Why Fantasyland matters so much
In Pineapple, if you make QQ or better on top without fouling, your next hand is played in Fantasyland: you get 14 or more cards at once and can set the best possible hand at your leisure, while your opponents still receive cards round by round.
- You almost never foul: you see every card at once, so you can make sure the rows are in the right order first.
- Royalties go way up: you have enough cards to make full houses, quads and other high-royalty hands.
- You can stay in: make the required hands and you stay in Fantasyland, extending your lead.
Because it is so valuable, players often take too much risk chasing QQ on top, and the price of fouling is losing all three rows and paying your opponent's royalties.
Quick recap: getting in and staying in
| Item | Condition |
|---|---|
| Entering Fantasyland | QQ or better on top, without fouling the hand |
| Cards dealt | Usually 14. In progressive Fantasyland: 14 for QQ, 15 for KK, 16 for AA, 17 for trips |
| Staying in Fantasyland | Trips on top, a full house or better in the middle, or quads or better on the bottom (any one) |
Rules can vary slightly between sites, so check the table rules before you play. See the Pineapple rules guide for the full rules.
What are the odds of hitting your queen?
Say you already have one queen on top and want a second. What matters is how many queens are still unseen (live cards) and how many more cards you will see. In a two-player game, the rough odds of seeing at least one more queen are:
| Live queens left | After round 1 12 more cards to see | After round 3 6 more cards to see |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 64.6% | 47.6% |
| 2 | 49.5% | 34.5% |
| 1 | 28.6% | 18.8% |
Assumes a two-player game with 42 and 32 unseen cards respectively (excluding cards you have seen and cards your opponent has set). This is only the chance of seeing at least one queen. Once you set it, your middle and bottom still have to hold up.
When to go for Fantasyland
- Your middle and bottom are already solid: for example, trips on the bottom and a pair or better in the middle, so QQ on top is unlikely to foul.
- Plenty of live cards: your opponent hasn't set the queens (or kings, or aces) you need.
- It's still early: the more cards left, the more time you have to hit and fix your middle and bottom.
Example 1: solid middle and bottom, so go for it
The board after round 2 (7 cards).
A♥ goes on top, 9♠ in the middle and 5♦ is discarded. Bottom KKK > middle 999 > top AA, so you have qualified for Fantasyland and are all but certain not to foul.
From here you only need to avoid two traps: don't put another ace on top (AAA would beat the trip nines in the middle and foul your hand), and don't let the middle become a full house bigger than the bottom. In progressive Fantasyland, AA on top earns 16 cards next hand.
When not to force it
- Two or more of the cards you need are already on your opponent's board.
- Your middle has no pair yet. QQ on top forces the middle to make at least a pair of kings or better, or two pair.
- Your bottom isn't built yet and your middle also has to be big, leaving you short in all three rows.
- It's already late and there are too few cards left.
Example 2: use the queen where you need it more
The board after round 2 (7 cards). Neither the middle nor the bottom has a made hand yet.
✗ Forcing it: Q♣ on top
The top becomes QQ, but now the 5-6-7 in the middle has to beat QQ and the bottom has to beat the middle. With two rounds left you need to fix both rows at once, so the risk of fouling is very high.
✓ Playing it safe: Q♣ and 8♦ on the bottom
The bottom completes an 8-9-10-J-Q straight (2 royalty points) and you discard 2♠. The 5-6-7 in the middle can still make a straight, and as long as the top stays unpaired, any pair in the middle will beat it, which makes the hand much easier.
The safe play: lock up the bottom first, then deal with the middle and top.
How to set your hand in Fantasyland
When you get 14 or more cards, think in this order:
- Make sure you don't foul: fouling in Fantasyland still loses all three rows, so check bottom ≥ middle ≥ top for every option.
- Then look for a way to stay in: check first whether you can make trips on top, a full house or better in the middle, or quads or better on the bottom. Staying in Fantasyland is usually worth more than a few extra royalty points.
- Finally, maximise royalties: if several options all keep you in (or none do), compare their total royalties.
To practise Pineapple for real, try X-Poker, which offers Pineapple OFC. See its review for how to join.
Rooms in this article
FAQ
FAQ
How many cards do you get in Pineapple Fantasyland?
Usually 14. Some sites use progressive Fantasyland: 14 cards for QQ on top, 15 for KK, 16 for AA and 17 for trips.
If I have a queen on top, should I always chase QQ?
Not always. It depends on how many live cards are left, how early it is, and whether your middle and bottom are already solid. Forcing it before your middle and bottom are built makes fouling very likely.
Can you still foul in Fantasyland?
Yes. Fantasyland only gives you more cards at once. Your rows still have to follow bottom ≥ middle ≥ top, or the hand is fouled.
How do you stay in Fantasyland?
During a Fantasyland round, make trips on top, a full house or better in the middle, or quads or better on the bottom (any one) without fouling, and you stay in Fantasyland.
How do you estimate the odds of making Fantasyland?
Count how many of the cards you need are still unseen, then how many cards you have left to see. In a two-player game, if all 3 queens are still live after round 1, your chance of seeing at least one is about 65%.