Pineapple Poker Scoring

With an increase in OFC Pineapple poker popularity, there’s no time like the present to learn how the game works. While Pineapple poker scoring might seem a bit tricky at first, it’s something that, with a bit of guidance and practice, we’re certain anyone can pick up.

For those new to OFC Pineapple, we’re breaking down scoring, royalties, Fantasyland rules, and much more.

What Is OFC Pineapple Poker?

Pineapple Open Face Chinese or OFC poker is a variant of the standard OFC poker with Fantasyland. Just as in regular OFC, all players get several cards in turn, which they place face up until they make a 13-card hand. The 13-card hand is then divided into three rows, consisting of a top, middle, and bottom with three, five, and five cards each. 

The players have to start by placing their first five cards each, at which point the Crazy Pineapple kicks in. That means that players get dealt three cards instead of just one after placing their first five cards.

In turn, each player has to place two of the three cards in any of their available rows, before finally discarding the third one face down. Players go through this process until they have completed a 13-card hand.

Since the third card is discarded face-down, it means it’s not for your opponents to see. However, you should still remember what it was so you’re better informed. Some players use the information to discard a card that their opponents’ would need, thus ensuring they can’t get a great hand. It’s also important to note that the discarded cards aren’t shuffled back into the deck.

OFC Pineapple Poker Scoring

Now that we have the basics down, let’s talk about the OFC Pineapple poker scoring, which is pretty straightforward. However, there are certain detailed cases to account for, so pay close attention.

OFC is played per point, so the scoring of the final hands is done on a point basis. All three rows, the top, middle, and bottom, are worth one point to the winner. So for example, if you have a pair of Jacks in the middle row, but your opponent has King High, you would win one point in the middle.

When every player has finished setting up their hands, they compare the lines with each other. The OFC Pineapple poker scoring system goes as follows:

1. Winning two out of three lines is +1
2. Winning all three lines is a scoop and it is +6
3. Fouling or Busting is -6

That means that the points for the lines will always be plus/minus one or plus/minus six. 

The only exception to the OFC Pineapple poker scoring system happens when two players tie on the same row. In that case, the points will usually amount to zero or plus/minus two, depending on who’s won the other two rows.

While comparing rows and adding or deducting points seems like a pretty straightforward system, OFC Pineapple poker also features scoring bonuses or royalties. That’s where things might get tricky, so pay close attention.

OFC Pineapple Poker Royalties and Scoring Bonuses 

The most common OFC scoring bonus you’ll see is the Scoop bonus, which we mentioned earlier. If you beat all three of your opponent’s rows or lines, you win an additional three points. However, it’s often referred to as the “1–6 system” because scooping an opponent gets you six points overall.

To encourage players to take chances and go for the big hands, OFC rewards good hands in every row with different bonus points. So as long as you make a qualifying hand, no matter if it wins or loses, you’d get a bonus point.

Qualifying Hand	Back Hand	Middle Hand
Straight	2 Points	4 Points
Flush	4 Points	8 Points
Full House	6 Points	12 Points
Four of a Kind	10 Points	20 Points
Straight Flush	15 Points	30 Points
Royal Flush	25 Points	50 Points

The Front Hand

For the Front Hand, the points go a bit differently, and here, we’re looking at points for pairs and 3 of a Kind:

Qualifying Hand	Points
Pair of Sixes (6,6)	1 Point
Pair of Sevens (7,7)	2 Points
Pair of Eights (8,8)	3 Points
Pair of Nines (9,9)	4 Points
Pair of Tens (10,10)	5 Points
Pair of Jacks (J, J)	6 Points
Pair of Queens (Q, Q)	7 Points
Pair of Kings (K, K)	8 Points
Pair of Aces (A, A)	9 Points
3 of a Kind	20 Points

However, there is a variation of the OFC Pineapple poker scoring system for when players get 3 of a Kind in the front hand. It goes as follows:

3 of a Kind Twos	10 Points
3 of a Kind Threes	11 Points
3 of a Kind Fours	12 Points
3 of a Kind Fives	13 Points
3 of a Kind Sixes	14 Points
3 of a Kind Sevens	15 Points
3 of a Kind Eights	16 Points
3 of a Kind Nines	17 Points
3 of a Kind Tens	18 Points
3 of a Kind Jacks	19 Points
3 of a Kind Queens	20 Points
3 of a Kind Kings	21 Points
3 of a Kind Aces	22 Points

There are few simple tricks to help you learn the bonuses for the Top line/row.

• If you have a pair, subtract the number 5 from the numerical value of your hand, e.g. A pair of 9s minus 5 will give you 4 points;
• If you have a set, add the number 8 to the numerical value of your hand, e.g. A set of 9s plus 8 will give you 17 points;

Knowing the bonus scoring system is crucial, especially if you want to play OFC Pineapple like the pros. When you’re in Fantasyland, having this information close to your heart can help you make the right decisions. 

Fantasyland

Playing with Fantasyland is optional and it’s something players have to agree on before the game begins. With that said, most OFC games played both online and in live casinos now have the Fantasyland option, so you should know what you’re getting yourself into.

The rule of Fantasyland is simple: If you make a qualifying hand with a pair of Queens (or better) on top, your next hand will be in Fantasyland. The best way to look at it is as a bonus round of OFC.

When in Fantasyland, it’s common for the button not to move, and a player isn’t allowed to get dealt or quit out of the hand during an opponent’s Fantasyland round.

The player who is in Fantasyland has a big advantage – they’re dealt all 13 cards at once. From that point, the player has to set their cards face down, in turn, and then wait for the opponents to play their hands according to standard OFC rules.

When all players finish setting their hand, the Fantasyland hand is revealed and scored as a regular OFC hand. That is all to say that the player in Fantasyland is able to set their hand perfectly.

Staying In Fantasyland

As you can see, there’s a big advantage to being in Fantasyland, and it is easy to make a Q, Q, or better hand on top while you’re there because you can see all 13 cards at once. So to make it that much more difficult, the rules in Fantasyland have to be a bit stricter.

A player that’s already in Fantasyland gets to stay there as long as they make a Four of a Kind or better on the bottom row. They also have to have a full house or better in the middle, and a Three of a Kind on top. 

To make it easier on you, here’s a list of qualifying hands that allow you to stay in Fantasyland.

Qualifying Hand	Bottom Hand	Middle Hand
Full House	N/A	Yes
Four of a Kind	Yes	Yes
Straight Flush	Yes	Yes
Royal Flush	Yes	Yes

Any Three of Kind hand in the bottom, middle, and top rows will also qualify you to stay in Fantasyland.

Pineapple Poker Scoring Tips

As you can see, royalty points can give players an incredible advantage in the game and they can easily rack up. However, they can sometimes be tricky to earn, especially for beginners. 

Inexperienced players often focus solely on these points, even though they’re probably still struggling with assessing probabilities. That usually results in not meeting any requirements and fouling, which is an automatic six-point loss. 

With that said, beginners in particular should focus on building valid hands and disregarding royalty points in the beginning. By ensuring that the front hand is the weakest and the back is the best, beginners can end up middle-of-the-pack, with the chance of winning more points.

Also, keep in mind that in OFC and Pineapple, as with any other poker variant, the position is key. Those who act after their opponents will know what to hit in which hand. And as the hand develops, you’re more likely to figure out your opponents’ hands.

To Sum Up: Pineapple Poker Scoring

As you can see, Pineapple poker scoring truly is pretty straightforward once you get a handle on a few basics. However, if you’re still just starting on your OFC journey and losing – don’t get discouraged. Practice makes perfect and building skills takes time.

If you want a safe, secure, and dynamic place to practice your skills – head on over to CoinPoker. With varying limits, players of different skill levels, and incredible promotions, we’re certain you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for!

Pineapple Poker Scoring FAQ