Learn

The Pineapple Recipe

Six short modules. Each one shows what you see, what to do, why it works, what to watch out for, and a chance to try it.

Module 1

The Three-Row Rule

Every board is three poker hands stacked in a fixed order.

A legal finished board

Top (Front · 3 cards)

Pair

Middle (Middle · 5 cards)

Pair

Bottom (Back · 5 cards)

Three of a kind

What you see: Top has 3 cards, Middle has 5, Bottom has 5. Thirteen cards in total.

What you do: Finish with Bottom at least as strong as Middle, and Middle at least as strong as Top.

Why: Break that order and the board is a foul — an illegal board that scores nothing and costs you points.

Bottom strong → Middle safe → Top small.

Watch out: Top only counts high card, pair, or three of a kind. Straights and flushes do not count in a three-card row.

Try it: In the board shown, Aces beat Kings, and Kings beat a pair of sevens. The order holds, so the board is valid.

Module 2

The Opening Five-Card Recipe

You place all five opening cards. Here is a default for each common shape.

Starting cards look like	Beginner default placement	Why it works	Watch out
One pair plus three unrelated cards	Pair in Bottom. Spread the two best extras across Middle. Leave Top empty.	Bottom must end up strongest, so it gets your best made hand first.	Do not put the pair in Top. Small pairs on Top block your board later.
Two pairs plus one extra card	Bigger pair in Bottom. Smaller pair in Middle. Extra card in Middle or hold Top empty.	The order is already correct, and both rows have something to build on.	If the pairs are close in rank, keep room in Bottom to improve.
QQ, KK or AA plus another pair	Big pair in Top only when the second pair gives Bottom a real base. Otherwise big pair Bottom.	Queens or better in Top is the normal way into Fantasyland.	Two pairs alone is thin support. One bad run of cards and you foul.
QQ, KK or AA with no other pair or draw	Put the big pair in Middle or Bottom, not Top.	A lone big pair on Top gives your other rows nothing to beat.	Fantasyland is worth points, but a foul costs six.
Three cards of the same suit	All three suited cards in Bottom.	A flush needs five cards, so it can only live in Middle or Bottom.	Never start a flush in Top. Top only counts high card, pair, or trips.
Three or four connected ranks	Connectors in Bottom, one spare in Middle.	A straight is also a five-card hand and belongs in a five-card row.	Gapped runs like 5-7-9 are much weaker than 6-7-8.
Three of a kind	Trips in Bottom. Two extras in Middle.	Trips is a strong, safe foundation, and it can grow into a full house.	Do not split trips across rows hoping for two good hands.
Five random cards, no pair or draw	Two or three high cards in Bottom, one or two in Middle, Top empty.	Keeping Bottom flexible gives you the most ways to finish legally.	Do not fill Top early just to place a card. Empty space is useful.

Module 3

The 3-Card Draw Recipe

From now on you get three cards, place exactly two, and discard exactly one. Ask these questions in order.

1
Can this card make Bottom stronger?
If yes, place it in Bottom. Bottom is the row that must end strongest.
2
Can this card safely improve Middle while Bottom stays stronger?
If yes, Middle. Compare what each row will finish as, not what it is right now.
3
Can this card make Queens or better in Top, and is the rest of my board safe?
If both are true, Top is worth it. If Bottom is thin, skip it.
4
Does it help a Bottom flush or straight draw?
If yes, keep it in Bottom. Five-card draws only pay in five-card rows.
5
Does it help nothing?
Discard it. Discarding a useless card is a good move, not a wasted one.
6
Is the board almost full?
Stop chasing fancy hands. Place the cards that guarantee a legal board.

Module 4

When to Chase Fantasyland

Fantasyland means you get all your cards at once next hand. It is powerful, but it is not free.

Green lightQQ+ in Top and Bottom already has a real hand.

Yellow lightQQ+ in Top but Middle is thin. Improve Middle first.

Red lightBottom is empty or weak. Do not force Queens on Top.

Good time to chase	Bad time to chase	What to do instead
You already hold QQ+ and Bottom has trips, two pair, or a strong draw.	You hold QQ+ but Bottom and Middle are still empty.	Put the big pair in Middle or Bottom and build a solid, legal board.
Middle already beats the pair you plan to put on Top.	Middle is weaker than the pair you want on Top.	Strengthen Middle first, then revisit Top on a later draw.
Only two or three cards remain and the order is already safe.	You need three more perfect cards to make it work.	Take the sure points. A valid normal hand beats a fouled Fantasyland attempt.

Standard entry is a pair of Queens or better in Top on a valid board. A valid normal hand is better than a fouled Fantasyland attempt.

Module 5

Never Do This

Seven habits that cost beginners the most points.

Putting a small pair in Top too early
It locks Top and forces Middle and Bottom to clear a bar you did not need.
Putting a large pair in Middle when Bottom has no foundation
Bottom then has to beat a big pair from nothing. That is how fouls happen.
Putting three suited cards in Top
Top only counts high card, pair, or trips. A three-card flush is worth zero there.
Putting connected cards in Top to chase a straight
Straights do not count in a three-card row either.
Chasing QQ in Top when Bottom and Middle are empty
You are betting the whole hand on cards you have not seen yet.
Keeping a high card only because it is an Ace, King, or Queen
A lone high card rarely wins a five-card row. Shape beats rank.
Building a beautiful Middle while ignoring Bottom
Middle can never legally finish above Bottom, so the work is wasted.

Module 6

Practice Examples

Pick a placement, then read the coaching.

You see:

Practice a full hand vs the AI