In Open Face Chinese Poker (OFC) / Pineapple Poker, there’s a type of player you often meet: the Flush King. Trying to make a flush on the bottom line is very tempting, but it’s not always the best choice.
Some players start chasing a flush right from the first five cards, even if they only have two cards of the same suit. The danger with this habit is that it blocks the rest of your hand. Yes, sometimes you will complete the flush, but it’s important to understand two things:
First, a flush doesn’t score that many points.
Second, it can block strong plays on the other lines. For example, if you draw a queen, king, or ace in the same suit, you’ll probably put them on the bottom line to help your flush. But doing this stops you from putting those strong cards in the middle or on top.
Placing a queen in the flush might help finish it, but it also means you lose the chance to put that queen on the top line — which could help you reach Fantasyland.
Don’t block your top line (you want at least a pair of queens or better)
As we’ve just seen, chasing a flush too often stops you from building strong hands like two pair on the bottom and a weaker two pair in the middle, which is a much more reliable way to reach Fantasyland.
Yes, two pair doesn’t score as much as a flush, but here’s what really matters:
- You will have stronger pairs on the top line (like queens, kings, or aces), which give you more points.
- Most importantly, you get to go to Fantasyland, which is the main goal of the game.
Once in Fantasyland, you’re safe for the next hand (unless you misplace your cards), and if you hit a full house, trips on top, or a straight flush, you might stay in Fantasyland again.
Example:
You get ♠Q-♠J-♠5-♥2-♥3.
A “Flush King” would probably play Q-J-5 of spades on the bottom, chasing a flush.
But a better move might be:
- Put J-5 on the bottom,
- Place 2 and 3 in the middle,
- And put the queen on top to go for Fantasyland.
This setup gives you more chances to build a strong hand and stay flexible.
Position matters
Each situation is different, and you must always base your choice on the information you have.
For example, if you are playing against two other players and you are on the button, you’re in the best position: you get to see 10 cards before getting yours, which means you already know 15 out of 52 cards — that’s a lot of useful info.
Depending on what you see, it might be easier to choose between chasing a flush or building two pairs, or even a full house.
Final tip
Be strategic. Making a flush on the bottom is nice — it looks good — but it’s not always the smartest play!
