Fundamental Features of Open Face Chinese Poker Unlike some other Chinese poker variants, Pineapple poker is two- to the three-person game. The each player’s hand consists of 13 cards, which are placed in three rows or boxes (three cards – in the front hand, five –. Pineapple Open-Face Chinese Poker Basics. By Derric Haynie Published: Jul 23, 2014. While I’ve been writing about traditional open-face Chinese (OFC), there was a new variant of the game. Poker Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for serious players and enthusiasts of poker. Browse other questions tagged open-face-chinese pineapple shoot.

The players in the game are dealt with thirteen hole cards, they have to fill three cards in the front hand, five cards each in the middle hand and back hand. The game begins with the left of the dealer, in clockwise direction. The players must also keep in mind that the back hand must be stronger or equal to the middle hand and the middle hand must be stronger or equal to the front hand. The front hand should be the weakest among the other two hands.

Firstly, the dealer distributes five cardsface up to each player. The players then have to fill the five cards in the empty boxes according to the proper order, so as to gain more points. After which, the players are then dealt three cards each face down where they get to make use of only two cards laid face up on the table and discard the other one card face down. The game continues until thirteen hands are made.

Pineapple Fantasy Land

Open Face Chinese Poker Pineapple Strategy

The main goal of the game is to achieve more units/points than your opponent by winning more hands/rows by collecting royalties on premium hands without fouling. Also, if you get to win more than 222+ points in your top hand, you get 17 cards in the Fantasy land, which gives you more chances of winning.

The minimum possible hand to get into fantasy land is QQ where the players get 14 cards. Subsequently, the combination of KK will give you 15 cards and the combination of AA will give you 16 cards.

Fantasy land is more of a ‘bonus’ to the game. If you get to hit the Fantasy Land, you are dealt all thirteen cards at once, and you set your cards face down. This is a big disadvantage for the other players as they are dealt in normal hand without being able to see your cards.

In order to stay in the Fantasy Land one must score 10-point royalty or higher in any sub-hand. the following conditions must be met:

Remain in Fantasyland
Row/Hand	Strength of hand
Front (and/or)	Any three of a kind
Middle (and/or)	Full house or higher
Back (and/or)	Four of a kind or higher

Dead Hand/Fouling

When a player makes an illegal hand, the hand is forfeited and as a result, it is termed as dead hand/fouling. In this case, the player losses 6 points in total i.e, 1 point per row and 3 points for scoop bonus. Players who fouled can also lose additional units if the players with legal hands achieve royalties. Also, the players who fouled, loses all the royalties in his hand and no units are counted.

It is very much important for the players to keep in mind the basic rules of the game: to keep the back hand the strongest, the middle hand slightly weaker than the back hand and the front hand the weakest. Points are added to the winner and subtracted from the loser. therefore,avoid fouling plays

Free Open Face Chinese Poker

Legal hand structure
Row/Hand	Strength of hand
Front (3 cards)	3rd / Weakest hand
Middle (5 cards)	2nd / Stronger
Back (5 cards)	1st / Strongest

Rules for scoring in OFCP

The scores are calculated by comparing the hands of the players as in, back hand with back hand, middle hand with middle hand and front hand with front hand. In certain cases where both the players have the same hands, none of the players get any units. The players get 1 unit/point for every hand they win. And if the players win 2 hands out of 3 hands or all three hands, they get additional 1 point.

Apart from the regular scoring, the players can also get royalties, which are given to the players for making certain combinations. The points are given as a result of the combination of the hands.

Scoring Table

Bottom Row Royalties
Bottom	Units/Points
Straight	2
Flush	4
Full House	6
Quads (four of a kind)	10
Straight flush	15
Royal flush	25

Middle Row Royalties
Middle	Units/Points
Three of a kind	2
Straight	4
Flush	8
Full house	12
Quads (four of a kind)	20
Straight Flush	30
Royal flush	50

Front Row Royalties
Front (Pairs)	Units/Points
66	1
77	2
88	3
99	4
10 10	5
JJ	6
QQ	7
KK	8
AA	9

Front (Trial)	Units/Points
222	10
333	11
555	13
666	14
777	15
888	16
999	17
10 10 10	18
JJJ	19
QQQ	20
KKK	21
AAA	22