Crazy Pineapple is Hold'em where you hold three cards until the flop has been bet. Only then do you throw one away. Seeing the flop with three cards means you hit far more often, and the discard becomes a real decision instead of a formality.
How a hand plays
- Blinds. Small and big blind, as in Hold'em.
- Three cards each. Everyone gets 3 cards face down.
- Preflop betting. A normal round, starting left of the big blind.
- The flop. Three board cards, then a round of betting with all three of your cards still in hand.
- The discard. Everyone still in throws one card away face down, at the same time, leaving 2.
- Turn and river. One card each, with a round of betting after each.
- Showdown. Best five from your two and the five board cards, exactly like Hold'em.
The discard is where the skill is
You choose with the flop in front of you, so you can keep whatever fits it best. That isn't always the strongest hand right now.
Say you hold Q♥ J♥ 5♣ and the flop is J♣ 5♦ 2♥.
- Keep J♥ 5♣ for two pair, jacks and fives. Strong now, but it can only improve to a full house.
- Keep Q♥ J♥ for a pair of jacks with a queen kicker and a backdoor flush. Weaker now, more ways to improve.
Against one opponent, keep the two pair. Against several players on a wet board, think about what will still be good by the river.
Why hands run bigger
Everyone sees the flop with three cards, so everyone's best two are chosen with more information than in Hold'em or Pineapple. Expect:
- More two pair, sets and straights by the river.
- Draws that are more often real. A player who bet the flop and stayed on a flush board usually kept the flush cards.
- One pair hands that look good in Hold'em but lose here.
Tips
- Bet the flop when you have options. Three cards give you more ways to have something, and your opponents know it, so they call more.
- Count what you threw. The card you discarded can't come on the turn or river. If you threw a heart, there is one fewer heart left for your flush.
- Don't fall in love with a pair. If the betting gets big on the turn and river, one pair is rarely good.
Play it
Play Crazy Pineapple on Bink with friends in your browser, for chips. The host can also play it without betting before the flop: everyone antes and the flop comes straight away.