Introduction to Pineapple Poker
As we said, this game plays a bit like Texas Hold'em but with one notable alteration. This becomes clear at pre-flop where players are dealt three cards as opposed to the two in Hold'em. After checking over their cards, players will select one card they wish to discard before the first betting round begins.
Another thing to note is that in Pineapple, aces make only a standard regular pair. Plus, if you discard an ace, it increases the value of the hand. Also, in Lazy Pineapple Poker, the extra card can be held onto through all of the betting rounds and then discarded when the river is dealt.
Pineapple can be played fixed limit, pot limit, or no limit, and you can use as many or as few of your hole cards as you wish. At the end of the hand, the winner is the player who manages to create the best five-card poker hand.
The only real difference between Pineapple and Hold'em is that players are dealt three hole cards instead of two. Once you have lost the hole card you don't want, the game proceeds the same way as regular Texas Hold 'em.
Pineapple Poker Gameplay
The game of Pineapple Poker opens when the player sitting next to the dealer button posts a small blind, before the next player in turn posts the big blind. Each player is then dealt three cards, all of which are face down. These are the hole cards mentioned above and can also be referred to as pocket cards.
The same player left of the dealer, known as under the gun (UTG), gets the betting underway. Yet, in this betting round, the players know what they are holding, having discarded an unwanted card. Players check, raise or fold their way clockwise around the poker table until the game enters the flop phase.
The flop is where the dealer reveals the first three community cards face up in the middle of the table for all of the players to use. This precedes the second round of betting. It works similarly to the first, but players are now beginning to form their hands.
The next community card reveal is known as the turn and again another round of betting follows. After, gameplay reaches the river, where the final community card is dealt. One final betting round takes place. Assuming there are enough players still in the hand at this point, the game goes to showdown.
At showdown, all players still in the hand show their cards and the player with the strongest five-card poker hand is the winner. If there are two players with equal hands, the pot is split right down the middle.
Pineapple Poker Hands
- Royal Flush - The strongest hand in poker, consists of Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush - Made up of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank.
- Full House - A full house is a five-card hand made up of Three of a Kind plus a Pair.
- Flush - Five cards of the same suit.
- Straight - Five consecutive cards called a straight.
- Three of a Kind - A three of a kind is composed of three cards of the same rank.
- Two Pair - Two Pair hands are made up of two pairs.
- Pair - A Pair is a hand with of two cards of the same rank.
- High Card - If there are two players at showdown who do not have a pair or better, then the one with the highest card wins.
Where To Play Pineapple Poker
Pineapple Poker is easy to find at most online poker rooms. It is always important that you deposit and play at an online poker site that has been fully vetted by the appropriate authorities to ensure your online safety. But, other than that, you should not have any trouble finding some fast Pineapple Poker action right away.
