not able to hit the set right away. This will get rid of some of the lower pairs that are just trying to catch a cheap ride to the later rounds as well as keep you in a good position to hit your set. Even if one of the small pairs hits their set on the turn, you can hit your set and come out ahead. They would be drawing dead at this point.

KK or QQ with Backdoor Flush Draw

These are some of the better hands you can have in Pineapple in a jammed pot. It is 17 to 1 against backdooring the flush. Plus, you could hit your set on the turn. When you draw these types of hands play aggressively and raise your opponents. Try and narrow the field down, so you have a better chance of taking the jammed pot. These hands are a great time to do that. If you sit and call all day, it will be hard to win these pots consistently. Remember though; the necessary discarding strategy must be made to get to this stage.
Now is an excellent time to look at some dangerous hands that can pose some troubles in a jammed pot in Pineapple.

Trouble Hands in Crazy Pineapple Poker

Below are some hands that can give you some trouble in Pineapple after the discard. In other words, you will have to analyze the flop very carefully, but more times than not, these hands are going to lead to some trouble if you discard and are left with these hands.

Top Pair

Top Pairs are not necessarily a trouble hand, but one I want you to double-check. Top Pairs can be tricky hands to play in Pineapple because it is likely that one of your opponents may be playing a pair as well. It is not uncommon to see a completed set in Pineapple, so play any pair conservatively.

For example, you hold an Ac, Ad, 3h, and the flop comes Kh, Ks, 9c, and one of your opponent’s raise, it may be correct to check and see what comes next. They might have the third King, but you could still flop an Ace. Just be careful on these hands as sets are not uncommon in Pineapple.

Ace-King off suit

Regular Texas Hold’em players will typically overvalue this card when they play Pineapple. This is not a bad hand in Pineapple, but it can lead to getting trapped more times than not. Remember in a jammed pot, you’re probably looking at Aces and Kings in the pocket, and the Ace-King offsuit will have some trouble outrunning those pairs. Also, keep in mind that straights are much more common in Pineapple, so your Ace-King offsuit can be easily beaten by a straight. This hand is not bad in Pineapple, but it is not worth spending a lot of money on.

Ace-Queen offsuit

The Ace-Queen offsuit has all the same traps as the Ace-King off suit with the added challenge of going up against an Ace-King off suit from time to time. If an Ace hits the flop, someone has a good chance at picking up the set. If a Queen hits the table, you’re probably up against an Ace or King pair.

So, if you were dealt the Ad, Qh, 5c, you would naturally discard the 5c after the flop. All I’m saying is, don’t expect much with an Ace-Queen offsuit, as many times in Pineapple, you will lose this hand. If anything throws a little money in and see if you might have a chance, but don’t spend much.

Three to a Suit

Take note: any hand you have to draw the card you discarded, is not worth very much.

If you are dealt three to a suit in Pineapple, you must discard one of those after you see the flop. When you see the flop, and you have a chance for a flush, remember you are now getting rid of one of the cards that can help you get that flush.

For example, say you were dealt Qh, 10h, 5h, and the flop comes 6h, 2h, Ac. You have to get rid of one of your hole cards, so you discard the 5h. At this point, you’re going for the flush draw, but you just discarded one of the cards that can help you attain this, thus reducing your chances at a flush draw. Again, any hand you have to draw the card you discarded to win, is not worth very much. The chances of you flopping a flush are 11% with all the cards potentially live. Why try and draw to a hand that you have just eliminated one of those cards?

If you grasped the concepts in these pages, you are more than ready to start playing Crazy Pineapple Poker.

High – Low Pineapple Poker, Crazy Pineapple Poker 8/b

This game adds even more excitement to your Crazy Pineapple Poker game. This game is played exactly like Crazy Pineapple Poker, except the pot can now be split between the highest and lowest hands.

The 8/b refers to the lowest hand at the table. If there is a low hand at the table, it must consist of cards valued at eight or lower. Straights and flushes do not count against you in Pineapple 8/b; we are only looking at the lowest hand numerically speaking. If multiple players have five cards lower than 8, the player with the lowest high card then will win the low hand and split the pot with the high hand. The lowest (best) hand possible in this game is: A, 2, 3, 4, 5
This is the hand for winning low hands. Remember though, in Pineapple 8/b you win the pot with the highest or lowest hand. Since straights and flushes do not count against your low hand, you might be playing for both. If you had an Ac, 2d and the board flopped 3c, 5c, 7c, Jc, 10h, you would have a fair chance at the lowest hand with the Ac, 2d, 3c, 5c, 7c as well as a nice flush draw with the Ac, 3c, 5c, 7c, Jc.

Many poker players love Crazy Pineapple 8/b poker because the game offers much more action and the pots can multiply like crazy. There are just so many more outs for players, especially if they are dealt with some low cards. Pineapple 8b is highly recommended for anyone who loves a little twist in action.

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