This unusual game began to gain popularity in the mid-90s. Despite the absence of betting rounds, Chinese poker was included in the official program of the world tournament. The game was brought to Russia from Las Vegas by a high-level poker player.
A funny card game name doesn't always mean it's easy. Chinese poker Pineapple is quite rarely seen at domestic poker tables. However, over the past few years, a similar scheme has been gaining great popularity in the USA and Europe. Let's look at the rules of Chinese poker, the main differences between the “fruit” game and the classic open poker from China.
Origin and description
Poker Pineapple differs from OKP (Open Chinese Poker) in speed and a greater role of luck for your victory. Let's explain. If the open type of game involves eight rounds, the number of players can vary from two to four, but here only up to three players can take part in the game. The number of distribution circles is reduced to four.
There are fewer players, but more cards are dealt in hands (except for the first one), one of which in each circle goes closed. These features and some nuances in the rules make Chinese poker with a fruit name much more interesting and unusual. An excellent choice for those who are simply bored of waiting for all eight rounds of OKP to complete.
Chinese poker rules
What are the features of OKP Pineapple? This type of game comes from one of the varieties, which involves the distribution of three cards already at the flop stage. One of these cards goes to the player's decision. Chinese poker, unlike the “fruit” game, does not involve folding your hand in each round of distribution.
Let's consider step by step the model of one game according to the rules of Chinese poker Pineapple, and along the way we will compare it with the classic OKP.
Start of the game and boxes
The main task of the player is to collect three groups of winning. At the same time, each group must be older than the previous one. The lowest combination is made up of three cards, and the middle and highest ones are made up of five. Chinese poker in any variety involves open play. Each player, when receiving cards, does not hide them face down, but places them in groups, so-called boxes. That is, after the deal, each opponent makes his own decision regarding which outs can fall and what combination they form.
To start the game, you traditionally need to make an initial bet. Chinese poker does not provide for a clear decision in favor of a big blind: the game system leaves the right for players to choose a scheme for replenishing the bank. But one thing remains unchanged - with a personal bank less than the established limit, the player is not allowed to the next game.
First hand of Chinese poker
Start of the game - identifying the dealer. The dealer is given a rolling one, changing with each game. The person sitting to the left of the player gets the cards first. Five cards are dealt face down at once. Players evaluate the combinations they receive and independently distribute them among the boxes.
Subsequent rounds of distribution
After the first hand, Chinese poker Pineapple reveals its first difference to the classic OKP: Of the three cards received, the player is allowed to use only two. After the loaf of three is dealt, everyone looks at the combination they received and chooses which card to discard. She goes face down, closed to her opponents. Two active cards are sent to the boxes at the player’s own choice.
There are four such circles in the party (not counting the first). The result of the game will be the collection of three boxes completely, with a combination in each.
Fantasy
Another interesting “trick” in which Chinese poker loses to Pineapple is the fantasy stage. It consists in the fact that a player who, at any stage, collects a pair of queens or higher in the junior box, gets the opportunity to independently receive 14 cards at once (13 for the OKP). At this stage, the player lays out the cards face down; opponents do not see your combinations. The fourteenth card is folded face down at the player's discretion.
After the person who has collected a pair of queens or higher finishes distributing the received block of cards, the remaining opponents continue the game in the standard three-card distribution mode. Only upon completion of the distribution circle does a player with imagination open up, showing his own combinations.
Some game systems provide the ability to repeat fantasy. Then there is a scheme for increasing boxes and combinations collected in them. Chinese poker in classic version does not allow repetition of fantasy. Sometimes Chinese poker allows one more such round for the same player, provided that he makes a good combination already in the high/intermediate box. As a rule, a pass to a fantasy world begins with.
Dead hand
The rules of Chinese poker Pineapple strictly refer to the order in which the player's boxes (strong hands) are formed. The moves and distribution of cards must be calculated in advance. This is where knowledge of classic combinations, profitable outs and attentiveness come to the rescue. You see your opponents' hands (if we are not talking about fantasy) and you can calculate the out that should come out.
If you make a mistake, or the theory of probability fails, you will have to fold your hand. A player's hand is considered dead when the low box contains a combination higher than the average, or the average hand is stronger than the high hand.
When calculating points, a combination collected in violation of the order is not taken into account and you cannot get points for it.
Comparison of combinations and calculation of winnings
Many players are put off by Chinese poker (including Pineapple), which is practiced here relatively a complex system counting winning points and distributing the bank between the players. Classic rules involves comparing each box in pairs. That is, low hands are compared only with the same ones, high and middle ones – separately.
Points are awarded for each win, and points are deducted for each loss.. In Pineapple, the cost of one win and loss is traditionally one point. But for winning in all three boxes you can immediately get six points and inflict the same loss on your opponent.
Bonus accruals for strong combinations are calculated separately. As a standard, OKP awards bonuses for combinations higher than three. The inverse proportion works here: a high combination appears less often in the middle box, so more bonuses are given for it. Thus, for a quad in the senior row you can get 10/8 bonuses in the American and Russian playing systems, respectively, and 20/16 points for a quad in the middle box.
After the points are counted, the pot is divided. Chinese poker provides for a classic proportional division of the game bank. Some systems pre-set the game rendering. This is the maximum, more than which one player will not be able to leave “at the casino”. Traditional limitation for playing for real money.
Chinese poker: advantages and disadvantages
Traditional or Hold'em can get boring after years of playing. When you get together with friends in the evenings, you want to experience the excitement in a different way. Chinese poker Pineapple will be an excellent assistant - the trend has been gaining popularity since the second decade of the 21st century and is practiced in European casinos.
The advantage of this type of game:
- Speed and open play are good training for poker math.
- Impossibility of bluffing.
- Winning is almost 100% dependent on the player.
The disadvantages of OKP (Pineapple) are as follows:
- Limited number of players.
- Psychological players will not like it.
- The lack of bluffing will be a disadvantage for some.
You just need to know the basic rules of playing Pineapple poker, because Chinese poker is considered one of the most promising areas in the gambling industry today.
Many novice poker players, having become familiar with the features of Texas Hold'em and Omaha, want to learn how to play Chinese Pineapple poker. Beginners are often intimidated by the unusual mechanics of this game, although in fact the rules of playing Pineapple poker are quite simple and do not require much study.
Chinese Poker Strategies Pineapple
Fantasy
Fantasy is a situation in Chinese poker when a poker player collects a combination from a QQ pair in the top row. In this case, at the start of the next hand, this player will no longer receive 5, but 13 cards at once. The rest of the players at the table will receive cards in the previously agreed upon order. The dealer's chip does not move. Fantasy repetitions are allowed only in the Pineapple variation and occur only if the player in the middle box has a combination no worse than a full house. The strategy of playing Chinese poker involves the pursuit of imagination, but this must be done without violating the seniority of the ranks.
Thus, the optimal strategy for playing Pineapple poker will be to prioritize collecting the bottom row of cards and strive for fantasy.
And most importantly, remember - best strategy Chinese poker games are the ones that are right for you. Follow simple basic rules when choosing a Pineapple poker strategy and often put theoretical knowledge into practice by playing at cash tables and participating in online Chinese poker tournaments.
Odds in Chinese poker
Pineapple, like other types of poker, is a game in which success will directly depend on the player’s ability to correctly calculate and understand poker probabilities. Knowing the chances of receiving a particular card, we can predict the outcome of the hand and make the most of our starting hands. Probabilities in Chinese poker can be calculated not only for your own draws, but also for your opponent’s draws, because it is in this type of game that we see all of our opponents’ cards.
In Chinese poker, players take turns taking actions depending on the location of the dealer button. Thus, this game also contains the concept of position - poker players from later positions will be in a more advantageous position, because they will be able to place their cards on the table only after their opponents. The number of opponents will also determine the chance of getting one or another out. In addition, the probabilities in the Pineapple poker game are calculated immediately for outs and draws and backdoor draw combos. This approach requires calculating two types of outs at once: direct and indirect.
All the data that allows you to accurately calculate the chances of receiving certain cards in Chinese poker is quite difficult to keep in your head. Therefore, most players use convenient and accessible Pineapple poker probability tables, containing calculations for heads-up, 3-max and 4-max tables. These tables are quite easy to use. Combinations with the highest probabilities are highlighted here in green. Players are advised to keep these combos in the game. Yellow and orange, respectively, will have less chances, and red ones will definitely lose.
Let's say you're playing at a 3-max table on 1st street in second position. You have counted four straight outs for your combination. Looking at the table, we will see that the probability in Chinese poker of strengthening this combo will be 75.5%, which allows us to play in anticipation of a favorable outcome.
How to count points in poker Pineapple
One of the most important differences between Chinese poker and the usual Hold'em and Omaha is the absence of betting rounds and, accordingly, bets. Winnings are awarded to players as special “jackpot” points. The cash equivalent of one jackpot, as well as the rules for calculating additional bonuses for the strongest combinations (royalties) are discussed at the beginning of the game. Chinese poker points are awarded different ways. Beginners are often interested in the question of how to correctly count points in Chinese poker. In order to correctly count points in Pineapple poker, you must first of all determine by what system points are awarded at the table you have chosen. The most popular in modern online rooms is the so-called Western point system. Counting Pineapple poker points in these games is quite simple. According to the rules of this system, the player who wins all three combinations receives a win of 6 points. If the poker player’s hand turns out to be dead, then he is obliged to pay his opponents 6 jackpots each, as well as pay their royalties.
If all participants in a hand collect dead hands, no points are counted in Chinese poker, and the sum of the jackpots remains unchanged. The losing poker player loses the bonus difference in favor of the opponent who won the hand.
The system for calculating royalties for collecting strong combinations in certain rows also requires explanation. Typically, points in Chinese Pineapple poker are awarded for combos such as straight flush, four of a kind, royal flush or full house.
Royalties in Chinese poker are calculated as follows:
- Bottom row
Straight - 2, Flush - 4, Full House - 6, Four of a Kind - 8, Straight Flush - 10, Royal Flush - 15.
- Middle row
Set - 2, Straight - 4, Flush - 8, Full House - 12, Four of a Kind - 16, Straight Flush - 20, Royal Flush - 30
- Top row
For a pair of sixes, 1 bonus jackpot is awarded, for 77 - 2, and so on in increasing order. A pair of aces brings the player 9 points. Bonuses for sets are awarded from 10 for 222 to 22 for AAA.
Among the wide variety of types of poker, one can highlight Chinese open type poker (OFC Pineapple) “Pineapple”. This game is very different from the usual classic poker games. According to the rules, after the second turn, the dealer gives the gamers three face-down playing cards. Players discard one of the received cards and use the remaining two to make combinations. Opponents can only see two cards turned face up, the last one remains a secret.
The game involves a deck consisting of 52 cards without a joker. There can be no more than three players at the table at the same time. As a result, there are only five moves in the game: 5 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2. If “Fantasy” is rolled, the participant is given 14 cards, 13 of which can be used. One card remains face down. The goal of the game is to create the strongest possible combinations in each round, which will allow you to beat your opponents and score the maximum number of points. The one who wins on points will break the bank. You can get acquainted with this type of poker online at the Poker dom poker room, no less popular than Poker Stars or 888.
Dealing cards in Chinese poker
As mentioned above, the game uses 52 cards and there are no betting circles. The dealer issues all cards to participants on five streets. Unlike Texas Hold'em, on the first street players are dealt five cards in turn. The player must leave all received cards in the box. On the second street, three cards are dealt. From this moment and on all subsequent streets, one card must be discarded by the player, and two must remain in the boxes. On third, fourth and fifth streets, players receive three cards.
Poker boxes Pineapple
This term refers to the areas where all players place the cards received from the dealer. Boxes are also called lines. During the game, the participant must place his cards in three boxes.
The top box represents the weakest line of the three cards. There may be combinations such as a set, top pair and a pair. The middle box can accommodate five cards. Medium strength combinations are collected here. The bottom box is the strongest line of five cards.
All lines are subject to a strict hierarchy. For example, the middle line cannot be older than the bottom line. All combinations are arranged in ascending order. Equality is also acceptable. If this rule is violated, the hand automatically becomes “dead” and does not participate in the drawing. Accordingly, no points are awarded for it, and the player loses to all opponents. To understand the nuances of arranging cards in boxes in Pineapple, the Poker House room offers you to go through a poker school, where everyone can learn all the secrets of a successful game.
Confirmation in Chinese poker
Once a sufficient number of players (minimum two) have gathered at the table, the opponents must confirm their readiness to start the round. Until all players confirm by clicking the appropriate button on the pop-up window, the game will not begin. With this click, the participant confirms the deposit of a certain amount of money into the bank. During a free game without registration, the game is played with chips. This is a great chance to practice and in the future avoid annoying mistakes, for which a player will be fined in this type of game.
Beginning of the game
The player to the left of the dealer is dealt five cards face up on the first street after the hand begins. The received cards are seen by all participants present at the table. The player needs to arrange the received cards into three boxes. All opponents receive cards face up and also place them openly in boxes, the contents of which are also available to the participants.
After the cards are shuffled into place, the “Ready” button is activated, meaning “Ready,” by pressing which the player confirms his move. It is impossible to undo your actions after this. Until the move has been confirmed, the player has the opportunity to move his cards. After the turn is completed, the dealer deals the cards to another player and all actions are repeated. The deal continues until the first street is completed.
Already on the second street, players will be given three cards face down. Two of them are transferred to boxes, and last participants reset. After the third card is discarded, the first two are revealed. All cards played by a player on the previous street cannot be moved.
Time allocated to make a move
All players are given the same amount of time to insert cards into the boxes. Participants have two minutes on all streets. After regular time ends, the player is given an additional three minutes - “Time Bank”. If the player does not have enough time and some cards remain undealt, this will happen automatically at random. All remaining cards will be dealt in order of receipt. The first cards will fall on the bottom line, and the next ones will occupy the middle and top lines, respectively. On the second and subsequent streets, the first two cards received from the dealer are put into the boxes, and the last one is discarded.
When the connection to the server is lost, “Time Bank” is activated, the duration of which is three minutes. If during this time the connection to the server has not been restored, then the cards received by the player will be laid out and counted automatically. The player will receive the “Sit Out” status and will be out of the game until technical difficulites will not be corrected. If the opponent has gained the right to “Fantasy”, then the current distribution will continue. As a result, the player will only be assigned Sit Out status after Fantasy has been played. When moving to another table, the player in the “Sit Out” is again provided with the “Time Bank”.
Counting bonuses and points
After all distributions are completed, points and bonuses received are counted. Participants are awarded points for pairwise comparison of cards with the hands of other players. Only combinations that correspond to each other are compared: older with older, younger with younger, and so on. If the players have a draw on one of the lines, then no one will receive points.
Points can be calculated in two ways.
- 2 – 4 (2 – 4 scoring). The player receives one point each time he completes a winning line. An additional point is awarded to him for winning two out of three hands or all three. If both players have the same combination on the same line, then no points are awarded. And if a participant collects winning combinations on the two remaining lines, he will be rewarded with three points.
- 1 – 6 (1 – 6 scoring). For each line on which the player collects a winning combination, the player is awarded one point. If all three lines are winning, he will receive three additional points.
Deadhand
If during the game by the end of the hand a player violates the order of the strength of the lines, then his hand automatically receives the “dead” status. For example, the middle box turned out to be older than the top one, or the top one was younger than the middle one. All combinations collected by the player are declared lost in this case, and the participant must pay a fine in the form of six points deducted from the account (1 – 6 scoring). The penalty box also returns bonus points to each opponent.
Royalties (Bonuses) in Chinese poker
While playing Pineapple, players receive not only points, but also additional bonuses for collected winning combinations. Bonuses are not a required attribute. For example, they are not awarded for a “dead” hand. Additional remuneration is credited to the account according to American or Russian rules. According to American rules, for all winning combinations the player receives a larger amount of bonuses than if the accrual was made according to Russian rules.
"Fantasy"
Fantasy mode is only available in open Chinese poker. In order for the game to switch to this mode, you need to collect two pairs, for example QQ, KK or higher on the top line. If the hand is not dead, then “Fantasy” is activated.
- The game is extended by one hand.
- The dealer's chip remains motionless, resulting in the same turn order.
- In the “Fantasy” mode, the participant receives 14 face-down cards, 13 of which will form combinations on all streets, and one card will be discarded. “Fantasy” is unfolded like an ordinary hand. Opponents cannot influence the process of laying out cards. They can only wait patiently for the player's turn to end. After this, other players continue to play Pineapple. The opponent's cards in Fantasy mode are closed to them until the end of the game. The number of people at the table who have assembled “Fantasy” is not limited. If there is only one player at the table without “Fantasy”, all participants begin laying out their hands at the same time. Players with Fantasy may play all 14 cards, but players without Fantasy continue to play by Pineapple rules.
Sometimes "Fantasy" can be duplicated. To do this, it is necessary that the participant fulfill certain conditions while laying out combinations. On the official Pokerdom website, players will find two types of “Fantasy”:
- Classical. Possibility to get a one-time replay of the “Fantasy” mode. To do this, you need to collect a set on the top line or on the bottom box, quads or higher. The player's hands should not be "dead".
- Endless. While in Fantasy mode, the gamer can get endless repetitions of this mode. To do this, you need to fold a set on the top line, a full house or better on the middle line, and four of a kind or better on the bottom line. The hand should not be “dead”.
Kushi
In "Pineapple" the game is played not for chips, but for "kushi", a kind of points. To take part in the game, you need to pay a certain amount of jackpots, which are purchased for money. For example, 50 jackpots cost 10 rubles, so to get to the table you need to pay 500 rubles.
In Chinese poker, it is impossible to control the amount of winning or losing during the game. The difference between the points is only visible after the hand is played. But according to the rules, a player does not have the opportunity to win or lose more sums than his opponent has. For example, the first player has 10 jackpots, and the second has 50. After the cards have been revealed, the second player wins with a difference of +25, but his profit at the same time does not exceed 10 jackpots. If, after opening the cards, the first player wins with a difference of +25, then his winnings will also be 10 jackpots - as much as he had in his account at the time of the deal.
Disconnect Protection – protects players from disconnection
If a player loses connection to the server at the time of distribution, the player is given two minutes to restore the connection. Afterwards, if the situation remains unchanged, “Time Bank” will be turned on, which gives the participant three additional minutes to restore communication. If the player does not have enough time to correct the situation, then he switches to the “Sit Out” mode. If at the moment the connection is broken the player gets a chance to decompose “Fantasy”, then all actions will be carried out automatically. In order to protect the Pokerdom room from fraud and unfair play, a player can use this function only once a day. The status of the Disconnect Protection function can be checked in the poker room lobby in your account by logging into the “Settings” – “Communication Protection” menu.
To summarize, I would like to note that open Chinese poker “Pineapple” is more aggressive than other types of poker, and there is also a lot of uncertainty in it. Despite the fact that “Pineapple” appeared quite recently, it has already won the hearts of gamblers who dreamed of harmonious combination aggressive Hold'em, calculating Stud and loose Omaha. “Pineapple” is a new page in the development of poker, which will still surprise players with pleasant surprises.
Many people talk about this. A new trend is coming. Chinese poker is winning more and more hearts and minds. They predict a great future for him, which has already partially arrived. Jump on this train before it starts moving.
In the world modern poker everything has already settled down. There are those who are famous for their skill in No Limit Hold'em; There are players who outright defeat their opponents with their mere presence at the PLO table. We're used to seeing Daniel Cates or Viktor Blom skating around in endless heads-ups; or maybe Ilari Sahamiesa, who once again ran over someone with garbage.
This world is very interesting, but the information in it is open and explored.
Another thing - Chinese poker.
Straight from Macau
The homeland of Chinese poker has not yet been clearly defined. But in the poker world there are no historians keeping their chronicles - and this, in fact, is not so important. Some argue that Chinese came from the province of Canton, and then gradually migrated to Hong Kong and Macau, while others talk about Russian or northern roots: the Baltic states, Finland, etc. (Yes, many Russian and Ukrainian professionals are interested in Chinese.)
Phil Hellmuth is not averse to playing Chinese poker.
But let’s not delve into the history (it’s too vague). Let us only note that already in the mid-90s, very expensive Chinese poker tournaments were held at the World Series, and about ten years later the most famous players in the world became interested in this game.
For example, Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, Phil Hellmuth– they indulged in semi-home games (for example, during shared flights), losing hundreds of thousands of dollars per session.
Soon, Jason Mercier (most recently), Shawn Deeb, Scott Seaver, Vanessa Russo and many others joined the ranks of Chinese lovers. Among their opponents they also met Russians: Anatoly Gurtovoy and Vladimir Troyanovsky, for example. While spending their nights in hotels, they, without realizing it, were starting a new poker wave.
Okay, enough introductory words. It's time to get to the point. But first, let's clear something up. There is original Chinese poker, but we will mainly talk about Open Chinese poker (its more advanced, more interesting and more popular form).
1. Chinese Open Poker Rules
So, Open Chinese poker(Open-Faced Chinese Poker) - unlike the original, a game with incomplete information. From two to four players participate, the deck is standard.
In classical Chinese, players are dealt 13 cards face down at once. Task: collect three combinations from these cards:
High (back) – 5 cards, must be stronger than the other two combinations.
Middle – 5 cards, should be stronger than the lowest, but weaker than the highest.
Low (top) – 3 cards, must be weaker than the two previous combinations.
The English names are explained by the fact that the combinations are laid out one below the other in the following order: top, middle, back. Like this:
X | X | X | X | X
X | X | X | X | X
But it is much easier to consider them in reverse order (which is what we will do).
There is no trade in the usual sense in Chinese. Instead, there is a system of points and royalties (bonuses). They are counted at the end. When playing for money, each point is worth some “evergreens” – for example, $1 or $10.
The seniority of combinations is standard: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, etc.
After the construction of combinations is completed, they are compared with each other: high with high, middle with middle, etc.
Phil Ivey also has something to think about.
The main difference between Open Chinese Poker is that at the very beginning, players are dealt five cards face up, and then one card each - and so on up to 13 cards. The player has the right to distribute the received cards among the boxes at his own discretion (there are no restrictions here).
All cards are open, and this information can and should be used by all participants.
Example:
At the very beginning we are dealt: A♠ K♠ Q♠ 5♣ 5
It makes perfect sense to distribute these cards as follows:
Senior: A♠ K♠ Q♠
Average: 5♣ 5
Younger: nothing.
So far, the middle hand is stronger than the top hand, but there is a high probability that by the end of the hand we will strengthen our top combination. (However, we’ll talk more about strategy in the next part.)
Important concepts of Open Chinese Poker:
Scoop– a situation in which the player wins on all three boxes. As a rule, additional points are given for this.
Dead Hand– a hand that does not comply with the rule for the seniority of combinations (for example, the lowest combination turned out to be older than the middle one). In this case, the player loses automatically (the rest are awarded scup) - they say “he was bought up” (that is, he lost the scup).
Royalty– bonus points awarded for fulfilling certain conditions.
The main task of the player: to have a positive balance of points. You can finish the round with the second result, but if it is positive, you will remain in the black in terms of money. But this is a completely primitive goal. More professionally, the basic goal of the game sounds like this: to distribute the cards among the boxes in the most balanced way.
Scoring system
This is more difficult, since there is no accepted system at the international level yet. This especially applies to Open Chinese (young version). Below we list the most common systems:
1. Foreign or Western (also called Headshot Scoring System)
For a win (two winning combinations out of three) 1 point is given, for a scoop - 6 points (in another variation - 3 points). If someone has a “dead hand”, the rest of the participants are awarded 6 points.
Royalties are distributed as follows:
Straight: 2 points
Full house: 6
Square: 8 (10)
Straight flush: 10 (15)
Royal flush: 20 (25)
B) Bonuses for the average combination: the same, multiplied by two.
A pair of sixes is 1 point and for each subsequent pair 1 point is added. Thus, aces are “worth” 9 points:
The principle is the same with sets:
2) Balanced (less common):
For a win (two winning combinations out of three) 2 points are given, for being stingy - 4 points. If there is a “dead hand”, the remaining players are awarded 4 points.
Royalties are distributed as follows:
A) Bonuses for the highest combination (an alternative option is indicated in brackets):
Full house: 2
Straight flush: 4
Royal flush: 5
B) Bonuses for the middle combination: the same, multiplied by two (no points are still awarded for a straight).
C) Bonuses for the lowest combination:
Dare and win!
The Headshot system is considered looser, more dispersive (and therefore more popular). This is exactly what famous poker professionals use (perhaps with minor adjustments in the scoring system).
But let's repeat: a unified system does not yet exist.
Additional rules for Open Chinese Poker:
The abundance of varieties of New Chinese has given rise to numerous variations in the rules. Some of them are quite interesting:
A) Two of Spades Rule: if your losing hand contains a deuce of spades, your opponent receives a double royalty, and if vice versa, you receive a double bonus.
B) Finnish flush: If a player manages to collect three flushes in all three boxes (the lowest combination is three cards of the same suit), he is awarded 25 bonus points. And for such a monster - AKQJT-98765-432 - 100 points at once.
B) Lowball in the middle box: the average combination is considered to play under the rules of 2-7 Lowball.
D) Without faces: A special rule in which a player receives a certain bonus (opinions differ here) when there are no “pictures” in his hand (among all 13 cards).
In the next part we'll talk about basic strategy, tips and other tactical goodies.
At the very beginning, let's make one disclaimer:
2. Basic Concepts
1. Position
In Chinese there are also positions and there is also a button. There is a player who always goes first and one who completes the circle. The principle here is the same as in the most popular types of poker: it is advisable to go last or one of the last.
There are several reasons for this:
The button player operates with the maximum possible information (he sees all his opponents’ starting cards (and how they are laid out), and subsequently three new cards per round).
This leads to the second point: the more information, the easier it is to arrange combinations correctly (for example, if a player knows that someone has already collected the nuts in one of the boxes, he can switch to other combinations).
More points: Imagine four players buying up: the first player pays 6 points to players 2, 3 and 4, the second to players 3 and 4, the third to player 4, and the fourth gets 18 points without losing anything.
In addition, a player in late position has the right to play looser and more openly than his opponents.
2. Playing styles
Open Chinese Poker (OCP) also has styles:
A) Tight (Conservative)
The player concentrates on ensuring that all combinations comply with the rules: high > middle > low. In fact, the “dead hand” is a fairly common phenomenon, so this tactic is very relevant. But at a more professional level you won’t be able to earn much this way.
A tight player is not chasing big royalties, but is content with what he has. Collects mainly pairs, two pairs and sets. A tight player also understands perfectly well that sometimes the most profitable thing is to simply assemble the hand correctly: do not forget that if someone is “bought up”, the rest are awarded at least 6 points.
B) Loose (Aggressive)
A loose player bases his tactics on an increased share of risk: he hunts for good royalties, is stingy, and tries to collect the best combinations in all three boxes (not always, of course). Such tactics may not pay off immediately. Naturally, with its active use, the “dead hand” will become your close friend.
Daniel Negreanu is in thought.
It's important to understand: It is impossible to succeed in OKP without risk. It’s the same here as in BL Hold’em: low limits follow the basic strategy, then you need to get creative.
3. Heads-up vs. 3- or 4-max
Just like in Hold'em or Omaha, when playing heads-up in OKP you should play more aggressively and relaxed. After a blunder (“dead hand”) it will be much easier to recover than at a full table.
In “multipots” you need to stick to a more conservative style (be sure to keep an eye on the seniority of combinations), when, as in heads-up, this is not so important.
In heads-up play, the strength of some combinations also changes dramatically: pairs, two pairs and sets become stronger. If you have several opponents, you can burn out even with a ready-made straight or flush in your senior hand.
4. Mathematics OKP
We are used to the fact that in Hold'em and even in Omaha there are a number of quite simple formulas, the results of which are easy to remember. For example, the probability of closing a flush draw if there has not yet been a turn and river is just over 30%. And if overcards help us, then even more than 40%.
And there will be a dozen such situations, if not less. And then you can put on the captain’s cap and start navigating the shallow waters of poker with stable positive results.
But in OKP everything is completely different. There’s not much you can do here in your head, but you have to remember a lot. The whole problem is the number of rounds. Five cards were dealt at the beginning, and then another 8 cards - one per round. And many cards are already visible, so there is no need to take them into account. Only the very first player walks blindly: he sees his five cards, and must take into account the remaining ones in the deck when calculating. But, for example, the fourth player already sees 20 cards.
Here's a rather interesting problem for you: if our starting hand has 3 cards of the same suit, what is the probability of making a flush?
Let's say there are 47 cards left in the deck and 10 of them will give us the required result, then:
The probability of not seeing the desired suit at all:
(37/47) * (36/46) * (35/45) * (34/44) * (33/43) * (32/42) * (31/41) * (30/40) = 0.1228
Probability of getting only one card of the desired suit:
((37/47) * (36/46) * (35/45) * (34/44) * (33/43) * (32/42) * (31/41) * (10/40)) * 8 = 0.3274
Therefore, the probability of receiving from 0 to 1 card of the desired suit is: 0.3274 + 0.1228 = 0.4502, and from here we get the probability of receiving two or more cards: 1 - 0.4502 = 54.98%.
As you can see, everything is quite complicated and it is very, very difficult to say what is called “offhand”, what this or that value equals. But it's only a matter of time. If the game takes root, skilled mathematicians will take it apart.
It’s too early to talk about any clear strategy - the game is too situational and poorly studied. But something needs to be said. Let's start with the starting hand.
As a rule, starting cards have to be divided. Occasionally, Lady Luck will give you a ready-made flush or straight, but this is something of a mini-miracle.
Gus Hansen: Bluffing is not always appropriate.
In general, no ready-made templates, according to which the cards should be distributed. It all depends on the position, players, style of play (well, as usual).
A) A pair in the youngest is not good
Immediately pushing any pair into a low hand is not the best idea. The fact is that pairs, two pairs and sets are the most frequently collected combinations. Therefore, if you immediately push a pair into the lowest one, you will have to collect at least two more pairs - stronger ones - so as not to “buy up”.
If you really want to strengthen your junior hand, it is enough to put a large card there - an ace, for example. And if you really want a pair in a low hand, put something no lower than sixes there.
B) Don't overestimate a big hand
Many new players in OKP tend to pay more attention to senior boxing. Yes, there are good bonuses for strong combinations - and the hand itself should be the most significant, so it is quite logical to start the thought process with it. But don't forget that if you lose on the top hand, there is always a chance to win on the other two. And they also give a lot of royalties for them.
C) We don’t chase the straight
A straight in a high hand is good, but collecting it is quite problematic. And even if you collect it, you will receive 2 bonus points. Is it worth risking six points (with a dead hand) for two points on a straight? As a rule, it's not worth it.
Exceptions: You are dealt three consecutive suited cards or four consecutive cards. In this case, it is advantageous to place them in the older hand.
D) “Buy up”? Switch speeds
If the game is not over yet, but you will not win in any case (against your opponents the nuts), it is not necessary to monitor the rank of combinations. It is better to try to minimize costs with a large royalty.
D) Garbage in the younger
If you are not sure what to do with small cards, throw them into the low hand. You don’t always need to do this, but it definitely won’t be a gross mistake.
Exceptions: three or four small cards of the same suit or any other strong preparation that is more profitable to place in a high hand.
How to lay out the cards at the beginning
As already noted, there is no single scheme for distributing cards, but you can narrow down all the variations to a simple system:
In the absence of pairs and suited rows in the starting hand, it is profitable:
Place large cards in your high hand - 10, J, Q, K, A.
Medium strength cards – 6, 7, 8, 9 – send to middle hand.
Small cards - 2, 3, 4, 5 - low.
The logic is as follows: if there is a pair in each hand, seniority will definitely be preserved. If, for example, you were dealt 6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♠ A♦ , it is obvious that it is more profitable to send the suited row to the high hand.
Examples
A little about practice...
Situation 1: To split or not to split?
We are in second position, our hand is J♠ J A 4 7♣ . The question is: is it worth splitting a pair of jacks when hunting for a flush?
A) In heads-up, going for a flush is especially important. The cost of error here is minimal, and the potential benefit is enormous. The probability of collecting a combination is high, and for it we will receive additional points. We'll break it down like this:
Senior: J A 4
Average: 7♣
Junior: J♠
We put the jack in the low hand, since the probability of making a pair is already reduced (one jack went to the high hand), so it is quite logical to have a more or less strong card as a low combination.
B) In a multipot (4-max) you can act in exactly the same way– provided that we are in first position or if we have lost no more than one out (which ended up in the hands of our opponents).
C) But there is another way:
Senior: J♠ J A
Average: 7♣
Youngest: 4
Thus, our top hand is highly likely to improve to two pair, a set, or even a full house - that is, those hands that in most cases are quite enough to win.
But it is advisable to play this way when the suited cards are not the largest (for example, J♦ 9 9♦ 4 8), since the likelihood of being “buy up” increases.
In general, option B is more conservative, because we put a ready-made combination into the senior hand, insuring ourselves.
Situation 2: Try to decompose
Let's imagine that we are in first position, multipot, we are dealt Q♠ J♣ T♠ 9♠ 9♦ . What to do?
There are two adequate options:
A) High: Q♠ J♣ T♠
Average: 9♠ 9♦
Younger: -
A very convenient layout: there is a strong pair in the middle, and the high hand has at least 9 outs to beat it + a backdoor straight. We “merge” the change into the younger one.
B) High: Q♠ J♣ T♠ 9♦
Average: 9♠
Younger: -
Another current layout: the high hand has 8 outs on a straight, for which royalties are awarded.
There is another option, but less profitable:
Senior: Q♠ T♠ 9♠
Middle: J♣ 9♦
Younger: -
At first glance, this option is the most preferable; but think about what will happen if a jack comes - it will have to be put in the middle hand. But then the top combination will be very vulnerable, and the probability of making a “dead hand” will increase significantly.
3. Where to play
Let us immediately upset many: there are no poker rooms offering OKP and there will not be in the near future. Why? Well, first of all, move Open Chinese online not so simple - the game is quite difficult to describe mathematically, and “fitting” it into the existing room system is a non-trivial task.
But there is no doubt that in the coming months OKP will appear on the largest foreign poker resources.
Now you will be even more upset (sorry, this is the reality): not only are there no poker rooms with OKP, but the choice of applications, as well as other online options, is extremely limited. But they exist, which is already good. So they ended up in our humble story.
Applications for Apple products
Fans and fans of iPhones, iPads and iPods are very lucky. They have the opportunity to play the most popular application today called Chinese Open Face Poker from ChPkApp company. It is, in fact, the only one. At least among the worthy and more or less reliable ones.
There are two versions of this application - paid and free. The first one is listed above and costs $7. It is recommended to try the free version and then download the paid one. Still, some players complain about bugs, about the interface, about design elements (for example, about an inconvenient deck) and other things.
If you are sure that you definitely need some application, feel free to take a paid one. There is still no better alternative for iPhone, iPad and iPod.
You can read more about the application, as well as about the game itself, on the developer’s official website. There is also a forum and even recommendations on basic strategy.
Android Applications
Here is the “German ambush”: there are no applications for Android - only ordinary Chinese poker. What to do? There is always a way out. Either temporarily switch to iOS, or play through a desktop computer on other sites.
Online resources for playing OKP
There are a couple of reliable options here. They are preferable to everything described above. Simply because they look more reliable, and the people behind them are much more experienced. Even despite all the problems with “pretty”.
This game is taking over the world.
In this case we are talking about the famous Russian website www.gambler.ru - the club mind games. Not long ago, an OKP branch was opened there. You cannot play for money here (the club’s philosophy is unshakable), but for full access to all opportunities you will have to pay a monthly fee - from 80 to 280 rubles. Purely symbolic. However, there is also a free game option.
Gambler, of course, looks rather modest in terms of interface and design, but everything you need is there. The rules don't follow all the latest trends, but they don't have to. But there are a lot of serious players on the site, and it’s a pleasure to play with them.
There is another Russian-language option, but more closed - www.gamblergames.com. There are far fewer players here, but all of them did not come for candy wrappers. Large regulars and just amateurs gather here, believing that they can already move to a different level of play in OKP.
The site is in test mode, so there may be problems with registration. We do not recommend visiting this resource if you have never played for money before. Rather, this option is preferable exclusively for professionals and semi-professionals.
That's probably all there is on the net. Are you sure it's not too thick? The way it is.
We would also like to draw your attention to the fact that applications for mobile devices are much easier to hack than other resources. Developers of games for virtual money simply do not think about the fact that someone will use their “child” for real cash games (and there are such people).
Barry Greenstein, a prime example of this, wrote in his blog about the obvious fact of cheating in the application from the ChPkApp company, which we described above. So be smart and careful.
4. Open Chinese Poker: Pineapple
Poker is gaining speed every year. Cash table regulars have long forgotten about 3x raises, and Rush Poker gave way Adrenaline Rush.
Open Chinese poker- a wonderful game. But it is very different from the “standards” accepted in the poker industry. It is noticeably slower, there are no betting rounds, and the scoring system is, at first glance, extremely confusing.
We have already written about OKP. Since then the game has evolved. While most were studying the rules of the regular version of the game, behind the scenes work was underway on a more aggressive version of Chinese poker - Pineapple .
What is the difference between Pineapple and regular OKP?
In short, A pineapple faster and with more uncertainty. The name itself - quite funny - comes from the same-named variation of Hold'em, in which not two, but three cards are dealt preflop, one of which is folded on the flop.
In Pineapple, five cards are dealt face up at the beginning of the round - just like in standard OKP. However, in all subsequent rounds, players receive not one card, but three at once face down. The player selects two of them, adds them to his hand (thus revealing them), and discards the third without showing it to anyone.
Thus, instead of eight rounds (one card each), Pineapple only plays four (two face-up cards each). This noticeably shortens the entire process, the hands are noticeably stronger, and the dispersion increases.
Chinese Open Poker Rules: Pineapple
In general, the rules of Pineapple are similar to those of its older brother. We discussed them in detail in Description of Open Chinese Poker.
The task of each player is to assemble a hand of 13 cards, observing all the nuances.
In Pineapple, as in OKP, the hand consists of three “rows”:
- Jr(three cards)
- Average(five cards)
- Senior(five cards).
The rows are laid out one below the other. The youngest row is always equal to or weaker than the middle one, the middle one is always equal to or weaker than the older one. If this rule is violated, the hand is considered “dead”.
At the beginning of each hand, players (of which there can be no more than three) are dealt five cards face up. They arrange them as they see fit. In subsequent rounds, everyone receives three cards, chooses two of them and adds them to their hand.
There is, however, one important nuance.
Fantasy in Pineapple
Rule fantasies, previously not mandatory when playing OKP, now almost always complements games online and offline. It also exists in Pineapple with some differences.
Fantasy is a special bonus that is received by a player who fulfills one condition: need to collect the right hand with a pair of queens or higher in the low row .
Then the player will start the next hand at "fantasy world" He is dealt 13 cards face down at once, which he lays out like a regular hand. It is quite obvious that in this case the player has a noticeable advantage.
To remain in the fantasy, one of three conditions must be met: quad+ in the high row, full house+ in the middle row, or a set in the low row.
In Pineapple, almost everything is the same, only in fantasy the player is dealt not 13, but 14 cards, and he discards one after making a completed hand.
This is done to compensate for the noticeable increase in arm strength in Pineapple. An additional card significantly increases the chances of not only collecting strong hand, but also to once again fall into fantasy.
Chinese Open Poker Scoring: Pineapple
As a rule, for winning two out of three rows (when comparing the hands of two players), the player is awarded 1-2 points (depending on the rules - American or ours).
For winning all three rows – 6 points.
Pineapple has the same bonus point system as in the classic OKP (the values in parentheses are when playing according to Russian rules).
OKP bonus system
|
Senior row |
Bonus |
Middle row |
Bonus |
Junior row |
Bonus |
|
Straight flush |
Straight flush |
||||
|
Royal flush |
Royal flush |
||||
Instead of a conclusion
Here's the new face of Chinese Open Poker. Pineapple opens new page development of the game, introducing into it the attributes of modern poker - the aggression of Hold'em, the looseness of Omaha, the prudence of Stud.
Pineapple was invented just a couple of years ago, who knows what changes await us this year.
Today we will talk about the rules of playing Chinese Pineapple poker. If you, based on the name, concluded that this type of card game appeared in the Middle Kingdom, then this is a mistake. Experts are confident that Scandinavia is the birthplace of Pineapple.
Previously, in some casinos, it was even called Russian poker. This definition was abandoned because there was confusion with one of the varieties of Oasis poker.
This type of game is very different from its “relatives”, so before we sit down at the table, we We strongly recommend that you carefully study the rules of the Pineapple poker game.
The starting stage of the game plays a decisive role - the overall success of the game depends on it. The player needs to carefully study the pocket cards, imagine what combinations of them can be made and, based on this information, lay out the cards. Another important point to consider is: combinations should be made in increasing strength from bottom to top. That is, in Pineapple poker, the weakest combination should be in the top line, and the strongest one should be in the bottom line. If this principle is violated, the folded combination receives the “dead” status.
Using an example, we present the correct position of the hands:
- middle line – straight from three to seven;
- the bottom line is a club flush.
An example of incorrectly laid out hands according to the Pineapple poker rules:
- top line – set of fours;
- middle line – cross flush;
- the bottom line is a straight from three to seven.
Fulfilling this rule can sometimes be very difficult - especially at the last stage of the distribution. But experts say that with proper analysis, violation of this principle can be avoided. Moreover, players see the opponents’ cards laid out, which allows them to calculate outs in poker.
Scoring
According to the rules of Pineapple poker, the winner is determined after the points are counted. It is worth noting that points can be calculated according to the American or Russian method. It's not hard to guess that Each player needs to strive to score the most points and this can be achieved by drawing up strong layouts. The scoring algorithm depends on the number of players:
- Two players. Poker players compare boxes and receive points for each line. The player with the weakest combination receives nothing; his opponent receives points, according to a special table. It is important to remember: you need to compare equivalent lines.
- Three players. In Chinese Pineapple Poker, scoring with three players is different from playing with two players. The player alternately compares lines with opponents and sums up the points scored. Example: a player received 20 points against one opponent, and 30 points against a second, then he gets 50 points.
In each case, the winner is the player who collects the most points. He receives the pot, after which a new game starts.
Fantasy
In Chinese poker Pineapple, a player can gain an advantage if he accurately fulfills all previously agreed conditions. We mean Fantasy - this is the name of the rule that players set before the start of the hand. It is interesting that Fantasy can be mutually abandoned, but often this rule still applies. The most common version of Fantasia is collect a pair of queens in the top line or a combination higher in the hierarchy. The main thing is not to violate another rule of Chinese poker Pineapple related to dead hand. If the player completes the Fantasy, in the next hand he receives all 13 cards at once. In this case, opponents play under normal conditions.
Now you are a little familiar with the rules of this interesting card game. We recommend not to rush into online battles. It's important to practice. You can do this in a game for play chips or with friends. This is the only way to learn all the nuances of Chinese Pineapple poker. During a live game, you will quickly learn to make optimal decisions and place the cards in the boxes as profitably as possible.
Conclusion
In today's article we discussed the rules of a little-known but very ambitious poker variation. Chinese poker is very different from its “competitors” primarily in the course of the gameplay. Here, unlike Texas Hold'em, there are no betting rounds between hands. In addition, the received cards must be laid out in special cells. Also, in Chinese poker, opponents can see the cards they have laid out. This creates convenient conditions for counting outs. The winner is determined by counting points entered in a special table. We hope you got the answer to the question: how to play Pineapple poker? Due to its unpredictability and intelligence, you should definitely like this type of poker.