Crazy Pineapple Poker ​- How to Play, Rules & Strategy

Introduction

Are you tired of playing the same old game of Texas Holdem? Shake things up with Crazy Pineapple! The game is similar to Holdem but comes with a twist.

If you want to learn about Crazy Pineapple, this article is for you. We’ll cover everything from gameplay and rules to strategy so you can be a Crazy Pineapple pro in no time.

What is Crazy Pineapple Poker

It is a variation of classic Texas Holdem. The only difference is, instead of 2, each player gets 3 hole cards. After betting in the flop round, you will discard 1 card from your hole card and play the rest of the rounds with the remaining 2 cards.

The game comes with another variation called Pineapple, where you discard the 3rd card before the flop.

Types of Crazy Pineapple Poker

1. Regular Pineapple - In this variant of pineapple poker, one hole card out of 3 must be discarded before the first round of betting.
2. Crazy Pineapple - In Crazy Pineapple poker, players discard one hole card after betting in the flop round. This is the most popular variant of pineapple poker played worldwide.
3. Lazy Pineapple - In this variant of pineapple poker, players can discard one hole card at the showdown.

Crazy Pineapple Poker Rules

Here are some basic rules of Crazy Pineapple:

• Like Texas Holdem and other popular poker games, you will also use a deck of 52 cards to play the game.
• You need a minimum of 2 players to play.
• Each player gets 3 cards called hole cards at the beginning.
• Like other poker games, the player sitting left to the dealer puts blinds.
• After betting in Flop, you must discard one out of 3 hole cards.
• You can play Crazy Pineapple with a limit, pot limit, or no-limit betting structure.

How to Play Crazy Pineapple Poker

Here’s how you can play Crazy Pineapple:

• The game begins by deciding the dealer. The player with the highest card usually becomes the dealer, and the position keeps passing to other players. The dealer shuffles the cards and distributes 3 cards each to players, called hole cards.
• Next, the player sitting immediately left of the dealer puts in a small blind, and the player sitting immediately left of the small blind puts in a big blind. The blinds are pre-determined before the game begins.
• It is important to note that the player sitting left to big blinds gets the following actions:
  
  Fold: They can quit or fold if their card is weak.
  Call: Calling means matching the previous bets.
  Raise: This action means the player can increase the value of the pot.
  
  The game continues until every player has called or folded the recent bet.

Crazy Pineapple Poker Starting Hands

The starting hands help you strategise your gameplay. Here are some tips on what cards you should look for:

• Three of a Kind: If you have received Three of a Kind as hole cards, you must be careful as your chance of making a Full house or improving your hand has reduced. 
• Suited Hands: Suited hands are any two cards of the same suit. These cards are also tricky, as you may have to discard one after the Flop.
• Connected Cards: A hand with cards of consecutive values is called a connected card.  They can help you make a strong hand.
• Strong Pair and suited connected cards: You can combine a pair with 2 suited or connected cards and make a powerful hand.

Stages in the game

Pre Flop

Once both blinds have been placed, the pre-flop occurs. In this round, each player gets 3 hole cards. Based on their cards, the player decides to call, bet, or raise. The game begins with the person sitting immediately left of the big blind.

The flop

In this round, 3 community cards are revealed. With the help of 3 community cards and 3 hole cards, the player tries to make the best hand possible.

The Turn

After betting in the Flop, the player discards 1 hole card. The dealer also deals with 1 more community card. 

The River

After the Turn, the dealer reveals 1 more and the final community card. Once the betting is over, the player makes the best hand possible with the help of 2 hole and 5 community cards.

Showdown

Similar to Texas Holdem, the betting round ends after the river. The players reveal their best hand, and the person with the best combination wins.

Pot Limits

As mentioned above, in Crazy Pineapple, you can play in different formats, such as no limit and pot limit. The size of the pot determines the maximum bet in the pot limit.

High-Low Split

High-Low Splits adds additional thrill to Crazy Pineapple. After the final round of betting, the player will use a combination of five cards to determine their best high and qualifying low hand. The rule is the qualifying low hand must be less than 8. The player who wins the hand must show both hole cards, and the best 5 high and 5 low cards divide the pot. The high hand wins the entire pot if there is no low hand.

Pineapple Poker Strategy

Before we start with the strategy, it is important to remember that Crazy Pineapple is different from Texas Holdem; hence, the strategy you used in Texas Holdem won’t work here.

• As we know, after betting in the Flop, you have to discard one of your hold cards. It is advisable to choose that card wisely. Always keep those cards that can help you make the strongest hand.
• Focus on high pairs, combine Aces, and connected suited cards like QJ of hearts.
• Always strategise and know when to Bet, Raise, and Fold.
• Some variations also allow high-low split. If you are a beginner and don’t understand the gameplay of high-low, then focus on first making the best five-card hand.
• Lastly, always observe your opponents. Keep an eye on which card they are discarding. This may give you a clue about the strength of their hands.

Pineapple Poker vs. Texas Hold’em

• The primary difference between Pineapple Poker and Texas Holdem is the number of hole cards. In Crazy Pineapple, three whole cards are dealt, whereas in Texas Holdem, two holes are dealt.
• Out of those 3 hole cards, players have to discard 1 card after betting in the Flop round. Players don’t have to discard any card in Texas Holdem.
• With 2 hole cards, it is easy to analyse the starting hands in Texas Holdem, where 3 hole cards make it quite complicated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get three pairs in Crazy Pineapple?

Yes, you can get three pairs in a Flop round. However, you cannot win with it, as you will discard one card from the 3 you have.

Is Crazy Pineapple and Pineapple Poker the same?

They are similar but not identical. You discard your card after the Flop in Crazy Pineapple, whereas you discard it before the Flop.

How to win in Crazy Pineapple?

Similar to Texas Holdem, you win by making the best 5-card hand. The only difference is you discard one hole card after Flop.

Conclusion

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Crazy Pineapple, it’s time for you to start playing and mastering your game! 

You can log in and play at Adda52.com, as it is the first online poker site to launch this poker variant in India. The platform offers other variants, too, such as Pot Limit and Texas Holdem.