Pineapple Poker Rules

Pineapple poker is played at two to ten player tables. In Pineapple poker each player is dealt three cards face down, these are the "hole" or "pocket" cards and are each player's private cards. Five cards are then dealt onto the table face up; these are called the "Community" cards as all players can use them. Each player then uses their hole cards in conjunction with the community cards to make the best five card poker hand.

The Dealer and the Blinds
A small disc, called a dealer "button", indicates which player is currently the dealer. The player to the immediate left of the dealer places, posts, a forced bet called the "small blind". The small blind is usually half a small bet (for example $1 in a $2/$4 game). The player to the left of the small blind also posts a small bet, called the "big blind". The big blind is usually equal to a small bet (for example $2 in a $2/$4 game). Each player is then dealt three cards face down, these are the Pocket or Hole cards.

Each player then discards one of these hole cards.

Pre Flop
After studying there cards each player now has the option to "bet", "call", "raise" or "fold". Play now starts with the player to the left of the big blind; this position is called "under the gun" as the player is the first to act. This player can fold, ending participation in the current hand, call the big blind, betting the same as the big blind, or raise.

The betting then continues to the next player on the left until one at a time, as poker etiquette dictates, each player has contributed equally to the pot or folded.

Flop
Three cards are now dealt face-up in the centre of the table; this is called the "Flop". These are community cards and are used by all players still in the hand, called "in the pot". A round of betting now occurs starting with the player next to the dealer button.

Turn
A single card is now dealt face-up in the centre of the table, this is called the "Turn". This is the fourth community card. A round of betting now occurs starting with the player next to the dealer button.

River
A single card is now dealt face-up in the centre of the table; this is called the "River". This is the fifth community card. A round of betting now occurs starting with the player next to the dealer button.

The Showdown
If there is more than one player left in the pot at the end of the last round of betting then the last player to bet shows there cards. If there was no betting on the last round then the player to the left of the dealer button shows there cards first.

The player with the best five card poker hand wins the pot; the hand is made up of the two pocket cards plus any three from the community cards.

If there are two or more players with equal best hands then the pot are equally divided between these players, this is called a "split pot".

The rules are the same for all of the different betting structures Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit with a few exceptions:
Limit
No Limit
Pot Limit

Other variants

Crazy Pineapple
The players discard their third hole card after the flop betting round, before the "Turn" card is dealt.

Tahoe Poker & Lazy Pineapple
The players keep all three hole cards through to showdown, but may not use all three of them to make a hand. Each player may use none, one, or two cards from his hand, combined with those on the board, to make his final five-card hand.

Super Holdem
Players keep all three hole cards throughout the play and may also use all 3 cards to create a high hand.