Pineapple open face chinese poker
Contents: Gameplay | Dead Hand | Fantasy | Confirmation | Turn | Scoring | Bonuses | Hand Comparison | Connection Protection | FAQ
Our virtual PokerMatch poker room is committed to offering players exciting non-standard variations of the classic card game, such as Pineapple Chinese Poker. This game falls into the category of incomplete information games. Each round includes two or three players. The deck consists of 52 cards ranked from two to ace. 
Starting Pineapple Chinese Poker
During the hand, each player must arrange three separate rows (boxes). The top box holds three cards, the middle and bottom boxes each hold five. These hands must be arranged so that the top row is the weakest, the middle is stronger, and the bottom is the strongest of all. It’s allowed for the rows to end up being equal in strength. 
Players take turns placing cards. The first Pineapple Poker player receives 5 cards and places them into the 3 boxes as they choose. Once the first player finishes, the next one does the same — receiving 5 cards and placing them accordingly. This completes the first street (a round in which each player takes a turn). The second phase begins with all players drawing up to 13 cards in total. From each set of 3 cards dealt, they must discard one and place the remaining two in the designated boxes. The full gameplay consists of 5 streets. In total, 13 cards are arranged: the first street gives 5, and the next 4 give 2 cards each.
One strict rule: once a street is complete, no changes can be made to the placed cards. Discarded cards remain hidden.
The Concept of a "Dead Hand"
If a player fails to build a valid scoring hand, their hand is considered a “Dead Hand”. That’s how the rules work in Chinese Poker. For example, this will happen if the top box contains a stronger hand than the middle one. In this case, the player receives no bonuses.
"Fantasy" Mode in Pineapple Poker
In Pineapple Chinese Poker, there is a special mode called “Fantasy”. A player enters Fantasy if they manage to place a pair of Queens or higher in the top box — and only if they avoid a dead hand. Here’s how it works:
- The next round is played as a single hand;
- Player order remains the same as the previous round. The dealer button stays in place;
- Each Fantasy-mode player receives 14 cards at once. They must arrange 13 of them across the three boxes and discard one. Opponents cannot see the card selection process — they’ll see the result only after the Fantasy player finishes placing cards. If multiple players qualify for Fantasy, they place their hands simultaneously. The rest of the players continue in the normal mode;
- Players who haven’t reached Fantasy receive their cards in the regular way, but they must also place them blind (without seeing Fantasy players’ actions);
- This special mode can be repeated during the game. To re-enter Fantasy, a qualifying hand must be made again.
There are two ways Fantasy can be repeated. The first is the classic version: if a player in Fantasy places a set in the top box and Four of a Kind or better in the bottom, they qualify for another Fantasy round. The hand must not be dead. The second option is called the “infinite” Fantasy. A player can enter Fantasy again (and again) if they place a set in the top box, at least a Full House in the middle, and Four of a Kind or better in the bottom. The dead hand rule still applies in both cases.
Confirmation
When there are already two participants at the virtual table, each of them must confirm that they are ready to play. Without this confirmation, the round will not begin. In our poker room, readiness is confirmed through a dialog box. At this stage, you need to click the button labeled "Bet". By doing so, you confirm that you have made the required deposit and are ready to proceed.
Turn Time
During the game, each player has an equal amount of time to place their cards across the rows. The standard time limit is 2 minutes. You will see a countdown when the first street begins. After the main time runs out, a "time bank" is activated, giving you an additional 3 minutes. If a player doesn’t complete their move in time, the system will automatically place the cards as follows:
- The cards will be arranged in the order they were dealt — first into the bottom row, then the middle, and lastly the top.
- From the second street onward, the first two cards are placed, and the third is discarded.
If the player loses connection to the server, the same automation process applies. If the issue isn't resolved within the 3-minute time bank, the hand is auto-placed and calculated. The player will then be marked as “inactive” at the table. They will only continue to play if an opponent is in “Fantasy” mode — as per the rules, Fantasy is a continuation of the current hand. In this case, the round will finish first. Once the player joins another table, their time bank is restored.
Points and Winnings
In this game format, players compete for points. To be eligible for the pot, you must make a minimum deposit. Each table has its own limits. For example, if the minimum is 50 points and the value of one unit is $1 (converted from 1 UAH), you’ll need to deposit at least $50.
One interesting aspect is that no player can predict or control the final difference in points. In Pineapple Poker, the difference is only revealed after the hand ends. During the game, all players appear to have equal points. If you enjoy non-standard poker formats, try the new Texas 6+ Poker.
Scoring and Bonuses
After each hand, points are calculated. Hands are compared in pairs, box by box. The top rows are compared only with top rows, and so on. If two identical hands are revealed, no one gets points.
Scoring can be done in two ways:
- 2-4: You receive one point for each row you win. One extra point is awarded if you win two out of three or all three hands. If the round ends in a tie, no one gains. Winning two rows earns you 3 points.
- 1-6: One point per winning row, and three winning rows grant 3 points.
How Hands Are Compared
This process follows this order:
- Player #1 — the one seated to the right of the button — is compared to Player #2, who is next clockwise.
- Next, Player #1 is compared with Player #3 (the dealer).
- Finally, Player #2 is compared with Player #3.
In addition to payouts, players may also receive bonus points for special combinations. These bonuses are optional and are not awarded to players with a dead hand.
Connection Protection
If a connection to the server is lost during a hand, your two-minute decision time will be used to reconnect. Connection protection is limited and is designed to prevent fraud or unfair play. You may use this feature only once per day. You can check this setting in your account options.
FAQ
- What are the rules of Chinese Poker?
- The objective in Chinese Poker is to build three strong hands using three separate boxes. Cards must be arranged in order of strength: top (weakest), middle (stronger), and bottom (strongest). At the start, players receive 5 hidden cards and must place them face-down into the boxes. Once placed, they cannot be moved. Then the dealer deals 3 cards at a time until all 13 are received. The winner is the player with the strongest hand in each box. Players who violate the order automatically lose the hand.
- What strategies work in Pineapple Poker?
- Chinese Poker requires fast decision-making and moves quickly, so it's hard to follow a strict strategy. To win, you need to plan how to distribute your cards between the boxes and how strong each combination should be — starting from the very first draw.
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