Pineapple Poker Rules

The object of the game is to win the pot, either by holding the best five-card hand at showdown or by making a bet that no other player calls.

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. Hands are ranked according to the standard poker hand rankings. Suits have no rank.

Each player is dealt three hole cards and shall discard one of them at the point set by the version being played (Articles 3 to 5). A player then makes the best five-card hand from their two remaining hole cards and the five community cards, using both, one or neither hole card.

Between two and ten players may take part.

Pineapple games are mostly played in home games and at a small number of cardrooms. Because their rules are less standardised than Hold'em's, the dealer or host shall announce the version and the timing of the discard before play begins.

A dealer button marks the nominal dealer and moves one seat clockwise after each hand. The player to its left posts the small blind and the next player posts the big blind.

The dealer deals one card at a time face down to each player, starting with the small blind and moving clockwise, until every player has three hole cards.

A card is burned before each round of community cards. The flop (three cards), turn (one card) and river (one card) are dealt face up in the centre of the table.

There are four betting rounds: pre-flop, flop, turn and river. Before the flop, the player to the left of the big blind acts first. On every later round, the first active player to the left of the button acts first.

Players may check, bet, call, raise or fold as in Hold'em. The game may be played fixed-limit, pot-limit or no-limit; see betting structures.

In Pineapple, each player shall discard one hole card before the flop is dealt.

The discard is made after the pre-flop betting round is complete and before the flop is dealt. Only players still in the hand discard.

Variation. Some games require the discard immediately after the deal, before any pre-flop betting. This removes most of the difference from Hold'em, and the host shall say which timing applies.

From the flop onwards, every player holds two hole cards and the hand plays exactly as Hold'em.

In Crazy Pineapple, each player keeps all three hole cards through the pre-flop betting and sees the flop with three cards.

Each player still in the hand shall discard one hole card after the flop betting round is complete and before the turn is dealt.

Variation. In some games the discard is made as soon as the flop is dealt, before the flop betting. The host shall say which timing applies. Where nothing is stated, the discard follows the flop betting.

From the turn onwards, every player holds two hole cards and the hand plays exactly as Hold'em.

In Lazy Pineapple, each player keeps all three hole cards through every betting round and discards one only at the showdown, after the river betting is complete.

In effect, a player's hand is the best five-card combination from any two of their three hole cards and the five community cards. A player may not use all three hole cards.

At showdown a player shall table the two hole cards they are playing and discard the third, or table all three and let the dealer read the best hand that uses no more than two of them. Venues differ on which is required.

Because the name is used loosely, the host shall confirm before play that a player may use no more than two of their three hole cards.

Discards shall be made face down and pushed toward the dealer, who places them with the muck. A discarded card is dead and may not be retrieved.

Players should discard at the same time where practical, so that no player's decision is influenced by another's. Where this is impractical, players discard in turn, clockwise from the first active player to the left of the button.

A player shall not show or announce their discard to other players during the hand. A discard exposed by accident remains dead, and the hand continues.

A player who fails to discard at the required time holds a hand with the wrong number of cards. Most hosts rule that if this is noticed before the player acts on the next round, the player shall discard immediately, and if it is noticed at showdown, the hand is dead, except in Lazy Pineapple, where three cards at showdown are correct.

A player who discards the wrong card is bound by the discard. A card that has left the player's hand cannot be exchanged.

The order of showing, the principle that the cards speak, and the rules for kickers, ties, split pots, side pots and odd chips are as in Texas Hold'em.

In Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple, a player's hand at showdown shall consist of two hole cards. In Lazy Pineapple, it may consist of three hole cards, of which no more than two may be used.

Hi-lo versions. Pineapple games, Crazy Pineapple in particular, are often played high-low split, eight-or-better, especially in fixed-limit. The pot is divided between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand, as in Omaha Hi-Lo, except that a player may use any number of their remaining hole cards for either hand.