Rules & Scoring

Open-Face Chinese Poker is a card game where you build three poker hands from thirteen cards, one placement at a time, in front of everyone. Pineapple is the popular fast version: after your first five cards you get three cards at a time, keep two, and throw one away.

The three rows. Top (also called Front) holds 3 cards. Middle holds 5. Bottom (also called Back) holds 5.

The order rule. Bottom must be at least as strong as Middle, and Middle at least as strong as Top.

A foul is a finished board where that order is broken. A fouled board wins nothing and pays a penalty.

Dealing. You place all five opening cards. After that, every draw is three cards: place exactly two, discard exactly one. Placed cards can never be moved.

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

A scoop means winning all three rows against an opponent, which earns a bonus.

Fantasyland is a reward for finishing a valid board with a pair of Queens or better in Top. Next hand you receive 14 cards at once, set the best legal 13, and discard the rest.

Staying in Fantasyland normally requires: Trips in Top, a full house or better in Middle, or quads or better in Bottom.

• 1 point for each row you win.
• 3 bonus points for winning all three rows (a scoop).
• 6 point penalty if your board fouls.
• Royalties are extra points for strong rows, added on top.

Example: you win Bottom and Middle, lose Top. That is +1 −1 +1 = +1 point, plus any royalties you earned minus any your opponent earned.