Crazy Pineapple Poker Strategy

Crazy Pineapple players are well aware of the trickiness behind making decisions in the pre-flop and flop stages of the game. This is why every player in-the-know will adopt a clear poker strategy, and we have some expert strategy tips in this free guide.

Crazy Pineapple is not called ‘crazy’ for no reason – it is one of the poker variations that takes you on a wild ride each time you play. As such, it can be difficult game to master, and a strong poker strategy is needed in order to beat it. This guide will overview some common poker strategy tips for Crazy Pineapple poker.

Starting Hands
In Crazy Pineapple it is important to pursue only playable starting hands, as your goal is to scoop the whole pot. Basically, you should always aim at building both a high and low hand, e.g.: 2 Aces is the best starting hand possible because it can be used as a high pair or a low nut draw. Other playable hands include:
• Suited Aces with a low card
• Three card straights, such as 2, 3, 4, or 5, 6, 7
• A, 8, 9
• A, 2, 2
• High pairs such as K, K, Q, Q and J, J

Note: The reason that you should pursue both the high and low hands is because all players in a Crazy Pineapple game are receiving more playable starting hands than in Texas Holdem or Omaha, so it is up to you to play that extra bit tighter!

Hands that should be avoided in Crazy Pineapple include the following:
• Three suited cards
• Three Aces
• Low pair and high card, such as 2, 2, J
• High pair and low card, such as K, K, 2

Note: the reason that three suited cards or three Aces is a bad starting hand to pursue in Crazy pineapple is because it eliminates your chance of making a three of a kind!

Playing the Flop
The flop is possibly the most critical time of a Crazy pineapple Game, and there are several poker strategy rules that can be followed for executing it wisely:
1. Wait until after the flop betting before discarding your card, as this can help reveal your hand to other players.
2. Beware of the top pair! Pairs are very frequent in Crazy Pineapple and if everyone, including yourself, is playing a pair, your hand will no longer seem so strong.
3. Anything less than top pair is useless unless they contain a good draw that can be used to play both hands.