How to play
Crazy Pineapple is the wilder cousin of Pineapple. You get three hole cards, but you keep all three until after the flop, so you see three community cards before deciding which card to throw away. Here you sit at a no-limit cash table with one to five computer opponents. Everyone starts with 1,000 chips, the blinds are 5 and 10, and a fresh 52-card deck is shuffled for every hand.
- Three hole cards. Everyone gets three cards face down; the button (D) moves each hand and the two players to its left post the blinds.
- Bet before the flop and on the flop with all three cards: fold, check, call, or bet and raise any amount.
- Discard one after the flop betting. Everyone still in the hand, including all-in players, throws away one card face down, in turn from the left of the button. Tap a card and press Discard.
- Turn and river. The last two community cards follow with a betting round after each. Your hand is the best five from your two remaining cards and the five on the table.
Side pots, the uncalled bet and split pots work as in Hold’em. When an opponent runs out of chips, a new player takes the seat with 1,000 chips; if you run out, you can get 1,000 free credits at a new table. Your table is saved between visits.
Strategy
The flop decides your hand. With three cards, you hit the flop more often than in Hold’em, and so does everyone else. A top pair that would be strong in Hold’em is only fair here.
Bet your draws carefully. On the flop you still hold three cards, so you might have two draws at once. After the discard you’ll keep only one of them; count what you can really end up with.
Discard with the board in mind. Keep the two cards that make your best hand or your best draw with the flop. A made set beats a flush draw; a flush draw with an overcard is usually worth more than a weak pair.
Expect strong hands at the showdown. Players choose their best two cards after seeing the flop, so two pair and sets come up often.
More poker. For the original version with the discard before the flop, play Pineapple. For four cards and two discards, try Irish Poker.
If you enjoy Crazy Pineapple, try Crown and Anchor or Darts Multiplier next.
