Pineapple OFC, also called OFC/P, is a thrilling twist on Open Face Chinese Poker. Played with 2 or 3 players, it’s known for its quick pace and strategic card selection.

The Goal: Arrange your 13 cards into three poker hands, ranked from weakest to strongest: top (3 cards), middle (5 cards), and bottom (5 cards). The top hand can only be a high card, a pair, or three of a kind.

Dealing and Setup:

1. Start with 5 cards each, face down.
2. Arrange your cards face-up in order (top, middle, bottom). This order is locked for the entire hand.

Building Your Hands:

1. Draw 3 cards at a time.
2. Choose 2 cards to add to your layout (top, middle, or bottom).
3. Discard the remaining card face down.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you have a total of 13 cards (all positions filled).

Scoring:

• Points are awarded by comparing each player’s corresponding hands (top vs. top, middle vs. middle, etc.).
  • Win a hand: 1 point
  • Win all three hands: Bonus 3 points (total 6 points)
• Royalties (bonus points) are awarded for strong hands:
  • Bottom hand: 2 points (straight) to 25 points (royal flush)
  • Middle hand: 2 points (three of a kind) to 50 points (royal flush)
  • Top hand: 1 point (pair of sixes) to 22 points (triple aces)

Winning:

• Compare scores and exchange points based on wins and royalties.
• In multi-player games, score each possible matchup between players.

Fantasyland:

• If you build a top hand with a pair of Queens or better without fouling, you enter Fantasyland.
• In Fantasyland, you get 14 cards (discard 1 face-down), while others play normally (13 cards).
• Specific hand strengths are needed to leave Fantasyland successfully.

Playing for Keeps:

• Players remain at the table throughout a round.
• Settle scores in chips based on points gained or lost.
• The game uses table stakes, meaning the maximum win/loss is limited by what each player brings to the table.

5-Card Omaha or PLO5, is a variant of community card poker similar to Omaha and Texas Hold’em, where players gets dealt a hand of five hole cards. The challenge? Use exactly two of your own cards combined with exactly three community cards to create the ultimate five-card high hand and win the pot.

Here’s How It Works:

The game kicks off with mandatory bets (blinds) placed by players to the dealer’s left. Then, each player gets dealt five hole cards, followed by an initial round of betting. Players can call (match the current bet), raise (increase the bet), or fold (quit the hand).

Next comes the “flop,” where three community cards are revealed face-up in the center of the table. This sparks another round of betting, with the action starting again to the left of the dealer.

The excitement continues with the “turn,” where a fourth community card is dealt. As expected, another round of betting ensues.

Finally, the “river” – the last community card – hits the table, followed by the final betting round. If multiple players are still in the game, a showdown occurs. Here, players reveal their hole cards, and the one with the strongest hand scoops the pot. In case of a tie, the pot is split.

The Key Twist:

Unlike Texas Hold’em, you’re restricted to using exactly two of your hole cards and three community cards to form your hand. Using four or five community cards is a no-go in 5-Card Omaha.

Betting Options:

5-Card Omaha can be played with either Pot Limit or No Limit betting structures, offering flexibility for different playing styles.

At No Big Deal Poker, we play the game as Pot Limit.

Omaha Hi/Lo brings the thrill of Omaha poker with a twist – two pots to win! Similar to Omaha and Texas Hold’em, it uses community cards, but here, you aim for both the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand (made from eight or lower cards) to scoop the entire pot.

Dealing the Action:

1. Blinds Up: Players to the dealer’s left post mandatory bets (blinds) to kickstart the pot.
2. Four in Your Hand: Each player receives four hole cards, your secret weapons.
3. Betting Round 1: Can you call the current bet, raise it (bet more), or fold (give up)? Decisions, decisions!
4. The Flop: Three community cards are revealed face-up in the center. Can you use them to build both a strong high hand and a low hand? Another round of betting commences.
5. The Turn: One more community card hits the table. Can you improve your hands? Time for another betting round.
6. The River: The last community card arrives. This is it! Final chance to bet before…
7. Showdown! If any players remain, they reveal their cards. The best high hand wins half the pot, and the best low hand (eight or lower) wins the other half. If there’s no qualifying low hand, the high hand takes the whole pot.
8. New Hand, New Dealer: The dealer button moves, and a new round begins.

The Key:

• You can use exactly two hole cards and three community cards to create your best high and low hands. Think creatively!
• Unlike Texas Hold’em, you can’t use four or five community cards. Be strategic!
• The game can be played with Pot Limit, No Limit, or Fixed Limit betting structures, catering to different risk preferences.

Ready to master the art of Omaha Hi/Lo? Grab your cards and dive in!

Texas Hold’em No Limit (NL Hold’em) is a fast-paced and exciting poker variant where anything goes with betting! Here’s a breakdown of the basic rules:

Blinds and Hole Cards:

The game starts with two players posting mandatory bets called blinds (usually small blind and big blind) to kickstart the pot.

Each player receives two hole cards face down, which are only known to them.

Betting Rounds:

There are four betting rounds throughout the hand:

Preflop: After receiving hole cards, players can call (match the current bet), raise (increase the bet), or fold (give up the hand).

Flop: Three community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. Another round of betting ensues.

Turn: A fourth community card is revealed. Players bet again.

River: The final community card is dealt. This is the last chance to bet before the showdown.

Showdown and Winning:

If multiple players remain after the final betting round, a showdown occurs. Players reveal their hole cards, and the one with the best five-card hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards wins the pot.

In case of identical best hands, the pot is split amongst the winners.

Key Points:

No Limit Betting: In NL Hold’em, players can bet any amount they want, up to all their chips (going all-in). This allows for big bluffs and risky plays, adding to the thrill of the game.

Hand Rankings: Learn the standard poker hand rankings (from highest to lowest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card) to understand how to form the best hand.

Start Simple, Play Smart!

NL Hold’em can be complex, so start with low stakes and focus on understanding hand rankings and basic betting strategies. With practice, you’ll be bluffing and raising like a pro in no time!